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  • Excessive sweating can cause issues for people who suffer
  • Here at The Private Clinic, we have a range of treatments that targets the cause of excessive sweating, simply and effectively
  • Treatments performed by expert doctors and nurse injectors

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Medically reviewed by Lorcan Sheppard BSc MBBS FRCA, Chief Medical Officer for The Private Clinic of Harley Street, London.
Last Reviewed June 15th 2023

Excessive Sweating Treatment

Excessive sweating is an embarrassing and uncomfortable condition that affects around 3% of the UK population. It can have a serious affect on a sufferer’s working and social life.

Excessive sweating – or hyperhidrosis – can have a serious affect on a sufferer’s working and social life and many people simply avoid doing things they would otherwise love to do because they are too embarrassed about their sweating.

Types of Hyperhidrosis

There are two main types of hyperhidrosis:

  • Focal hyperhidrosis is the more common type and involves excessive sweating of the hands, feet and underarms.
  • Generalised hyperhidrosis is much less common and affects the whole body. It is usually caused by another illness like diabetes, an underactive thyroid or an infection.

Wrinkle injections have been used as an effective treatment for excessive sweating / hyperhidrosis since 1994.

The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale

Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is when your body produces an increased and non-physiological amount of sweat. The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) grades excessive sweating according to how it affects your life;

  • Grade 1: My sweating /perspiration is never noticeable and never interferes with my daily activities
  • Grade 2: My sweating is tolerable but sometimes interferes with my daily activities
  • Grade 3: My sweating is barely tolerable and frequently interferes with my daily activities
  • Grade 4: My sweating is intolerable and always interferes with my daily activities

The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale is a great diagnostic tool to measure of the severity of your condition.

A score of grade 2 indicates that you may be suffering from mild or moderate hyperhidrosis but grades 3 to 4 indicates severe hyperhidrosis and a perfect candidate for treatment.

Hyperhidrosis Treatment

We offer a wrinkle injection treatment for hyperhidrosis performed only by specialist doctors, nurses and surgeons who are fully trained and qualified in the particular procedure.

The treatment works by blocking the transmission of the nerve impulses to the sweat glands which as a result decreases the amount you sweat/perspire.

At The Private Clinic we only use wrinkle injections to minimise excessive sweating in the armpits. This treatment has been known to treat the hands and feet but due to the discomfort, downtime and potential side effects that performing the treatment in these areas can bring on we do not treat hand or feet for excessive sweating at The Private Clinic.

Watch Dr Hanson perform Hyperhidrosis Injection Treatment

Excessive Sweating at a glance

Procedure Time
30 mins

Downtime
24 – 48 hours

Final Results
1 week

No. of Treatments
Every 6 months

Results Last
6 – 12 months

We are the UK’s leading non-invasive cosmetic group and have some of the most experienced nurses and laser practitioners in the country working with us. We have successfully treated thousands of patients. By coming to us for your excessive sweating treatment you can rest assured you are in the best possible hands and that you will get the results you were hoping for.

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What to Expect

The Private Clinic has been treating patients for over 40 years with thousands of people placing their trust in us each year. We pride ourselves on being able to offer a personalised service. We have a team of friendly nurses and expert surgeons who understand the importance of this decision and will support you throughout your journey with us.

Excessive Sweating Treatment

Here at the Private Clinic, we offer a proven treatment that can banish excessive sweating for up to a year.

We usually recommend that you come in for a consultation first to discuss your concerns and our nurse, doctor or surgeon can go through your medical history and make sure that you are suitable for treatment.

Before treatment, you need to make sure that your armpits are shaven at least 2-3 days prior as this makes it easier for us to identify the areas that suffer the most from excessive sweating.

You will have a topical anaesthetic applied to the area before to make the treatment more comfortable. Once the anaesthetic has taken effect your doctor, nurse or surgeon will begin injecting the armpit with a series of small botulinum toxin type A injections to cover the entire area.

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After your Excessive Sweating Treatment

You will notice a reduction in the amount you sweat one week after your treatment.

If you have not noticed a difference after 2 weeks then we recommend you come back in for a follow-up – a repeat treatment can be carried out to treat the missed areas.

Your results tend to last between 6-9 months but it can differ between patients. To continue achieving the best results we advise having the treatment every 6 months to avoid excessive sweating returning.

According to Allergan, in clinical trials, 89% of patients who had treatment were satisfied after a single week and 93% of patients were still satisfied after 16 weeks of treatment.

You will be able to resume your normal activities after treatment but strenuous activities should be avoided for 24 hours after treatment. You may feel a little bruised in the treatment areas for 1-2 days after treatment.

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FAQs

Can hyperhidrosis be cured?

Most treatments for hyperhidrosis are designed to reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Surgery for hyperhidrosis is available but this is usually only for very severe cases. The procedure is known as Sympathectomy surgery, also called endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS). It involves cutting and destroying certain nerves within the sympathetic nervous system that carry nerve signals to the sweat glands. There are lots of risks of surgery including scarring, nerve damage, and loss of sensation. Some patients can also develop compensatory sweating that causes them to sweat even more heavily than they did from hyperhidrosis.

We do not offer sympathectomy surgery for hyperhidrosis at our clinics. Our wrinkle injections are a great non-surgical treatment option that can provide patients with at least 6 months of relief from excessive sweating.

How do I know if I am a good candidate for this treatment?

Usually our patients that come to see us for this treatment have tried a whole variety of previous treatments like prescription antiperspirants and sweat proof clothing but have not had much success in reducing the excessive sweating.

Although this treatment may not be successful for everyone the majority of our patients find it has made a difference to their condition and visit us for regular treatments.

Certain medical conditions or medications may make you unsuitable for treatment but a full medical history will be taken and discussed with you at your consultation before treatment.

What areas can be treated to stop sweating?

Botulinum toxin is only licensed to treat under arms for excessive sweating. It can be used on hands and feet but we do not treat these areas at The Private Clinic due to the discomfort, downtime and potential side effects.

How soon will I see the results?

You should notice that your sweating has reduced considerably within 3 to 7 days of treatment.

Are wrinkle injections for sweating available on the NHS?

Wrinkle injections for excessive sweating are not commonly available on the NHS, in some parts of the country you may be offered this treatment if others have been unsuccessful on the NHS but usually it would be recommended that you find a private practice that offers this treatment.

Can children be treated for hyperhidrosis?

Children can be treated for hyperhidrosis with other methods like antiperspirants and iontophoresis but wrinkle injections are not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.  We do not treat anyone under the age of 18 at The Private Clinic.

What are wrinkle injections?

Wrinkle injections are a substance called Botulinum toxin which is also commonly referred to as ‘botox’. Botulinum toxin is actually a protein that is produced by bacteria which works to block signals from the nerves to the muscles and glands.

What does the treatment involve?

Very small amounts of Botulinum Toxin are injected under the arms. This blocks the action of the nerves that supply eccrine glands and stops them producing sweat.

Do the injections hurt?

Topical anesthetic will be applied to make the treatment more comfortable. The needle used is very fine and only a tiny amount of substance is used so pain is minimal. No sedation or local anaesthetic is required.

How long does the treatment take?

Approximately 30 minutes. You can then go straight back to normal activities.

How long will the results last?

The effects of the injection should last between 6 and 12 months. As soon as you notice a return to excessive sweating you can come back to us for more treatment.

Botulinum toxin is broken down naturally by the body over time, but the time this takes will vary between individuals and their metabolic response. Factors which can accelerate natural metabolic response include exercise and stress.

Are there any side effects?

You may experience some bruising and discomfort in the area treated which should only last a few days after your treatment. Some patients can experience muscle weakness for up to a week after treatment in the underarm area. Other side effects include itching, pins and needles, small nodules under the skin or sweating elsewhere but these will all be discussed in detail at your consultation.

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