Excessive Sweating
(Hyperhidrosis)
Excessive underarm sweating is what causes the biggest problem for most people. Here at The Private Clinic, we have a range of treatments that targets the cause of excessive sweating, simply and effectively.
Expert doctors and nurse injectors
High quality and fully approved medical products
What’s on this page
- About this Treatment
- What to Expect
- FAQs
- Our Clinics
- Patient Stories
- Meet the Experts
- Related Blogs & News
Medically reviewed by Lorcan Sheppard BSc MBBS FRCA, Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Advisory Committee for The Private Clinic.
Last Reviewed July 12th 2022
Related Treatments
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.
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.
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.
Here at The Private Clinic we offer wrinkle injection treatment for hyperhidrosis performed by only by specialist doctors, nurses and surgeons who are fully trained and qualified in the particular procedure.
Procedure Time
30 mins
Downtime
24 – 48 hours
Final Results
1 week
No. of Treatments
Every 6 months
Results Last
6 – 12 months
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.
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 35 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.
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 different 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 Botox 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?
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.
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.
You should notice that your sweating has reduced considerably within 3 to 7 days of treatment.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Approximately 30 minutes. You can then go straight back to normal activities.
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.
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.
Excessive sweating treatment is Available in these Clinics
Patient Stories
Outstanding care, patient satisfaction and results mean everything to The Private Clinic Team
Read about our patients’ experiences to see what you can expect from our award-winning procedures.
Why Choose The Private Clinic
- Expert medical practitioners with years of experience.
- State of the art medical facilities, all registered by the CQC (Care Quality Commission).
- Our innovative treatment choice means you will be offered the most advanced minimally invasive treatment options.
- When it comes to non-surgical treatments we always strive to give you little to no downtime, so you can get back to enjoying life.
Meet our Experts
We are the UK’s leading non-invasive cosmetic group and have some of the best doctors, nurses and surgeons in the country working with us.
RGN
RGN & Ophthalmology Diploma, Independant Nurse Prescriber
RGN, BSc (Hons), Independent Nurse Prescriber
NMC Number: 92A1045E
RGN, INP, V300 Independent Nurse Prescribing Course
MBBS, MSc, MBCAM
GMC Number: 6136433 (Dr Hanson is GMC registered as Dr Hao YU)
MB ChB, Masters in Public Health
GMC Number: 4196903
MD (Italy, 2008), PhD Natural Sciences, Doctorate in Forensic Sciences, Trained in General Surgery at the University of Cagliari, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London and Watford General Hospital
GMC Number: 7441197
