Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive sweating and when it occurs in the underarm skin it is called "axillary hyperhidrosis." This is caused by stimulation of the eccrine sweat glands by the nerve endings which are the final nerve pathways from higher centres in the brain. These nerves respond to different kinds of stress: emotional stress like intimate social situations or public speaking, or physical stress like the increased body temperature that comes with exercise or hot and humid weather.

Some people are routinely troubled by excessive sweating whilst others are only bothered when they are under emotional stress, physically active or over-heated. The nerves that control sweating depend upon a chemical transmitter called acetylcholine which is a molecule produced at the very ends of the nerve fibres. Botulinum Toxin is a genetically engineered neurotoxin which can, when injected into the skin, block the release of the acetylcholine to the sweat glands for months!

• People with problem underarm sweating
• Those working close to others such as hairstylists, nurses, dentists and hygienists, airline flight attendants, and surgeons
• People working in hot conditions such as models and chefs
• People making public presentations such as executives, and salesmen

After performing a harmless and painless starch test to locate the sweat glands, a very small needle is used to inject small amounts of Botulinum Toxin into the skin of the underarms in approximately 13 to 15 places on each underarm. Physical exercise should be avoided for several hours, but patients may engage in any normal activity.

Your underarm sweating will decrease to 95% within 48 hours and the full effect will be seen within 1 week. Along with the sweating, there is a simultaneous disappearance of odour associated with the decreased sweating.

Most patients will obtain 7 months of dryness with one treatment.

The only complications from injection into the axillary skin are some tiny bruises that are occasionally seen. These fade in a few days and occasionally small persistent areas of sweating that may need a second treatment session. There is no risk of muscle weakness, numbness or permanent change in the axillary skin.