What Is Excessive Sweating?
Approximately 2-3% of the population is uncomfortable with excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis. Generally, armpits, palms or soles are affected from this situation and it negatively affects people’s social lives.
What Is The Most Commonly Seen Sweating Type?
Primer focal hyperhidrosis (PFHH) is the most common type of excessive sweating and it is described as excessive sweating symmetrically seen in a local region with no relation to physical activities. It can be a genetic issue which is generally seen during adolescence, but it can also start during childhood or infancy.
It affects armpits, hands and feet the most. Although this situation does not danger the life and health of person, it has a significant negative effect on life quality and may create difficulties in work, school and social life.
What Should I Do To Identify Excessive Sweating Characteristics?
There are some steps to be taken at the beginning:
- Your plastic surgeon should identify whether excessive sweating is because of any issues like menopause, obesity, metabolic disorder or nerve damage. Sometimes excessively active thyroid gland and medicine use can be the cause of excessive sweating. All of these are accepted as secondary hyperhidrosis. Treatment of secondary hyperhidrosis is possible with treatment of illness under it.
- It should be identified whether excessive sweating is on all skin surface (generalized) or only limited to an area (focal) like armpit, sole, palm. 50% of people with focal hyperhidrosis has excessive sweating under armpits.
- If excessive sweating occurs only in one area, it is accepted as focal hyperhidrosis. This situation usually starts all of a sudden and unfortunately reason of few is known.
What Are The Options For Excessive Sweating Treatment?
- Antiperspirant: Patients should usually start with a strong antiperspirant solution applied to armpits or palms. This can be effective, but it may cause rash at the same time.
- Botulinum Toxin Type A: It becomes effective by blocking release of acetylcholine that activates sweat glands after being injected under skin. Starch iodine test is made to identify the area with the maximum sweat gland activity. Filling treatment is usually effective for 6-8 months.
What Is Filling?
This medicine tries to block messages sent from nerves to muscles. Its effect is totally reversible and generally lasts 6 or 8 months in clinic uses. Filling is a medical medicine, doctors and surgeons are trained to operate this treatment.
Who Are Eligible Candidates For Filling Treatment?
If the person has a previous botulinum toxin allergy history, active infection on injection areas during the procedure or medical history of any illness affecting nerves or muscles, he is not an eligible candidate for the treatment. People who are pregnant or planning to have a kid soon, breastfeeding and sick should take recommendations on suitability of the treatment. Except from these, other men or women who has excessive sweating complaints are the eligible candidates.
What Is Done During Filling Treatment?
This treatment is relatively quick and takes around 10 or 15 minutes. Injection area is anaesthetized with topical anesthetic application approximately 15 minutes before the treatment. Little amounts of medicine is injected with needle in a short time period. As the needles are very small, pinprick sense is very light.
Its effect usually starts after 2 or 5 days and can last for 6 or 8 months. Following filling injections’ effect may last a bit longer.
What Should Be Paid Attention After The Treatment?
It is not recommended to apply massage on the injection area for 24 hours. Effect of anesthesia totally goes down in short time period and you can immediately go back to work. For optimum results, this treatment should be repeated each 4-6 months.
What Are The Potential Complications And Side Effects Of Filling?
There are many studies on general effects and safety of use of filling. In most of these studies, its light and temporary side effects are revealed. Its medium and serious side effects are rare. Under an experienced plastic surgery specialist’s operation, these adverse effects are seen rarely.
Some of the side effects are as follows:
- Flu-like symptoms
- Muscle weakness
- Eyelid dropping (ptosis)
- Photosensitivity
- Light bruises around injection area
Is Filling A Dangerous Poison?
It is proved that botulinum toxin is safe when it is used in small amounts with cosmetic purposes by experts. There are many research studies published in many clinic journals globally proving efficiency and safety of this treatment.
In What Other Situations It Can Be Used?
It can be used in treatment of migraine headache, face wrinkles, uncontrollable muscle spasms and involuntary winking. At the same time, it is used for helping children with cerebral palsy.
