When i was in my early teens i had surgery for my severe hyperhidrosis(palms and armpits but still have sweaty feet), and never knew about compensatory sweating. Now im in my early 20's and Im dealing with sweating in areas that make my everyday life complicated. I sweat in my groin area excessively and below my breast, also my back. I think if i knew then what i know now I would rather have sweaty palms and feet than what Im dealing with now. I recently heard of botox for hyperhidrosis...do you think in my case it would cause some relief or am I an hopeless cause?
August 25, 2008
Answer: Botox for Compensatory Sweating What you have developed is compensatory sweating - that is, sweating in your lower body following endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). Compensatory sweating is more likely following ETS for hyperhidrosis involving the head and neck than for ETS performed for hyperhidrosis of the underarms and/or palms. Yes, Botox can be applied to areas where you have compensatory sweating but this is usually a very expensive treatment option as the surface area involved can be large - such as the back, groin, buttocks, behind the thighs and knees. Beyond cost considerations, it is not pleasant to be injected with needles in large areas of the body. Topical anesthetics can be used to reduce needle stick-related pain, but areas such as the groin are very sensitive and need approximately 10 needle sticks to provide enough Botox to cover approximately 4% of the body surface area. If your compensatory sweating is limited to the groin, then Botox can be injected and this may be an effective option for you. Again, it is not practical to inject large body surface areas with Botox to treat compensatory sweating.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
August 25, 2008
Answer: Botox for Compensatory Sweating What you have developed is compensatory sweating - that is, sweating in your lower body following endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). Compensatory sweating is more likely following ETS for hyperhidrosis involving the head and neck than for ETS performed for hyperhidrosis of the underarms and/or palms. Yes, Botox can be applied to areas where you have compensatory sweating but this is usually a very expensive treatment option as the surface area involved can be large - such as the back, groin, buttocks, behind the thighs and knees. Beyond cost considerations, it is not pleasant to be injected with needles in large areas of the body. Topical anesthetics can be used to reduce needle stick-related pain, but areas such as the groin are very sensitive and need approximately 10 needle sticks to provide enough Botox to cover approximately 4% of the body surface area. If your compensatory sweating is limited to the groin, then Botox can be injected and this may be an effective option for you. Again, it is not practical to inject large body surface areas with Botox to treat compensatory sweating.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful