New Zealand - MiraDry Level 4 - Auckland, New Zealand

I have been suffering with Hyperhidrosis for a few years now. It has probably been a minor problem since my high school years. We lived in the South Island of NZ for 3.5 years and I had minimal issues - probably helped by the cooler climate and lower humidity. When we moved back to Auckland around 3 years ago, I moved to a job which required long sleeve dress shirts and doing long meetings and presentations. The climate was also much warmer and more humid. This is when I began to have major issues. I would often get very sweaty, and after trying many remedies usually had to resort to changing shirts partway through the day and/or drying my shirt off under the hand dryer in the office bathroom.

Well on 16 Jan 2014 I finally changed all of that. After discussions with my GP, lots of internet research (including this site and the many reviews here), I was referred the Skin Specialist Centre in Auckland. They are the only ones in Aus/NZ that have the MiraDry machine. Initial consultation around 6 weeks before was brief, as I had already done lots of research, I knew what I was in for and what I wanted to achieve.

On the day I arrived for the procedure I was introduced to Lorna who was Dr Kevin McKerrow's assistant. She had performed many of these treatments and was very informative and polite. I asked to be treated at Level 5 (as I am quite large / heavy set) and was told no. After discussion it was agreed that we would do Level 4.

I had the largest template for armpit size - and had around 50 local anesthetic injections per armpit. This was only mildly uncomfortable and quite manageable. During the treatment we encountered a couple of "hot spots" where the local anesthetic injections had not taken effect or perhaps worn off too quickly. These spots were treated with extra injections which had immediate effect. The total procedure start to finish took around 1.5 hours. There appeared to be a bit of blood - which Lorna explained as the needle points where the injections were completed, coupled with the suction action of the MiraDry machine. This is also evident in the multiple hickey type marks where the machine acts.

I was given small frozen "mini pump" water bottles for under my arms at the clinic as soon as the treatment was completed. I also has prepared 6 x mini pump bottles frozen at home inside socks as advised on this site. They were VERY helpful and I worked through them (rotating them back to the freezer after melting to re freeze) with constant application for around six hours straight from 4pm till 10pm. They were quite comfortable while I distracted myself watching TV. I also applied Arnica cream, branded Natures Kiss, Anti-Flamme Extra, every 2 hours or so. It was very helpful and gave a soothing cooling effect.

The next day I stayed home and iced constantly for around another six hours straight from 10am till 4pm. Plus more Arnica cream. While monitoring the under arms it was evident the swelling and redness had significantly reduced.

For around 1 week I felt some minor swelling, soreness, and the pillow effect under my arms. It did not feel like a golf ball or a baseball under my arms as some have suggested. To me it felt more line the material or a jumper under my arm, even when there was nothing there. I did not do any more icing, but continued with the Arnica cream each morning before work, and each evening when I got home, for one week.

I did find I got some "phantom sweating", where I thought I was sweating but upon checking I was not. I did, and still do find my under arms feel hot, and sometimes the skin feels a little sticky to the touch, but no more wet patches or dripping down my sides.

I have not noticed any compensatory sweating at all. I still sweat quite a bit when working out at the gym or doing other physical activities, just no more than normal and no longer from under my arms. I also think my overall body odor has improved, and my shirts are no longer being stained.

SO FAR SO GOOD - I am one month in now and no under arm sweating to report. This has drastically improved my confidence in meetings and presentations and I am very happy with this money well spent. I can only hope the effects are long lasting and I can live without under arm sweat forever more.

It has been 6 months since my treatment and I realized that I had not posted up the photos I took during and after the treatment. So they are here now...

Things have been going well since. Over time the sweating did come back, but only very slightly. When I exercise heavily, or am in a hot environment, or under stress (e.g hosting a training even or important meeting) I do get small sweat patches. These are only about 10% of what I had previously, and while they would be slightly noticeable when I lifted my arms, they were only small around 1/2 inch to 1 inch round and nowhere near the embarrassment I used to have to endure.

Overall very happy with the results and hoping they continue well into the future.

So it is coming up to two years since my MiraDry procedure. Things have been going well. After around 12 months I found that the sweat started to "come back" a little from what had been near zero. Perhaps some healing / regrowth of sweat glands. However 2 years in now, and I think my sweating is maintaining at a "normal" level as opposed to the excess I was experiencing previously. I think I do get a bit of additional compensatory sweat in other areas e.g the back and buttocks in high heat situations like exercising. And I can still get a bit "hot" at times when others seem quite comfortable with the room temperature. However on a daily basis I can go about my business without having to worry about my previous issue. A moderate "life changer" of an event and well worth the cost.