Treatments for hyperhidrosis have advanced significantly over time. Botox injections for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis, for example, have helped many sufferers live happier lives. Botox treatments “switch off” the process that causes excessive sweating, allowing sufferers to live more normal lives, at least temporarily free of the crippling symptoms of hyperhidrosis. Botox injections have a six- to nine-month duration, and maintenance injections can give long-term management.
However, as anyone who has followed this line of therapy knows, Botox can be costly, and obtaining insurance reimbursement for this procedure can be difficult. When it comes to Botox treatment for hyperhidrosis, however, there are a few intriguing options to consider.
The company that owns Botox, AbbVie, seeks to help underinsured or uninsured hyperhidrosis patients access therapy through the following programs:
Botox ONE is a secure online platform that physicians and their staff can use to assist patients in obtaining Botox treatment by requesting insurance verification and reimbursement assistance for Botox for medical purposes (like for hyperhidrosis). Botox reimbursement assistance and information about Botox savings schemes are available on the website (see below). It also enables your healthcare practitioner to perform electronic benefit verifications and authorizations. Inquire with your doctor whether he or she is already using Botox ONE and if they can look into it for you.
Botox Savings Program: You can earn a reimbursement for up to four Botox underarm treatments per year through this program; you can get up to $100 back per treatment. Patients with any type of commercial insurance (but not Medicare or Medicaid) can benefit from the program. Call 1-800-44-BOTOX in the United States to see if you’re eligible or to enroll (1-800-442-6869). Ineligibility for the Botox Savings Program can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
Patients must be uninsured or underinsured, have an income of less than or equal to 500 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and be residents of the United States or Puerto Rico to qualify for the Botox Patient AssistanceTM Program. AbbVie will donate Botox vials for the treatment of financially eligible people through this program. This is a program that your doctor must assist you in enrolling in. Call 1-800-44-BOTOX for more information on the application procedure.
We enjoy highlighting acts of compassion, charity, and support! Botox programs like those offered by AbbVie are excellent examples. AbbVie is providing a life-changing service to hyperhidrosis sufferers by allowing them to pursue this expensive but highly successful treatment.
Christine Fleckenstein, the International Hyperhidrosis Society’s Support Specialist, interacts with members of our hyperhidrosis community on a regular basis. The beauty of AbbVie’s programs, she explains, is that they open up a whole new universe of possibilities for patients.
“Patients should be aware of Botox assistance programs because they expand their treatment options. I get a lot of letters from patients who say they don’t have health insurance and would like to have Botox but can’t afford it. Botox treatment may be within reach thanks to AbbVie’s programs. There are eligibility conditions and a process to follow, but it’s worth a try to win the prize at the end – successful treatment and dry days without having to worry about perspiration interfering with your daily activities. Physicians might be more willing to treat hyperhidrosis patients with Botox if they were aware of Botox assistance options, such as those that give training, support, and reimbursement aid to reduce refused claims. These are genuine options.”
Also keep in mind that patients may be eligible for free care as part of clinical trials or medical training programs. Patients and researchers benefit from these opportunities to learn more about the ailment and its treatments. Always keep an eye on our blog for announcements about these opportunities, and keep an eye on our clinical trials page to see who is currently recruiting.
64999 – Nervous system procedures not listed elsewhere (use for extremities, i.e. hands and feet)
How much is Botox for underarm sweating?
We’ve all sweated, and we’ve all experienced the discomfort of sweating through our clothes. Sweating is the body’s natural response to keep its temperature under control. Some of us, on the other hand, have a tendency to sweat excessively. Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for this condition. It’s a frequent condition that affects the face, underarms, palms, soles of feet, and groin. Hyperhidrosis occurs when perspiration surpasses the body’s normal cooling requirements. Secondary hyperhidrosis has an underlying reason such as an endocrine disorder, secretory tumor, sympathetic nervous system disorder, or neurological/psychiatric disorder, but primary hyperhidrosis has no clear cause.
Excessive underarm sweating can be treated, thankfully. Botox is an FDA-approved treatment for severe primary axillary (underarm) hyperhidrosis. It is commonly used after topical or oral medications have failed to offer substantial relief.
How Does Botox Decrease Sweating?
The nervous system triggers the sweat glands to help cool the body as the temperature rises. The nerves that stimulate the sweat glands are hyperactive in persons with hyperhidrosis. Botox works by temporarily stopping the secretion of the chemical that activates the sweat glands, effectively turning them “off” and preventing sweating in the affected area.
Is It Safe To Stop Sweating?
Sweat glands are necessary for the body’s cooling and temperature regulation. The body has approximately 2 million sweat glands, but only about 2% of them are found in the underarms. The body retains the ability to cool itself through the other sweat glands that are not treated by removing or temporarily stopping the underarm sweat glands from functioning.
How Many Units Of Botox Are Needed To Treat Underarm Sweating (Axillary Hyperhidrosis)?
Botox injections of 50 units are usually given to each underarm for best effects. Individual outcomes may vary, but at this dose, results usually last 6 months or longer. When using fewer than 50 units each underarm, symptoms are usually relieved for only a few months.
What Are The Common Side Effects Of Botox?
Botox injections can cause serious adverse effects such as muscle weakness across the body, vision difficulties, breathing difficulties, and bladder control loss. These side effects are usually caused by significant doses of Botox paired with the location where it was administered. It’s crucial to tell your doctor whether you’ve received Botox for any other aesthetic or medicinal reasons.
What Other Treatments Are Used For Excess Underarm Sweating?
Antiperspirants in general are ineffective in treating excessive perspiration under the arms. Some people get relief from over-the-counter antiperspirants containing aluminum chloride. Others prefer antiperspirants with aluminum chloride hexahydrate (Drysol), which are available only by prescription.
Oral anticholinergic medicines may assist reduce perspiration when topical treatments have failed. However, due to side effects such as dry mouth, impaired vision, and urine retention, they are often not well tolerated.
Iontophoresis weakens sweat glands by conducting an electric current through water to the skin. For best outcomes, a series of treatments is recommended, as well as maintenance sessions.
Axillary hyperhidrosis can also be treated with laser therapy. MiraDry and lasers use energy to create heat in the sweat gland’s location, allowing them to be permanently removed.
Excessive underarm sweating can also be treated surgically. The removal of the nerve that regulates the sweat gland (thoracic sympathectomy) is a surgical technique that should only be used as a last option.
Can Botox Be Used To Treat Other Forms Of Excess Sweating Elsewhere?
Botox can be used to treat excessive sweating in various locations such as the forehead, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet, although due to discomfort, injections in the hands and feet may require a nerve block. The above-mentioned results do not usually endure as long as the underarms.
Does insurance pay for hyperhidrosis surgery?
Insurance Protection Treatment and management of hyperhidrosis is covered by several major health insurance companies. Coverage guidelines, on the other hand, can differ significantly from one carrier to the next. In addition, coverage may be contingent on a variety of circumstances, including previous treatments, medical history, and plan allowance.
How long does Botox last for underarm sweating?
After obtaining Botox injections, you can immediately resume your daily activities. Sweating in the treated area can take anywhere from two to seven days to end. Total dryness can take up to two weeks.
Botox’s benefits are just transitory, so you’ll need further injections in the future. Dryness might linger anywhere from four to fourteen months for underarm sweating. For the hands and feet, the results may not stay as long, and you may need to repeat your treatment in around six months.
You should see your doctor for a follow-up appointment about two weeks after your Botox treatment, once you’ve experienced the full benefits of the Botox. During this session, your doctor can “touch up” any missed places.
Does Botox help with underarm odor?
The degree and underlying causes of body odor determine how to handle unpleasant armpits. The odor could be caused by poor hygiene or the incorrect use of goods, or it could be the result of a medical issue that requires treatment.
When hygiene is behind smelly armpits
After your daily shower, use an over-the-counter (OTC) antiperspirant or deodorant (or a combined antiperspirant-deodorant) to combat armpit odor. You may need to try a few various types to find the one that works best for you.
Antiperspirants work by temporarily closing the pores that emit perspiration, reducing the amount of sweat produced. Because less sweat reaches the surface of your skin, odor is reduced.
Deodorants prevent sweat from smelling, but they do not prevent sweat from occurring. These cosmetics are frequently alcohol-based, which causes your skin to become acidic. This stops the odor-causing bacteria from growing.
When hyperhydrosis is causing armpit body odor
If over-the-counter deodorants don’t work, ask to your doctor about prescription deodorant or Botox injections.
Botox is best known for its use in smoothing wrinkles on the face, but it also has a variety of other uses. Botox injections into the sweat glands can reduce sweating as well as odor. This is a frequent treatment for hyperhidrosis sufferers.
Botox, on the other hand, isn’t a long-term answer. Because the injections’ benefits only last a few months, you’ll need to repeat the operation as needed.
How long does Botox in armpits take to work?
Botox has been demonstrated to reduce perspiration by 82-87 percent when used to treat excessive sweating under the arms. The results begin to show up 2 to 4 days after treatment, with the full effects usually appearing within 2 weeks. Dryness lasts 4 to 12 months on average, however other studies have showed that it can last up to 14 months. Additional statistics from published research studies suggest that recurrent Botox therapy for hyperhidrosis is safe and effective, and regularly results in considerable, long-lasting improvements in the symptoms, daily functioning, and quality of life of an excessive sweating patient. Botox treatment for hyperhidrosis has also been shown to increase productivity on the job. While sweating is an important physiological function for temperature regulation, only a small percentage of the body’s sweat glands are found in certain body locations (the underarms, for example, have less than 2% of the body’s sweat glands). As a result, the transient inactivation of these sweat glands has little to do with body thermoregulation. Compensatory sweating (sweating on other portions of the body as a result of ETS surgery) was not proven to be a problem.
How can I stop my armpits from sweating forever?
Excessive underarm sweating can be reduced or eliminated using a variety of natural, over-the-counter, and medicinal therapies. Consider the following recommendations:
Use topical antiperspirants
Are you fed up with the sweat spots on your shirt? Switch to antiperspirant instead of your regular deodorant. Deodorant may mask odors under your arms, but it isn’t intended to prevent you from sweating altogether.
Antiperspirants remove odor-causing microorganisms while also preventing sweat glands from creating sweat under your arms. This might be able to help you feel better.
Over-the-counter antiperspirants, on the other hand, may not be enough for certain people. If normal antiperspirants don’t work for you, look for antiperspirants that have a higher amount of aluminum chloride, the active ingredient (at least 13 percent).
Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for a stronger antiperspirant if that doesn’t work.
It’s also crucial to ensure that you’re using your antiperspirant appropriately so that it can do its job. As a result, you should:
- Antiperspirant should only be used on dry, clean skin (not sweaty armpits or armpits that are still damp from showering).
- Use your antiperspirant at night, after you’ve bathed, when your body is at its coolest, so the active component can work to its greatest potential.
- Shave beneath your arms since hair can prevent antiperspirant from working. (However, avoid using antiperspirant shortly after shaving, since it can irritate your newly shaven skin.)
- Allow time for it to function. It could take up to four days for the antiperspirant to reach full action.
Wait between showering and dressing
Wait a few minutes after showering before getting dressed for the day. If you take hot showers or live in a hot, humid area, this is especially crucial.
Allowing your body to cool and dry before putting on clothes may help avoid perspiration in your underarms after you bathe.
Shave your armpits
Shaving your underarms may help you stop sweating excessively. Hair, including underarm hair, retains moisture.
If you’re already sweating profusely under your arms, shaving is a must. If you’re always battling body odor in addition to sweat, shaving could be able to help you lessen or eradicate it.
Avoid sweat-inducing foods
Did you realize that your food has an effect on how much sweat you produce? Certain foods trigger your body to sweat more than others.
If you’re sweating excessively, lowering or removing sweat-inducing foods from your diet may help.
Low-fiber foods make your digestive system work hard to break down the food you eat. If you eat a high-sodium diet, your body will detox by excreting salt in the form of urine and perspiration. Additionally, consuming high-fat foods causes your insides to heat up as your body processes the fat.
Eat more foods that reduce sweat
Some meals can lessen the amount of perspiration your body produces while also calming overactive sweat glands.
It’s critical to focus on foods that won’t burden your digestive system when trying to minimize sweat through diet. You’ll also want to eat meals that relax your nervous system rather than overstimulating it.
- high-water-content veggies and fruits (e.g., watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, bell pepper, eggplant, red cabbage)
Wear breathable, loose-fitting clothing
Tight clothing, particularly clothing that is tight beneath your arms, might leave stains on your shirt. They may also cause you to perspire more.
Instead, choose fabrics that are breathable and clothing that fits loosely. This will allow your underarms to cool down correctly, reducing the risk of sweating and ruining your garments.
Skip the caffeine
Caffeine boosts perspiration and activates the neurological system. It also causes your blood pressure to rise, your heart rate to increase, and your sweat glands to work overtime.
If you drink coffee or other hot drinks containing caffeine, you might be in for a very steamy day, as hot beverages boost your body temperature and cause sweating. Caffeine should be reduced or avoided entirely.
Stop smoking
When you smoke, nicotine elevates your body temperature, makes your heart beat quicker, and forces your sweat glands to work overtime, similar to coffee.
Tobacco use is linked to a slew of other hygiene and health issues, including foul breath, discolored teeth, and cancer.
So, if you’re looking to cut down on your perspiration and enhance your general health, stopping smoking could be the solution.
Consider Botox injections or surgery
If alternative measures aren’t working, a medical procedure such as Botox injections or surgery to control excessive underarm sweating may be considered.
Botox injections have been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of excessive armpit sweating in studies. Botox is a neurotoxin that a dermatologist can use to disrupt the sympathetic nerves’ transmission, which induces sweating.
Because the benefits of Botox injections fade off over time, the surgery will need to be repeated.
Thoracic sympathectomy and sweat gland excision are two surgical procedures that can be used to treat hyperhidrosis.
A thoracic sympathectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which the sympathetic nerves are cut, preventing the nerves from sending impulses to the sweat glands. Sweat glands can also be removed surgically using a variety of techniques such as excision, curettage, and liposuction.
How much do Botox injections for hyperhidrosis cost?
Cost. Botox injections are not cheap. The treatment for both underarms costs around $1,000, and it must be repeated every 716 months, so the costs can quickly pile up. Botox injections for excessive sweating may be covered by health insurance.
Will Botox stop sweating?
Sweating is a common occurrence. In truth, sweating is required for humans to regulate their body temperature.
However, some persons perspire far more than is required. Lori Fiessinger, MD, a dermatologist at the University of Minnesota Health who practices both medical and cosmetic dermatology, spoke with us about Botox injections for excessive sweating.
Excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, can have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life. Problematic sweating can often be restricted to a single part of the body, such as the underarms or feet, a condition known as focal hyperhidrosis. Other cases are more widespread, involving excessive perspiration over broad portions of the body. The scalp, underarms, hands, feet, and groin area are the most common locations affected by hyperhidrosis.
“Excessive sweating can have a substantial impact on a person’s life, according to Fiessinger. “It can be humiliating and alienating socially, and many people find the condition distressing.”
Botox, which is commonly used to address cosmetic wrinkles, is also an effective treatment for localized hyperhidrosis. Botulinum toxin injections inhibit the nerve signals that cause sweating, preventing the sweat glands from producing excessive amounts of perspiration. As the nerves recover, a retreatment is usually required in four to six months. Patients can, however, go longer between treatments over time.
Our team of board-certified dermatologists provide comprehensive, coordinated care for conditions ranging from acne to skin cancer. Learn more about our dermatology services.
“The injections are generally well tolerated by patients, and the treatment is highly successful,” said Fiessinger, who has extensive experience with Botox injections for both medical and cosmetic purposes. “In particular, the underarms respond wonderfully. Sweat glands in the hands and feet also respond well to Botox injections, but because there are more nerve endings on the hands and feet, patients perceive the injections themselves to be more unpleasant.”
Dermatologists at the University of Minnesota Health have considerable experience with injection procedures and use this knowledge to aid patients with injection-related pain. Furthermore, our team works with insurance providers to ensure that these therapies are approved for this medical condition.
“Excessive sweating should be addressed by a physician because there are a few other rare, dangerous illnesses that can produce excessive sweating symptoms,” Fiessinger added. Before opting for Botox, patients should examine other choices such as clinical-strength antiperspirant.
When hyperhidrosis is limited to a single location of the body, Botox injections are most effective. Botox is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for those who have a history of neuromuscular issues, according to experts. Because Botox can induce muscle weakening in the hands, physicians like Fiessinger will consult with patients to examine their professional and personal needs before recommending Botox.
The method is straightforward. Up to one hour before the injections, a numbing lotion is administered to the treatment area. The doctor will clean the afflicted area and provide a series of injections using a very fine needle. After the procedure, there may be some bruising, swelling, or discomfort, although this is usually mild. Patients usually experience results within five days, with complete results appearing after two weeks.
“Botox has been a game-changing treatment for hyperhidrosis, helping many patients improve their quality of life,” Fiessinger said. “It’s a fantastic treatment; it works wonderfully, and people are really pleased with the outcomes.”
What kind of doctor do you see for hyperhidrosis?
Dermatologists are the ideal doctors to see if you have excessive perspiration that isn’t controlled by over-the-counter medications. They are usually better knowledgeable about hyperhidrosis treatment, particularly when sweating is excessive. Depending on your insurance, you may need a recommendation from your primary care physician to see a dermatologist.
- Iontophoresis entails soaking the hands or feet in a water basin while a modest electric current is passed through them. Although it necessitates numerous treatments, it is typically helpful in lowering sweating and can be performed at home.
- Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections stop sweat glands from working.
Does Botox in armpits hurt?
Does having Botox injected into your armpits hurt? In a nutshell, the answer is no. Botox injections are performed with a tiny micro-needle, which helps to reduce any pain related with the procedure.