Best Dermatologist for Excessive Sweating Treatments in San Francisco

What is Excessive Sweating?

Do you feel self-conscious due to excessive sweating? Do you avoid social situations such as handshakes due to having sweaty palms? Excessive sweating, also known by the medical term hyperhidrosis, can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing condition for many people. It can affect various parts of the body, including the palms, feet, underarms, and face. Although excessive sweating is very common, with 1 in 5 Americans suffering from this disorder, not many people realize that this is a treatable condition. At the California Center for Dermatologic Surgery, we understand the impact that excessive sweating can have on your confidence and quality of life. We offer a number of safe, virtually pain-free treatment options for excessive sweating and body odor. Read on to learn more, and schedule a visit with us to finally say goodbye to those embarrassing sweaty moments!

What Causes It?

There are many causes of excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis, and these are generally grouped into two types: primary focal hyperhidrosis, where there is overactivity of the sweat glands due to no known cause, and secondary hyperhidrosis, which is due to an underlying or external factor. Primary focal hyperhidrosis typically starts during childhood or adolescence and typically affects specific areas of the body, such as the palms, soles of the feet, underarms, or face. Secondary hyperhidrosis tends to be more generalized, and can be seen as a result of a medical condition such as a hyperactive thyroid gland (a medical condition called hyperthyroidism), anxiety, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, hormonal changes such as seen in menopause, certain drugs or medications such as blood pressure medications, stimulants, or anti-depression, and lifestyle and environmental factors such as warm weather, intense exercise, stress, and consumption of caffeine or spicy foods.

Can It Be Treated?

Yes, excessive sweating can easily be treated. Treatment options for excessive sweating vary depending on how severe it is, and if there are any known underlying causes. Treatment options range from easy topical antiperspirants that can be applied directly to skin to stop the release of sweat, to oral medications that can be taken to decrease sweating, to procedures performed in a clinic setting by a licensed doctor, such as injection of botulinum toxin (botox or similar products such as Xeomin and Dysport) into the skin where excdessive sweating occurs, for example, into the armpits, to block the nerves in the skin that are responsible for stimulating the sweat glands to produce sweat, and iontophoresis- a procedure that uses electrical currents to temporarily block sweat glands from producing and transporting sweat to the skin's surface. The MiraDry system is an example of an iontophoresis device, which when placed on the skin using its handpieces, delivers electrical energy to the skin, resulting in destruction of glands that produce sweat and odor in the skin. This device is FDA approved for treatment of excessive underam sweat, called axillary hyperhidrosis. In severe cases of excessive sweating, a surgery called sympathectomy, may be used to remove part of the nervous system that controls the activity of sweat glands. This procedure is usually done under general anesthesia in an operating room or hospital setting, while a patient is asleep, rather than in a clinic or medical office. All of these treatment options offer significant reduction in the amount of body sweat being produced in the skin. Although the use of botox is highly effective for many types and areas of focal hyperhidrosis, botox injection treatments are often not covered by insurance. Patients may however be able to use health or flexible saving account funds towards this treatment.

How Does Treatment Work?

At the California Center for Dermatologic Surgery, we offer topical medications, oral medications, and botox treatments for excessive sweating. Botox treatments are offered in the office, by our board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Carlson, who has experience treating excessive underarm sweating, excessive sweating of the palms and soles with botulinum toxin. This treatment involves initally applying a numbing cream or ice to the skin for a few minutes, followed by a series of small injections of a neurotoxin such as botox or xeomin, just under the skin where the sweat glands are found, using a very small needle. The injected neurotoxin diffuses to the parts of the skin where the nerve endings that trigger the sweat glands to produce sweat, are found, and blocks these nerves. The procedure is quick, virtually without pain, and requires no downtime. The most common side effects are mild swelling, and occasionally, some bruising, although this is not very common. Ice applied to the treated area provides relief to the swelling, which typically resolves after a few hours. You will be able to return to your routine daily activities. Results may be seen as soon as after 3 days, although the full effects are usually seen by the first week after treatment. Benefits usually last 3-4 months on average.