Thermoregulation is the body’s way of controlling its temperature, a process which includes sweating.

Sweating, or perspiration, usually occurs during and after exercise, as a nervous reaction, or in hot weather for example. For many, it can be very embarrassing too — it is often considered by many that a woman who sweats is unattractive, despite it being a perfectly natural process.

Human’s have two types of sweat glands: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Eccrine glands are distirbuted over the majority of the body, while apocrine glands are found in certain areas only, such as the armpits.

While the process of sweat is generally controllable through the use of anti-perspirants, for approximately 1% of the UK population this is not the case.

Hyperhidrosis is the name given to sweating that is far in excess of the amount necessary to regulate the body’s temperature. It is not a temporary condition (most people suffer from it for a number of years) and greatly impacts on the person’s quality of life, causing embarrassment and low self-esteem.

Hyperhidrosis usually affects the hands (palmar), feet (plantar) and underarms (axillae), but may also affect other areas of the body. And unfortunately, the use of anti-perspirants cannot keep the condition at bay.

Thankfully, as medicine —and particularly aesthetic medicine — has progressed, a number of treatment options are now available.

Previously, the mainstay of treatment for hyperhidrosis involved surgical methods to clamp the thoracic ganglion, which is known to cause sweating. However, this process had a risk of side-effects and the sweating would often return within 6 months of the procedure.

Now a more popular treatment option for axillary (i.e. armpit) hyperhydrosis is the injection of botulinum toxin A (e.g. Botox, Dysport and Azzalure), a treatment usually reserved to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

However, it is precisely the mode of action that botulinum toxin has that makes it such a viable treatment option: it can block the action of the nerves that supply the eccrine glands, thereby restricting their ability to produce sweat by up to 90%.

During treatment, the physician will inject botulinum toxin to the affected area (armpit or hands) using a small needle placed just underneath the surface of the skin.

A numbing cream may also be used prior to injection, which will allow for a painless procedure. However, there is a slight possibility of mild side-effects such as bruising, redness and swelling.

Any side-effects that do appear after treatment will dissipate quickly, and the rapid onset of the botulinum toxin will result in a significant reduction of sweating within 1 week of treatment.

The procedure itself takes approximately 30 minutes and the effects can last for up to 9 months.

While treatment of hyperhidrosis is not a cure and provides only temporary relief, it can greatly improve quality of life and levels of confidence.