Sweating is a natural phenomenon that is used by the body when the temperature rises, with the aim of regulating our body heat to keep it at a constant temperature. This is the concept of homeostasis. This phenomenon is under the control of the sympathetic nervous system.
Excessive sweating
The term of Hyperhidrosis is used when we sweat beyond what is necessary to regulate our temperature. It is estimated that 2 to 3% of the population is affected by this problem.
Although the Hyperhidrosis (or sweating) most often affects the underarms, it can also reach other areas of the body such as the face, chest, back, or the Palm of the hands and feet.
The sweat glands are located in the skin at the level of the dermis.
Their function is to produce sweat which will be evacuated to a channel
crossed by the hair, either directly to the surface of the skin through a sweat pore.
Via an each sweat gland-specific sensory nerve, the sympathetic nervous system gives the order to produce a certain amount of sweat that will allow our Organization to lower our body temperature a few degrees.
The treatment of Hyperhidrosis / sweating will be to act on one of the links in the chain that controls our sweat production.
Sweating, treatments and botox
1. Iontophoresis: Prevent sweat to be evacuated to the surface of the skin
It is a method which is to expose the problem areas (hands, feet or armpits) continuous electrical current through electrodes.
In most cases, this current is conveyed by water from the tap.
Even if it is actually difficult to understand exactly how the process works, it is estimated that electric current, as well as the mineral particles in the water, are collaborating to thicken microscopically the superficial layer of the skin and block the flow of sweat plugging sweat channel level.
After several sessions together, you can get good results (up to 6 months of efficiency).
2. Botulinum toxin: block the sensory nerve
Botulinum toxin, commonly known as botox, through its crippling action to block the synapses of the sensory nerve connected to the sweat glands.
By of microinjections localized at the level of the areas most affected by the sweating, these nerves are paralysed and lost their function of activator of sweating. Thus, the sweat glands are put temporarily at rest, after a simple procedure of aesthetic medicine.
The action of botulinum toxin lasts between 4 and 6 months.
Although very effective, this technique has the disadvantage of being relatively painful due to the particular sensitivity of the treated area (armpits most often).
You can reduce this sensitivity prior numbing each area by a type Emla ® cream.
3. Sympathectomy: block the sympathetic trunk
Radical method used last remedy that involves cutting surgery (performed under general anesthesia) the sympathetic trunk, sort of "big wiring' that feeds all the sensory nerves connected to the sweat glands of the same area.
For underarms and hands, you realize this technique by endoscopy (endoscopic sympathectomy transthoracale or SET). For other problematic areas, this intervention is ruled out because it becomes much more complicated.
