MiraDry
Before I describe MiraDry, I would like to say that I recently got this done. A month and half in and my armpits are completely dry. So if you have axillary sweating. You should diffinetly consider this. I believe its worth the money.
miraDry is a safe, clinically proven, FDA-cleared solution for significantly reducing underarm sweat. It’s an outpatient procedure performed in your physician’s office, and it doesn’t involve any surgical incisions or cuts. miraDry works by delivering precisely controlled electromagnetic energy to the underarm area, eliminating the underarm sweat glands.
miraDry is the only FDA-cleared procedure that provides a lasting reduction of underarm sweat in a completely non-invasive way. Other treatment options, including antiperspirants and toxins, aim to temporarily disable the sweat glands for varying lengths of time – requiring repeat treatments to maintain effectiveness. Other options involve surgery, which poses inherent risks.
Cost:
$2400-$3000 for two separate treatments separated by 3 months. Sometimes only treatment is necessary, if your happy with the first treatments results.
Botox
I had this treatment done before getting the ETS surgery. Unfortunatley it did not give me the results that I wanted. Keep in mind that each treatments results vary with different people. I know many people have success with the underarm treatment.
Botulinum toxin type A, commonly known as ‘Botox’, is a treatment given by injection into the skin. Botox can be used for treating localised hyperhidrosis of the armpits and also on the hands in some locations.. This drug has been used for many years to treat muscle spasms affecting the face, eyes and neck and for foot problems in children with cerebral palsy. It is also used widely used for cosmetic purposes.
When small doses are injected into the skin, it blocks the nerves that supply the eccrine glands; this prevents the glands from producing sweat.
The treatment involves getting a plethora of shots all over your hands or armpits. If your are not good with shots, then I suggest avoiding this. Also it is not permanent, so It needs to be repeated every three to six months for maximum effect.
Cost:
$900 estimated per treatment
ETS Surgery
ETS surgery should be the last step that you consider. I had the surgery in high school after trying pretty much every other treatment. Initially, I was extremely happy with the results. My hands were completely dry. Later, I had to question my decision because I was one of the few who got Compensatory sweating pretty bad. Basically sweating more in other regions, like torso armpits, thighs. In retrospect, I probably still would have gotten it done, because having sweaty hands is extremely uncomfortable. At least with the products I reviewed in my relief products section, I can hide my compensatory sweating.
An ETS involves cutting these sympathetic nerves which switches off the sweating. The sympathetic nerves that control the sweat glands of the hand and armpits runs inside the rib cage near the top of the chest. The development of surgical telescopes and cameras has led to the ability to divide these nerves through very small incisions, which can improve symptoms.
The operation
This operation is performed under general anaesthetic. A small incision is made beneath the armpit. The lung, on the side being operated on, is allowed to collapse a little to help make room for the operation. Your other lung remains intact and is capable of doing all the work. A camera on a thin telescope is put into the chest, and the nerves which are to be divided are found. One other small hole may be made to put in the instruments that divide the nerves, although this can also be done using the same hole as for the camera. After the nerves have been cut, the lung is re-expanded and the instruments removed. Sometimes a small drain (plastic tube) is left in the chest for a few hours to make sure all the air is removed from the chest cavity.
Cost
Consult your insurance company
Topical Therapy
Topical treatment is another popular treatment. You can get a prescription and try to get Drysol. The over the counter product that i had the best results with was Sweat Block.
Topical treatment is usually a prerequisite to any to any major treatments.Doctors usually wont prescribe medication before you try this first. Results vary person to person. Topical treatment is effective, due to its high percentage of aluminum chloride
Aluminum chloride is thought to obstruct sweat pores and induce atrophy of secretory cells within the sweat glands. The only contraindication to this treatment is documented hypersensitivity, and aluminum chloride should not be used on irritated, broken, or recently shaven skin.
Patients should apply to dry skin nightly until clinical relief is achieved, at which point maintenance therapy is instituted and frequency of applications can be spread out over time in some patients. The morning after an overnight treatment, patients should wash away residual aluminum chloride and apply topical baking soda to limit skin irritation.
Cost
$8-$20
Medication
One prescription that I had some success with, and still take is glycopyrrolate. Glycopyrrolate is the generic name. It usually goes by Robinul or Avert. For those of you that don't have insurance, you can find it on a canadian pharmacy site that will ship it to you (Email for details). Those with insurance, like i mentioned earlier, most doctors wont prescribe until you try the topical treatment first.
According to the Mayo Clinic, oral glycopyrrolate works well for sweating because it blocks the nerve impulses to the sweat glands. People with severe hyperhidrosis can benefit from taking this medicine, but it is best to start off with the simplest, least intrusive solutions first. Oral medications such as glycopyrrolate usually should be taken only when it is absolutely necessary