The areas of glands are marked in the skin

Local anesthesia is injected to assure maximum comfort during the treatment

The sweat and odor glands are treated in the underarm

Excessive Sweating

(Hyperhidrosis)

• What is Hyperhidrosis?
• Causes
• Treatments
• When to Call a Doctor
• How To Talk To Your Doctor
• Problems Hyperhidrosis Can Cause

What Is Hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is an oft-times embarrassing disorder that affects 2 to 3 percent of Americans.

There are two forms of the condition. Axillary hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating effects the underarms. Palmoplantar hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating refers to the soles of the feet or the palms of the hands.

It’s an uncomfortable condition that can hurt personal and business relationships (“How can I shake anyone’s hand?”) It can prevent you from holding a pen properly. And it can be unsafe as well. Steering a car with sweaty palms can be dangerous.

Both males and females suffer from this condition.  All are often seriously embarrassed as a result. Men stain their dress shirts in work or social environments. Woman suffer from spoilage of fine silk blouses and dresses.

Hyperhidrosis Causes

Hyperhidrosis is primarily thought to be an endocrine issue that hits otherwise healthy people. No specific hormone is ever found to be abnormal in those who suffer. Studies show that people who suffer from hyperhidrosis sweat a lot during the day and evening. Weather is rarely a factor, although excessive heat can trigger symptoms.

Hyperhidrosis Treatment

Though none of the treatments listed below are cures for this disorder. However,  many people with hyperhidrosis achieve some modest good results and improved quality of life.

• Prescription strength antiperspirants that contain aluminum chloride hexahydrate.
• Oral medications (anticholinergics) reduce sweating.
• Botox. The anti-wrinkle medication has been approved in by the FDA for treating underarm sweating.
• miraDry. In this more radical approach, microwave energy is used to permanently kill sweat glands.
• Surgical approach. A procedure called thoracic sympathectomy is often considered a radical approach if nothing else works.
• All of the above are very different from “STOP-Sweat” which removes the sweat glands and disconnects the nerve supply. Local anesthesia is used in an office setting for a one-hour procedure.

As you can see, options are numerous.  Dr Sadove will discuss which treatment is right for you.

Hyperhidrosis Treatment Disadvantages

Aluminum can cause skin irritation over time, lose effectiveness, and stain clothing.

Oral Medications can lead to many problems such as; Dry mouth and eyes, blurred vision, constipation, urination issues, confusion, dizziness, and heart issues.

Botox requires a large volume of Botox, higher cost, and only short term relief

miraDry is more radical with microwave heating of the skin and potential skin injury

Chest surgery is very invasive and aggressive with very serious potential complications.

STOPSweat Treatment

Excessive sweating of the underarms, hyperhidrosis, can be treated with options that have low risk to the patients. They are called local because the treatment is performed where the sweating occurs.

What is STOPSweat Treatment?

The STOPSweat is a minor surgical underarm technique which includes subcision to disconnect the small nerves, and suction curettage to remove the small glands from the undersurface of the skin. There is a scraping of the undersurface of the skin where the sweat glands are located. This is performed in a painless comfortable manner for the patient.

The Treatment Experience

Treatment takes place in a clean comfortable reassuring setting. Cleanliness is a priority and all instruments are steam sterilized according to the highest standards. You may bring your own ear plugs and favorite music for reassurance during the procedure.

If you arrive with a companion, a small amount of sedative may be given to you by mouth, but not enough to make you sleep. The area is marked with a pen. Dr Sadove is very gentle and uses a very small needle to inject local anesthesia slowly into the area.

As at the dentist, you are awake, but not able to feel the treatment area. Dr. Sadove uses skin antibacterial liquid, to prepare the area. Sterile towels are used as this is a sterile procedure. After the area is fully without sensation, Dr. Sadove makes a few very small holes in the skin of the axilla.

He inserts a very small diameter specialized instrument which separates the sweat glands from the tiny nerves that stimulate sweat production. He passes a second specialized thin instrument back and forth under the sweat producing skin which sucks the glands into the instrument. Finally, he cuts them away from under the skin so that they may be vacuumed into a syringe.

There is no cutting for removal of skin, other than a few tiny holes for access.

The gland cells that are removed do not regenerate. They cannot regrow in the future or produce sweat.

Recovery

Doctor Sadove will  send you home with a light gauze dressing in the axilla which you can remove the first day following the procedure. Now you may shower normally.

You can control any pain easily with acetaminophen.

You can work at a computer keyboard the day after the procedure. Often there is a small amount of bruising and swelling which may require a week or two for more full resolution.

No antiperspirants are applied during this period.

You will return to a checkup with Dr Sadove soon after your Hyperhidrosis treatment.

Unfortunately, health insurance companies are not likely to pay for these procedures. Patients can apply for Care Credit if they need financial assistance.

You surely will want a surgeon with vast experience of over 30 years like Dr. Sadove.

Patients have excellent results. A paper published from Taiwan reported 90% good to excellent results. The old liposuction alone technique reported sweat reduction rates of 50%. When curettage was added, the sweat reduction improved to 50% in other studies.

STOPSweat treatment is an excellent option for patients suffering from excessive sweating of the underarm.

Be proactive and get Hyperhidrosis treatment as soon as possible.