Subcutaneous Excision Axillae??

[sal]

Hi
My younger sister has suffered from Hyperhidrosis for the past 8 years and after 3 lots of botox injections, the consultant has recommended that her next step be surgery, and she's booked in for the procedure next week. She is anxious and needs some reassurance, so I'm hoping that someone on here has an experience of this op, or knows someone who's had it done and can pass on their experiences.
It's basically cutting the sweat glands in the armpits. She's been told by the hospital that it's pretty common, but yet can't find any positive stories about the operation.

Please! Can someone help!!

 

[HH]

has your sister tried iontophoresis for the underarms, if not maybe give that a serious try before thinking of surgery. I have read some good reports of the cutting of the sweat glands under the arms, as long as its not ets surgery she's having done.

 

[Jezza]

Like HH said...as long as it isn't ETS (sympathectomy).

I know of one person who had the "sweatgland suction" surgery in Germany (this person was from the Netherlands as well). She said the results were very good and she was happy with it. I think if you have just axillary HH and you can have this surgery done, it's a good option.
If she really, really gets nervous about it than for axillae I think botox is recommendable. It's less invasive and it works well in the majority of people, except a little percentage (estimates about 5%) who are immune to it. The disadvantage is you'll have to go back approximately every 6 months (varies in different people, some say it works 3 months, some more than a year, but well, it's like going to the dentist). The advantage is you can try it once, and if you're not happy with the effect it wears of in time...In the Netherlands this is now the treatment of choice for axillary HH sufferers in hospitals, and I think in more countries so that's why there might not be too many people having experience with the suction surgery, but I believe that's just a matter of choice or maybe even hype, people use botox for everything these days...

One slight thing maybe; with the surgery, the results are basically permanent, so in case you do get some compensatory sweating (if it's just axillae don't worry too much about that though) it will be as well. Just in the name of full disclosure.

Still, if, and I assume this is the case, your sister has tried all the typical antiperspirants unsuccesfully, I would say this surgery or botox injections is the way to go. I don't know the age and occupation of your sister but in my personal experience ionto is a tedious process (I used it for hands and feet, axillae is even more tedious I believe) and the effect is hit and miss...So to answer your (sister's) question, if your sister feels good about it I'd say go right ahead...