Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) at Spire Dunedin Hospital

Although excessive sweating doesn't usually impact on your health, it can be embarrassing and affect your quality of life. It may stop you doing things you'd like to, such as exercising or from making physical contact with other people, because you're worried about sweating. You may find you have to shower or change your clothes more than usual.

Excessive sweating is a common condition, which affects between one and three in 100 people. When there is no obvious cause for your sweating, it is known as primary hyperhidrosis. People with secondary hyperhidrosis know what causes their sweating, with pregnancy, the menopause, anxiety, certain medications, low blood sugar, an overactive thyroid gland and infections being common triggers.

There are various treatments which can help control your sweating, including non-surgical Botox injections and keyhole surgery. Your doctor will discuss which method is best for you.

You may have decided you want treatment because you have sweaty armpits, face or groin, or maybe clammy hands or feet. Whatever the reason, Spire can help.

If you decide to have your treatment with us, you will be looked after by an experienced multi-disciplinary care team.

Iontophoresis is the single most effective and available treatment for hand, feet and axillary hyperhidrosis.

The treatment is painless and non-invasive and there are no reported side effects, making long-term condition reversal possible.

Nearly all sufferers (98%) achieve a complete cessation of sweating after seven, 20-minute sessions over four weeks. An anticholinergic drug can be added to the tap water for those who do not respond to tap water alone.

Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care.

All of our cosmetic nurses and cosmetic surgeons are of the highest standard and benefit from working in our modern, well equipped hospitals.

All our cosmetic nurses and cosmetic surgeons are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC), and many are also members of the UK’s leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.

You will need a referral letter from a consultant or GP before booking any diagnostic investigation.

You will have a formal consultation with a healthcare professional. During this time you will be able to explain your medical history, symptoms and raise any concerns that you might have.

We will also discuss with you whether any further diagnostic tests, such as scans or blood tests, are needed. Any additional costs will be discussed before further tests are carried out.

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For more information on visiting hours, our food, what to pack if you're staying with us, parking and all those other important practicalities, please visit our patient information pages.

Our dedicated team will also give you tailored advice to follow in the run up to your visit.

We understand that undergoing treatment can potentially be a time of anxiety and worry – even for the most common and relatively straight forward procedure. Our experienced and caring medical staff will be there for you, holding your hand, every step of the way.

There are two ways of helping to treat excessive sweating: non-surgical injections and surgical treatments.

Non-surgical injections

A new non-surgical temporary solution for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) involves an injection of anti-sweating medication which is a natural purified protein, and works by preventing the signal to perspire from reaching the sweat glands.

Anti-sweating treatment by injection is administered through a very fine needle into the affected skin. Perspiration normally diminishes substantially within 48 hours and results, which vary patient to patient, can usually be expected to last from 6-12 months.

Surgical treatments

Many patients suffer from excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) from the hands and arm pits. Although conservative (non-surgical) treatments can be effective, they often need to be repeated and without them the problem reoccurs.

The traditional surgical approach to stopping perspiration involves division of the sympathetic nerve chain. This requires a surgical wound above both collar bones and is fairly complex surgery.

The advent of keyhole surgery has allowed the development of an operation using a specially adapted telescope and requires just a tiny (about 1cm) incision under the arm. The operation is known as Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS). Although a general anaesthetic is required, most patients are well enough to go home the same day and the operation is usually immediately effective.

The treatment involves seven treatments spread over four weeks, day 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 15 and 22. It has to start on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid the weekends. To obtain successful results it is important that patients can commit to this regime.

After the first appointment, which needs to be about an hour, subsequent treatment takes 20 minutes for each body part (hands, feet, armpits).

You will be able to go home soon after your injection. Most people are well enough to home on the same day as well if they have keyhole surgery.

Pain relief

If you've had injections, you might experience some nausea, headaches and pain or redness near the injection site. Sometimes other parts of your body might sweat more. This should ease within a few days.

Recovery time

If you've had injections, you can resume your normal activities straight away and no time off work is needed.

If you've had keyhole surgery, your consultant will advise you on how to make your recovery as quick as possible.

End results

People usually find that their perspiration normally diminishes substantially within 48 hours of having an anti-sweating injection, and that the results can last from 6 to 12 months.

Surgery is usually immediately effective and permanent.

How your loved ones can help

If you've had surgery, once you’re ready to be discharged from hospital, you’ll need to arrange a taxi, friend or family member to take you home as you won’t be able to drive straight away.

Looking after you

Even after you’ve left hospital, we’re still looking after you every step of the way. After treatment for excessive sweating depending on your type of treatment we may want to see you after your procedure to see how you are doing.

On rare occasions, complications can occur. The chance of complications depends on the exact type of treatment that you are having and other factors such as your general health. We will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.

If you have any questions or concerns, we're here to help.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.