Localized Axillary Procedures
The term “Localized Axillary Procedures” refers to a variety of surgical treatments that are done to alleviate excessive sweating under the arms, or Axillary Hyperhidrosis. Another disorder that these procedures treat is a condition called Bromhidrosis (also spelled Bromidrosis, and also called “osmidrosis”).
Click here for a description of Bromhidrosis.
Localized surgical procedures used to treat Axillary Hyperhidrosis have been performed for years. However, in most cases these techniques left patients with substantial scarring and even in some cases limited mobility. Newer technological developments have enabled surgeons to take a second look at how they can help those who sweat excessively under the arms– liposuction, ultrasound, and lasers are some of the tools now being used.
There are a variety of techniques that have been developed since the emergence of these newer technologies. Although there are many differences between the techniques, and there are also doctors in several fields performing them, generally these techniques can be put into three categories: ultrasound-assisted liposuction, liposuction curettage, and subdermal laser-assisted ablation. Be aware that in many cases a surgeon will tailor the procedure and come up with his or her own name for it, so if you are looking for information on something called SDLA, for example and don’t see it here, it is a modification of sub-dermal laser-ablation.
In ultrasound-assisted liposuction– you will also see this procedure referred to by the brand name VASER– small incisions are made and the sweat glands are dissolved by ultrasonic waves, then suctioned out. I have read summaries of several studies that state that this procedure results in satisfaction rates approximately between 80% and 95%. Scarring and side effects seem to be minor. Compensatory sweating appears to be nonexistent. It would seem that results would vary greatly based upon the skill and experience of the provider.
Liposuction curettage is a procedure that was used more frequently before the VASER technique was available. This is also minimally invasive but involves removing the sweat glands by scraping and removing via suction. Results appear to be good with this technique with satisfaction rates a bit lower than those of the ultrasound procedure.
The third newer procedure I have seen with some frequency, often referred to as sub-dermal laser-ablation, involves removing the sweat glands using something called an Nd-YAG laser. This procedure, from what I can find, has been the subject of only one small study (involving 17 patients). The results of this study are really very promising: effective, safe, minimally invasive with almost no scarring… I have read an account of someone who has had it done (this was not a testimonial on a physician’s website) and they were extremely satisfied with their outcome. However, when there are few sources of objective information on which to base a decision like this, caution should be used.
Please be aware that with any medical intervention, you need to be knowledgeable about your insurance coverage. These techniques will be costly, and some of them may be considered to be experimental or investigational and therefore may not be covered. Be your own advocate and find out what you are covered for!
So there you have it. If you suffer from Axillary Hyperhidrosis without palmar/plantar involvement, or Bromhidrosis, you appear to have some permanent, viable options! To reiterate, side effects appear to be minimal. Also, if you do not have complete relief, these procedures can usually be redone.
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