Can miraDry® Treat Hyperhidrosis?
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Many individuals have a problem with excessive perspiration, especially in the armpits where there are numerous sweat glands. While perspiration is necessary to help cool the body in hot conditions, many people suffer from hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating even when in a cool climate controlled room.
Where is MiraDry® Performed?
Fortunately, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new treatment in 2011 that is designed by Miramar Labs to destroy sweat glands without invasive surgery that requires making incisions. MiraDry® treatment is performed on patients in a physician’s office to destroy sweat glands in the armpits with a heated or thermolysis device.
MiraDry® is Noninvasive
An electromagnetic medical device with microwave technology is able to penetrate the thick layers of fat and skin in the armpit to reduce the sweat glands of patients suffering from armpit hyperhidrosis. Most patients undergo this noninvasive treatment at medical facilities where there are board-certified dermatologists who have a complete understanding of human anatomy.
Hyperhidrosis is Embarrassing
Hyperhidrosis is an embarrassing condition for people who must find ways to absorb the excess perspiration that creates sweat stains on clothing along with an offensive odor. While most individuals can apply a deodorant or antiperspirant to their armpits to reduce perspiration and odor, this often does not work due to the excessive sweat of hyperhidrosis washing away the substances.
Preventing Sweat Stains
An individual with excessive armpit sweat may try several methods to prevent others from seeing stains on clothing such as wearing absorbent pads known as shirt or dress shields. A dermatologist might also recommend that patients change their daily diet to eliminate the offensive odor of garlic or onions in perspiration, but the problem may still persist, causing embarrassment. There are prescription antiperspirants and medications for hyperhidrosis, but these items are expensive and often are not totally effective.
A Permanent Solution
Because hyperhidrosis is a lifelong condition, most people need a permanent solution to lessen embarrassing odor, sweat stains and comments from others about their excessive perspiration. Nearly 100 percent of patients experienced sweat reduction that lasted 12 months after treatment with miraDry® in a recent clinical trial. After the miraDry® treatment, patients begin to see results in less than two weeks as sweat glands in the armpits stop producing perspiration.
Eliminating Foul Odor
Some patients experience less sweating after one treatment with miraDry® while others need two or more treatments spaced several months apart. Not only does miraDry® treatment reduce perspiration under the arms, it also significantly reduces the foul smelling sweat that many individuals diagnosed with hyperhidrosis experience.
A Fast Treatment
A miraDry® procedure is fast and easy with little recovery time. Patients receive an injection of a numbing medication in each armpit before a physician uses the handheld miraDry® device to deliver energy into the sweat glands that creates a warm sensation. The total miraDry® procedure takes less than one hour. Patients can resume normal activities and take an over-the-counter pain reliever or use ice packs for discomfort.