What is Botulinum Toxin (Botox)?
Botulinum toxin is obtained from a bacterium called “Clostridium botulinum”. In other words, it is not snake venom as it is mentioned among the people. This substance partially blocks the nerve impulses to the target organ and creates a temporary and reversible paralysis in the target area.
For what purposes is Botox used?
It’s used cosmetically in the treatment of superficial / medium and deep wrinkles, for eyebrow lifting, in cases where there is excessive sweating in areas such as armpits / hands / feet (hyperhidrosis), excessive teeth clenching and masseter hypertrophy, in cases where the gums appear more than normal when talking or laughing (gummy smile) and in the treatment of chronic migraine. In addition to these, it is also indicated in spasticity, cerebral palsy, spasmodic torticollis, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, cervical dystonia, and bladder spasm.
What is the need for the treatment of excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)?
Excessive sweating is a disorder that disrupts social life and affects self-confidence. An individual with excessive underarm sweating has difficulties in choosing clothes and having social relations. The smell of sweat can disturb both the individual and his surroundings. Individuals with excessive sweating in the hands and feet have difficulty in doing their jobs and experience discomfort in entering social environments. Botox application aims to find solutions to these complaints.
How does Botox application work in case of excessive sweating?
This application temporarily paralyzes the nerves that go to the sweat glands which cause sweating. In this way, sweat glands are prevented from producing sweat.
In which areas is Botox applied for excessive sweating?
The armpit is the most applied area. In addition, the hand, foot, and forehead area are other areas where the application can be made.
How is Botox applied?
There is no need for operating room conditions for this procedure. It is one of the applications that can be done easily in office conditions where sterility principles are taken into account. Injections are made to the target area with the help of very small needles (32G, 33G). The process takes an average of 10 minutes. After the procedure, you can return to your daily life.
When does the effect start after botulinum toxin Botox application for sweating treatment?
The effect of the application starts after 3-4 days. It is normal to see no effect until this time. Approximately 14 days should be waited for the full effect. Therefore, I make your control and your touch-up doses (if needed) after this period.
How long does the effect of Botox application for sweating treatment last, what are the factors affecting the permanency?
In the treatment of excessive sweating, the effect of botulinum toxin lasts for an average of 6-9 months. The permanency varies according to the treated area and individual factors. Age, smoking, nutrition and personal reasons are among the most important of these variable factors. There may be situations where the effect is not as long and effective as expected. In this case, the development of resistance is investigated, dose adjustments are made, or other subtypes of botulinum toxin can be applied. It should be noted that results may vary from person to person. If you have been treated with botulinum toxin too often before, or if the dose was too high, your body may start to produce certain substances called antibodies to the botulinum toxin, and these substances can reduce the effect of the newly injected botulinum toxin.
How often should Botox application for sweating treatment be repeated?
It is thought that the duration of action is prolonged in repeated applications. It is thought that 3 applications, especially made with an interval of 4 months, reduce sweating permanently. The interval between two botulinum toxin treatments should not be shorter than 4 months.
What should be considered after Botox application?
In order to prevent the unwanted spread, the application areas should not be massaged and the swelling should not be tried to be distributed. Activities such as hammam, sauna and heavy exercise are not recommended on the application day. It is not recommended to have a shower on the day of injection. There is no restriction on the next day and it is possible to return to the daily routine.
Is Botox application painful?
Since the injection needles used are quite small, the pain is minimal. Patients describe the situation with expressions such as “as much as a mosquito bite”. Local anesthetic injection is not recommended before the procedure, as it will affect the distribution of Botox. If necessary, superficial anesthesia can be provided before the procedure with topical creams. After the procedure, the pain in the injection sites will also pass in a very short time.
Will there be bruising after Botox application?
Rarely, small bruises may occur due to damage to the small vessels in the application area. This does not change the effect and result of botulinum toxin treatment. After the procedure, it is recommended to apply ice to the bruised area without massaging and pressing hard.
What are the other problems encountered after Botox application?
Botulinum toxin administration may cause headache, general weakness, drowsiness, and fatigue in some people. However, this situation is temporary and usually disappears completely within 24 hours. Very rarely, an allergic reaction may develop after botulinum toxin injection. If you experience difficulty in breathing, swallowing or speaking or if you experience hives, swelling (including swelling of the face and throat), wheezing, fainting, and shortness of breath after the injection, contact your doctor or nearest healthcare facility immediately, as these are possible signs of a severe allergic reaction.
Isn’t it a problem that Botox application for sweating treatment reduces sweating? After all, the body has to get rid of the sweat somehow? Will the body sweat more than elsewhere?
This situation is misunderstood by the public. An adult person has a total of 2-5 million sweat glands. The blocked part is very small compared to this number. Therefore, the sweat that should be excreted by the body is excreted again, and this does not create a significant increase in other regions. Botox application for sweating treatment does not cause an increase in sweating in the future, on the contrary, regular Botox application treats sweating permanently. When the effect of Botox starts to pass, patients may think that they sweat more than before, but this is not true. Since they are used to the amount of sweating under the effect of Botox, starting to sweating again creates a wrong idea in patients.
Who is Botox not applied to?
Botox injection is not applied in the presence of active infection in the area where the injections are planned, in neurological or neuromuscular diseases (Motor neuropathies, ALS, Myasthenia Gravis, Eaton-Lambert Syndrome…), in drug use such as aminoglycosides (gentamicin…) and curare-like non-depolarizing blockers, in case of lactose and albumin allergy, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Summary
Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections are simple and very effective applications that are used quite frequently in the treatment of excessive sweating. An application of about 10 minutes relieves the individual with sweating problem for 6-9 months. The duration of the botulinum toxin application varies according to the previous applications, the treated area and the factors depending on the person. Please do not compare the application with other applications and yourself with other people. Medical aesthetic applications such as botulinum toxin application should be applied by doctors who have both theoretical and practical knowledge and experience in skin and subcutaneous anatomy, have a deep knowledge of the subject, can manage the complications and are experts in their field. Best regards.
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