Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

Sweating is an important bodily function that is performed to keep your body cool and prevent you from overheating. However, some people experience a condition called hyperhidrosis which is marked by an overactive sweat mechanism. This excessive sweating can occur at any time, even when your body doesn’t need to cool off.

Excessive sweating can be a source of embarrassment for many people. Hyperhidrosis often results in stained clothes, creates awkward moments during romantic settings and disrupts both personal and professional interactions. Fortunately, there are treatments that can help you get the relief you need if you suffer from hyperhidrosis.

You can receive customised treatment recommendations by speaking with our nurse in person.

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Is Hyperhidrosis Genetic?

It appears that one of the types of hyperhidrosis – primary hyperhidrosis – may be an inherited condition. You certainly may have family members who suffer from the same excessive sweating. Secondary hyperhidrosis is the other type, and it is associated with an underlying condition, such as neurologic disorders and spine injuries.

Can Hyperhidrosis be Prevented?

Prevention of excessive sweating depends on the cause. You may be able to reduce episodes of hyperhidrosis if you can identify triggers, such as excessive caffeine consumption or untreated generalized anxiety. If the condition is caused by certain medications, you may want to talk to your doctor about finding an alternative medication to see if sweating is reduced.

For most people, hyperhidrosis cannot be prevented, but it can be managed, allowing you to lead a more comfortable, fulfilling life without the constant nuisance of being too sweaty.

What Regions of the Body Are Impacted by Hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis typically causes excessive sweating in your:

• Armpits
• Palms of your hands
• Soles of your feet

Often, hyperhidrosis can interfere with routine activities. Sweaty palms can make it difficult to open a doorknob, grip a pen or shake hands. Sweaty armpits can soak through your clothes, leaving embarrassing marks. Sweaty feet can drench your socks, leaving your feet uncomfortable all day long.

Who is a Candidate for Hyperhidrosis Treatments?

You may be a good candidate for clinical strength antiperspirant or for antiwrinkle injections if you experience:

• Excessive sweating on the palms, soles of your feet, and underarms
• Excessive sweating interferes with your quality of life and is a significant inconvenience
• Perspiration gets in the way of your daily life, such as when you need to shake someone’s hand, or wear a professional blouse that stays dry for the duration of a presentation

Most people with excessive sweating are good candidates for treatment.

 

Hyperhidrosis Treatment

Depending on the nature and severity of your condition, our nurse may recommend one of the following treatment options:

• Clinical strength antiperspirants
• Antiwrinkle injections

Antiwrinkle injections works very well in most cases of hyperhidrosis. Injections are placed in the armpit to lessen sweat gland activity. The injection discomfort in this region is very minimal. Injections can also be administered in the hands and feet to reduce sweating in these areas.

How Long Will My  Treatment for Hyperhidrosis Results Last?

Antiwrinkle injections will reduce hyperhidrosis for about 4-6 months, at which point re-treatment is necessary to maintain the effect. As you receive successive injections, you may find that the effects begin to last longer, and that more time can pass between appointments.

How Many  Sessions for Hyperhidrosis Will I Need?

Hyperhidrosis can be reduced with a single injection appointment at our practice. It takes about 5 days to see the initial results, with optimal results reached in 2 weeks.

Are Clinical Strength Antiperspirants Safe for Hyperhidrosis Treatments?

Most people experience minimal to no side effects or complications when using clinical strength antiperspirants. Two of the most common side effects are irritation and a burning sensation where the antiperspirant is applied. Talk to our nurse if this occurs.

 

How Do Dermal Fillers Work?

Many of our Sydney patients come to us thinking that injectable products are all the same. Fillers, wrinkle injections, and fat dissolving injections, however, all work differently and can work together effectively to create comprehensive results.

Most fillers have an active ingredient, which is a natural substance that helps keep your skin hydrated. Aging skin loses its ability to retain moisture and fillers replenish it, restoring volume and giving the skin a smoother and more youthful appearance.

We offer fillers designed for:

• Lip enhancement
• Wrinkle reduction
• Restoring volume
• Minimizing dark circles and hollows under the eyes
• Chin augmentation
• Cheek enhancement
• Jawline sculpting

We can also use multiple fillers for a liquid facelift that can reshape the face to restore an overall more youthful appearance.

 

What Happens During Dermal Filler Treatment?

Our nurse begin every filler treatment session by cleansing the face with alcohol and then applying ice to help numb the treatment area. Virtually all fillers include a local anesthetic that also minimizes your discomfort during the injections, which are performed using very fine needles and flexible microcannulas. Immediately after injecting the fillers, pressure is applied with gauze.

The treatment session itself takes only a few minutes, depending on the number of injections needed, and you can return to your normal activities immediately following the procedure. Redness, bruising, and some swelling are common side effects of dermal filler injections, but they usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours.

Post-Injection Care

The initial swelling after a treatment involving lips, or tear troughs may last longer than other areas. If symptoms persist or other reactions occur, please contact us.

Specialized Instructions

For patients who get lip filler, do not smoke for at least 24 hours after getting the injections. Even better, use this opportunity to quit smoking for good. Also, avoid wearing lipstick for 24 hours.

How Much Do Dermal Fillers Cost?

The cost of filler injections depends on the type of products used and the area injected.

Please see our dermal filler pricing.

How Often Should I Get Dermal Fillers?

This depends on your concerns and the expectations you have. Once you are satisfied, you should schedule dermal filler appointments every 6 to 12 months. At the outset, before reaching your aesthetic goals, you should have filler injections every 1 to 4 months and then transition to the maintenance phase.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What other procedures can I have with dermal fillers?

Patients often combine fillers with anti-wrinkle injections, biostimulators and thread.

Can I get dermal fillers while I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

No, it is not recommended to get dermal filler injections while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How long do dermal fillers last?

The longevity of dermal filler results varies depending on the product used and the area treated. Most fillers last between 9 months and 2 years.

 

Dermal Filler Aftercare

It is important to follow instructions about dermal filler aftercare.

For detailed information, please see the instructions from one of the most popular worldwide providers of dermal fillers.

Immediately after your dermal filler treatment you may notice a few of the following things:

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Red needle puncture marks
• Asymmetry
• Tenderness
• Itching in the area

These issues above are common with dermal filler aftercare, and should resolve over the next few days to weeks. Your final result will be seen at about 4 weeks after treatment, and you can be reviewed to see if further treatments are required to achieve the planned results.

Immediately after the injections you face will be cleaned. You should not touch your face for 6 hours. After this you may clean your skin with water and a gentle cleanser.

Things to avoid:

• Do not expose the area to intense heat (eg solarium or sauna)
• Avoid pressure on the treated areas for the first few nights (i.e. sleep on back of possible)
• Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours.
• Avoid alcohol for 24 hours
• Do not use AHA, Retinols/Vitamin C therapy or oil based make-up for 24 hours
• Avoid facials, facial waxing, Glycolic or AHA peels, IPL or energy based treatments and microdermabrasion for two weeks after treatment.

Pain relief

Pain is usually mild and sometimes moderate after filler injections. There are areas which can be quite painful like the chin and the lips. Pain relief such as paracetamol may be taken as directed by your nurse.

Swelling relief

Apply a cool compress for 10 minutes every hour on the day of treatment (do not apply ice directly on your skin). A cool compress applied regularly for the first 24 hours after injections may help to reduce the amount of swelling. Some patients use arnica before and after treatment to reduce the swelling.

Bruising relief

Patients on aspirin, fish oil or other drugs associated with increased bruising may find their risk increased. For the treatment of bruising, there are over the counter treatments available, including Bruderm and Hirudoid.

Vascular laser is also an option for the treatment of bruising.

Some patients take Bromelaine as a preventative for bruising.

Massage

Massage of the filler areas may or may not be advised by our nurse. Gentle massage may be used once the pain and tenderness has resolved and if advised by your nurse.

Cold sores and dermal filler

There may be a small chance that a treatment may induce an outbreak of facial cold sores in patients with a previous history.

Some patients take preventative Lysine or antivirals to help reduce the risk of cold sores. If you get cold sores after a treatment, you should see your doctor.

Aesthetic review

Reviewing the results of dermal filler should be performed at 4 weeks (except for cosmetic emergencies like infection or vascular occlusions, which should be reviewed immediately)

Reviewing prior to 4 weeks is not useful as there is often a small amount of swelling still present, so the results cannot be judged until this has resolved. This is particularly important with regards to symmetry. Symmetry should not be reviewed prior to 4 weeks.

Retreatment of Dermal Fillers

Retreatment should occur at any time between 1-6 months after a first treatment. Once peak filler has been achieved, and the patient is on maintenance injections, they might have filler once per year.

Complications

Cosmetic complications include vascular occlusion and infection. Vascular occlusions mostly occur in the treatment chair, and doctors are able to see that they are happening and treat them. An area may go white, or there may be an area of skin that looks like fishnet stockings, or there may be skin discolouration in a distant area where the skin wasn’t injected. After an occlusion, there may be an area that has small blisters on the skin. If the doctor is concerned then they will need to check the capillary return of the skin. If patients see any of these things on their skin, they should call their prescribing doctor immediately.

Early infections may occur after a few days after the treatment. The patient might notice increasing redness, tenderness, swelling, pain, heat, nodules or pus. Patients should see their doctor if this occurs.

Lip filler After care

Lip dermal filler aftercare needs a special mention: When the lips are injected, the upper lip tends to swell much more than the lower lip and often patients think that their upper lip has had too much filler injected into it. Once the swelling calms down, they realise this is not the case. The typical ratio that most people choose for their lip proportion is 40% in the upper and 60% in the lower, so most likely the upper lip is going to be smaller than the lower lip once the swelling resolves (unless the patient has asked for a less natural-appearing lip).

Temple fillers

Headaches are common after temple biostimulator injections. Panadol should be used to treat them if required. Often the veins in the temple protrude and become more obvious temporarily after fillers.

Jawline fillers

Often you may feel dermal filler lumpiness along the jawline. This will resolve over the next few weeks as the filler integrates with the skin

Concerns after filler treatment

If you are concerned post-treatment, please call your clinic. If you are unable to contact your clinic or your doctor and you are concerned that it is an emergency, please visit the emergency department of your local hospital.