Q I've had armpit Botox twice, but it comes back after six months. Is there no way to fix this fundamentally?
A Botox produces a clear effect by temporarily blocking the nerve signals to the sweat glands, but it must be repeated once the effect wears off after 6 to 12 months. Combining it with an approach that addresses the internal causes of excessive sweat production can help extend the interval between recurrences.
Detailed Answer
Botox (botulinum toxin) significantly reduces sweating by blocking the release of acetylcholine from the nerve endings that stimulate the sweat glands, but the effect wears off after 6 to 12 months as the nerves regenerate. Iontophoresis also requires regular repetition, and aluminum chloride topical agents can cause skin irritation with continued use. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is permanent, but compensatory hyperhidrosis occurs in 10 to 30% of cases.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Dongjedang recommends a combined approach in which symptoms are controlled with Botox while the internal cause of sympathetic overactivation is simultaneously addressed with herbal medicine. By reinforcing Lung Qi (pye-gi) and defensive Qi (wi-gi) to restore the sweat pores' regulatory function, the goal is to extend the interval between Botox treatments or reduce reliance on procedures.
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