Article Directory :: Health & Fitness Articles

Consider Botox to Combat the Effects of Age and Hyperhidrosis

By Dave Stringham

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 13Nov2009 Word count: 821 Viewed: 385 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Facial furrows form mainly in response to normal aging (increased by sun exposure) and the pull of underlying muscles. Botox Cosmetic works by decreasing the pull of these muscles thereby allowing treatment of some skin creases without surgery.

Botox has become a sensation in recent years, and with good reason. Rather than surgically sculpting the shape of your face, these gentle injections simple ease it back into a more relaxed, youthful glow. The mechanism is as simple as it is effective.

Botox Cosmetic is the brand name for botulinum toxin type A, nature's most potent blocker of nerve impulses. Botox Cosmetic works by partially blocking the nerve to the injected muscle.

Botox Cosmetic injections are best on the upper third of the face. Forehead lines, furrows between the eyebrows, and lines around the eyes (crow's feet) respond favorably to Botox Cosmetic. Frown lines (below the mouth) and chin creases may also be improved with a Botox Cosmetic injection, but response here varies by individuals.

Please remember, Botox Cosmetic injections are temporary. The effect wears off in about four to six months. If desired, the injection may be repeated, and modified to achieve a different result each time.

However, Botox has more applications than just facial injections; it can also help with hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. Sweating is one of the most important ways in which the body loses heat; however, people with Hyperhidrosis produce sweat in amounts far greater than needed to control their temperature.

What's happening in the body to cause Hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis is caused by over activity of one type of sweat gland, the eccrine gland. Many things can trigger normal sweating and this is also true for Hyperhidrosis - it's just the amount of sweating that's different. Examples include:

1. Exercise
2. Stress, anxiety or strong emotions
3. Heat or cold
4. Certain times of the day
5. Alcohol, coffee or tea, smoking, or spicy food

People with Hyperhidrosis can produce a large amount of sweat. This means that the armpits may be constantly damp. This can cause embarrassment at work or socially, and it may make normal everyday activities more difficult to carry out. But it is not true that Hyperhidrosis causes body odor: the smell that some think is due to sweating is in fact caused by bacteria on the skin if the sweat remains on the skin for a long time.

What can I do about Hyperhidrosis?

Simple self-help measures you can take include:

1. Choose clothing that will keep you cool. Natural fibers are cool but they absorb sweat and can remain damp; some synthetic fibers are warm but they wick sweat away from the body and feel dry.
2. Keep your work environment cool and well aired
3. Avoid the food and drinks that trigger sweating; these will be different for everyone and you will probably know what causes problems for you.
4. Stress, tension and anxiety are common problems for everyone, though people with Hyperhidrosis have the extra difficulties of coping with sweating. Think about how you can reduce stress during the day: plan your activities carefully and make time to relax.
5. Odour can be prevented by attention to personal hygiene (such as frequent showers); although this will not be convenient for people who constantly sweat, it is an effective and simple measure to take.

How does Botox work?

Botox is recommended for the treatment of Hyperhidrosis. When small doses are injected into the skin, Botox blocks the actions of the nerves that supply the eccrine glands: this prevents the glands from producing sweat. The effects of treatment last for several months but eventually they will wear off.

What happens during a course of treatment with Botox?

Using a very fine needle, you will be injected with a small amount of solution of Botox into 10 to 15 places about 1 cm apart and spread evenly in each armpit. Dye is used to show up areas where sweating is greatest and to show where injections should be placed. A course of treatment takes about 30 minutes.

How soon does it work and how long will it last?

You should notice some change for the better within the first week after your treatment. Your next treatment can be given when the effects of the first course wear off: this usually happens after an average of 7 months.

How effective is Botox at reducing sweating?

Different people have different responses to treatment. In a clinical trial, the average reduction in sweat production on week after treatment was 87% and sweating was reduced by at least half in 95% of patients.

What happens if I decide to stop treatment?

The effects of Botox wear off over a period of several months. If you decide not to have more treatment there will be no lasting change in the areas treating and sweating will gradually return to the level it was before you started treatment.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Dave Stringham

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy Now:

Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!
Click For Details