Excessive armpit sweating results from a condition called hyperhidrosis, which affects about 3 percent of people, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, or IHS. The condition, embarrassing, stressful and disruptive to daily life, causes overactive sweat glands. People with hyperhidrosis sweat up to five times more than normal, explains the IHS. There are several courses of treatment available to those with excessive underarm sweating.
Over-the-Counter Antiperspirants
Topical treatment of excessive armpit sweating is the first method to try. This begins with clinical-strength, over-the-counter antiperspirants containing 10 to 15 percent aluminum chloride hexahydrate, as the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, recommends. These should be applied before bed and washed off in six to eight hours, explains the IHS, and they can be reapplied in the morning. Antiperspirants should always be applied to dry skin.
Prescription Antiperspirants
If over-the-counter antiperspirants fail to satisfactorily reduce excessive armpit sweating, prescription antiperspirants can be used. These are made with a higher concentration of aluminum chloride hexahydrate, and are also most effective when applied at night, says the IHS. The IHS also suggests applying a hydrocortisone cream to remedy any resulting skin irritation.
Medication
Certain oral medications treat hyperhidrosis in some cases. Anticholinergics such as glycopyrrolate as well as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and Clonidine can all reduce sweat production, explains the Mayo Clinic. In addition, beta-blockers and benzodiazepine can treat excessive armpit sweating caused by stress or anxiety, according to the NIH.
Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis uses an electrical current to temporarily shut off the sweat glands, explains the NIH. More common for treatment of excessive sweating in the hands and feet, this FDA-approved procedure occasionally works for excessive armpit sweating as well, according to the Mayo Clinic. Iontophoresis can be performed at home, after instructions from a doctor, with a battery-powered device and wet wool pads. The procedure, which can be somewhat painful, is performed twice daily for up to a month, explains the Mayo Clinic, and the resulting reduction in sweat typically lasts for a few weeks. The iontophoresis procedure must then be repeated.
Botulinum Toxin
Botulinum toxin, more commonly known as Botox, has been an FDA-approved treatment for hyperhidrosis since 2004, reports the Mayo Clinic. Diagnostic sweat tests determine precisely where injections are made, and usually multiple low-dose injections are made in one treatment session. Botox blocks the nerves that induce sweating, says the NIH. The Mayo Clinic states that a reduction in sweating is seen, on average, within two to four days after treatment, and that it lasts for up to half a year.
