Botox in your Armpit!?

Answer by Rube Pardo, MD
Dec 21, 2018

“I’ve heard that getting Botox injections in your armpit can actually stop you from sweating. Does this actually work? How bad does it hurt?”

Yes, Botox injections in your Axilary (armpit) region can be used as a treatment to stop excess sweating.  Here’s how Botox works in a nutshell: Botox is most commonly used to relax the frown lines in the face and works by affecting the signal between the nerve endings and the muscles of the face. Axillary injections follow a similar process. Once Botox is injected, it affects the signal between the nerve endings and the sweat glands. Injections are usually done just below the surface of the skin because you want the Botox to diffuse into the area of the sweat glands.
 
As far as how painful the process is, axillary injections are usually less painful than facial Botox injections. I would compare them to a pinprick; mildly painful yet very bearable for most patients. By the way, this treatment can be used anywhere sweating occurs and usually lasts between four to six months


Rube Pardo, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

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