health

Jessica Rowe happily admits she uses Botox. And not just in her face.

Jessica Rowe is more than happy to admit she uses Botox. It makes her feel better, she told Confidential, and not just because it smooths her face.

The 47-year-old author and Studio 10 host told the outlet she also has injections into her armpits to stop excessive sweating; a “terrible” problem when you’re on live television.

While perspiration is an essential bodily function – one that serves to regulate your body temperature – some people experience it to excess. This is referred to as hyperhidrosis.

There is no known cause for the condition, which can affect multiple areas of the body, or be confined to single locations such as the armpits, hands, feet or back.

While clinical, topical products might be effective enough for some patients, Botox is routinely recommended by doctors as the next step in treatment.

botox for sweating
Jessica Rowe. Image: Getty.
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When injected into the skin of the armpit, the Botulinum Toxin (of which Botox is a brand) works to temporarily block the chemical signals from nerves that stimulate nearby sweat glands.

According to Dr Jeremy Hunt of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, the results from a single session can last between three to six months.

"It's a very effective treatment for what can be a very socially troubling problem for patients with hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating," he told Mamamia. "It can change someone's life immensely."

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Studies have shown that the condition can deeply impact an individual's wellbeing; from relationships, to career. In fact research indicates that as many as 90 per cent of hyperhidrosis patients report that the condition affects their emotional state.

Because of this, it's been listed under the PBS since 2011. This means that some patients who don't respond to topical treatments (specifically 'aluminium chloride hexahydrate') may be eligible for a Medicare rebate if the injections are administered by a neurologist or dermatologist.

"The other option is a surgical treatment that involves the division of some nerves that go to the sweat glands in the armpit," Dr Hunt said. "But that's obviously much more invasive."

Image: Getty.
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Of course, there are risks involved with Botulinum Toxin injections as treatment for hyperhidrosis. Among them, what's known as 'compensatory sweating'.

"If your body decides it needs to regulate its temperature it can increase sweating on a different (untreated) part of your body, say the decolletage, lower back, hands," Dr Hunt explained. "This is one of the risks that people need to consider."

Dr Hunt notes that patients should always consult a medical professional before undergoing treatment, and that it's not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

For more information on excessive sweating and hyperhidrosis, visit the International Hyperhidrosis Society website here.