Watch CBS News

New Device Promises Permanent Solution To Excessive Sweating

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Its normal to sweat a little, but people who suffer from hyperhidrosis sweat so much that it often leaves them feeling self-conscious and frustrated.

CBS2 viewer Megan Marsh said it's almost too much to handle. She got sick of having to throw away her clothing because of sweat stains and odor.

"I have excessive sweating. When I'm out I worry about it, put tissues under my arms," Marsh said.

She's tried everything but nothing has worked. And for a luxury event planner like Marsh her condition is not only embarrassing but costly.

"I have dry cleaning bills that I would rather do without. I'd sometimes rather throw the clothes out than pay for the dry cleaning bill. It definitely doesn't make you feel confident. It's not good for dating and not good for job interviews," Marsh said.

Dermatologist Ava Shamban said in the past she's used Botox to temporarily fix excessive sweating but it doesn't stop the odor.

A new treatment called miraDry is changing that.

MiraDry is a brand new device that destroys not only the sweat glands but the glands that produce the odor in our underarm area. The machine uses microwave energy, a form of electromagnetic energy, to eliminate the sweat glands. A special grid is laid onto the armpit to pinpoint exactly where the sweat glands area. The area is numbed, the handpiece suctions the skin up to bring the glands closer, then, the device heats them up and eliminates them.

Doctors say the sweat glands don't grow back.

"In my experience Botox only lasts 3-6 months, at least. And, in my opinion, because the excrone gland is destroyed this may be permanent," Shamban said of miraDry's results.

Marsh has undergone the miraDry treatment, which takes two half-hour sessions. She said after one visit she's already seen results -- "No sweat, no smell."

Now, Marsh is ready to stop sweating the small stuff -- and to hold on to those clothes she thought she'd have to give away.

For more information on miraDry click here.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.