Though most people associate botulinum toxin injections to the treatment of facial wrinkles, Botox helps to treat hyperhidrosis, a condition that causes excessive sweating. To stop the sweating, patients usually receive botulinum toxin injections to the armpits. But it is becoming increasingly common to get the same injections in the groin.
The medication is injected into the groin crease to help stop excessive sweating
Humans have a crevice that runs from the hip down to the genitals. According to Dr. John H.Tu M.D., a University of Rochester associate, this trough, commonly referred to as the groin crease, is where most people get high amounts of moisture. As such, it is the best place to receive the botulinum toxin injections meant to help treat excessive sweating.
Some of the chemical signals sent from the nerves can stimulate the production of sweat. According to Allergan, botulinum toxin works by inhibiting the nerve signals responsible for stimulating sweat glands.
Sweating around the groin area might be more of a problem if you’re overweight
In overweight individuals, the lower abdomen will almost always have more of an overhang. Compared to their overweight counterparts, people who are slim usually have less of a lower belly overhang. Since lower abdomen overhangs cause the trapping of moisture, excessive sweating is much less of an issue for those who have a slim body structure. However, this doesn’t mean thin people are not susceptible to excessive sweating. It can occur to some extent.
In general, patients will receive their groin injections every 4-6 months
When treating hyperhidrosis of the armpits, patients usually get the injections after a period of four to six months. The reason is that the product lasts for 4-6 months. According to Dr. Tu, the injections can be seasonal with proper timing. He adds that since the groin region is presumably the same size as the armpits in coverage, groin injections will probably have a six months gap.
This procedure does not employ any numbing process
Dr. Tu says the discomfort is minimal, adding that facial injections are actually more painful than armpit injections. He went on to explain that the face has a higher nerve density than the armpits and groin area.
Each treatment involves multiple injections
Even though the injections are all tiny, patients get several injections per treatment for a good reason. Spreading the effect around a much broader area is the main objective. According to Dr. Tu, injecting one area means depending on the medication’s ability to diffuse far enough to spread the effects well. The injections will be about 1-2 centimeters apart.
The risks are apparently minimal
Every injection in the groin area is superficial. None goes deep enough to cause any significant effect. Since the muscles found in this particular area are big, the amount of medication injected won’t make any difference. As long as an experienced and knowledgeable person administers the injections, this procedure should be risk-free.
Less than one percent of those who receive Botox get groin injections
Not many people receive groin Botox injections, and this is partly because insurance doesn’t always cover this form of hyperhidrosis treatment. Those paying out of pocket spend around $1,500 per treatment on average.
Groin injections can reduce the risk for yeast or fungal infections
This procedure is not preventative. But by reducing sweating, it consequently serves to reduce wetness around the groin. According to Dr. Tu, you can potentially reduce the groin’s susceptibility to yeast and fungal infections by reducing the level of wetness. However, the doctor adds that this form of treatment does not prevent fungal infections by itself even though it makes such infections less likely by helping to keep the area dry.
