Contact us today to feel great!
Contact us today to feel great!
Contact us today to feel great!
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The surgery, Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS), is providing people who suffer either of these conditions not only with new hope, but in many cases with a new life.
The information below gives details of Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis) and Facial Blushing and outlines the surgical procedure and how it can change your life. As with all surgery there can be failures, complications and side-effects which are discussed below.
Facial blushing is a common condition affecting large numbers of people. Facial blushing is due to the overactivity of involuntary nerves. The nerves control the diameter of the blood vessels and when the nerves are over-stimulated the vessels open out and colour the skin red. Excessive blushing can occur under many circumstances including stress or embarrassment, but in many people it occurs in response to the most trivial event. Facial blushing is often accompanied by other symptoms including palpitations, feelings of excessive heat and anxiety.
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LSA Facial Blushing Brochure |
Normal people sweat as a way of maintaining skin hydration and controlling body temperature. We have approximately 5 million sweat glands, many concentrated in the skin of the face, scalp and hands. Although it is not entirely understood why, some people sweat excessively due to overactive functioning of the involuntary (sympathetic) nervous system. The common places people sweat excessively are on their hands, face, scalp and armpits. ETS is highly effective at controlling excessive sweating of the hands, scalp and face.
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LSA Facial Sweating Brochure |
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LSA Hand Sweating Brochure |
We now have a new operation for axillary hyperhidrosis. Our surgeons have recently completed a study tour to Taiwan where the problem of axillary hyperhidrosis is very common in the population. Previously, the treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis by sympathectomy was to cut the sympathetic chain from the level of the second rib to the level of the fourth or fifth rib. Although effective, the operation often produced an unacceptable level of compensatory sweating elsewhere on the body and was used only as a resort for the very most serious cases.
The new technique involves selectively isolating only a small part of of the sympathetic nervous system between the fourth and fifth ribs. This is done by clamping the nerve with small titanium clips which stay in place permanently. (These clips are routinely inserted in the body in numerous different operations and have no known side-effects.) This technique has a high success rate in eliminating or greatly reducing axillary hyperhidrosis with a low incidence of severe compensatory sweating. In addition, there is some evidence that in those very few people in whom compensatory sweating is considered worse than the original condition, that removing the clips may reverse the operation. It must be emphasised that the possibility of reversal is theoretical and by no means guaranteed.
Other treatments are available for axillary hyperhidrosis and we recommend that some or all of these are discussed with your family doctor or dermatologist before considering sympathectomy. Other treatments include:
Strong anti-perspirants such as Driclor. Although effective, many people find skin irritation unacceptable.
Botox. Usually effective, but must be used repeatedly as its effect may last as little as two months. Expensive. The treatment is available through LapSurgery Australia or some dermatologists.
Lipodermosuction. This is performed by a dermatologist, usually as a day case under local anaesthetic and with little in the way of scarring. There is a significant failure rate with this treatment.
Surgical removal of the sweat gland bearing skin of the armpits. This is usually performed by a general or plastic surgeon and may be very effective. The disadvantages are very ugly scars in the armpits which usually preclude its use in women. LapSurgery Australia does not provide this service.
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LSA Armpit Sweating Brochure |
This distressing condition is NOT due to sympathetic nerve overactivity but is due to infection or problems with other types of glands in the armpit. ETS is usually not effective for this condition. We suggest treatment by a dermatologist.
ETS cannot help sweating on other areas. People suffering from this condition should have a thorough check up from their family doctor to exclude metabolic causes such as an overactive thyroid gland. Severe obesity is also a cause of excessive sweating. If this applies, you may be interested in reading the information on the Lap. Band elsewhere on this web site.
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Download Referral Form |
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LSA Interstate and Overseas Patient Brochure |
Operations are performed only in Private Hospitals. For more information about costs please call our rooms on (03) 9760 2777 or email us at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Finance is available through Health Assist. LapSurgery Australia has no direct or indirect association with Health Assist, receives no commission and makes no warranty as to the suitability of this option for individual patients.
Travel and accommodation can be coordinated to enable assessment by the surgeon and anaesthetist so that surgery can be performed on a single visit to Melbourne.
The Internet sites listed below provide further information on Excessive Sweating and Facial Blushing.
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LSA Cost and Payment Brochure |
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