What in the world does Botox have to do with excessive sweating?  Some doctors use it to stop sweating for people who experience an excessive sweating condition on a regular basis.

HOW IS IT USED FOR SUFFERERS OF EXCESSIVE SWEATING?

In the article 'Botulinum Toxin: A Poison That Can Heal' author Luba Vangelova wrote "Botulinum toxin can heal as well as harm. The bacterial toxin that can paralyze and kill if consumed in contaminated food is now safely used, in a purified form, as a medicine to control certain conditions marked by involuntary muscle contractions."[2]

So, the question is whether this medical treatment for excessive sweating would be right for you.  A doctor must be consulted, of course, but doing some advance research on your own can be helpful to the discussion.

According to Wikipedia, "Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances in the world, and it is the most toxic protein. Though it is highly toxic, it is used in minute doses both to treat painful muscle spasms, and as a cosmetic treatment in some parts of the world. It is sold commercially under the brand names Botox and Dysport for this purpose. The terms Botox and Dysport are trade names."

Botox is frequently associated with cosmetic treatment. In fact, Botox injection is the most common cosmetic operation in the United States. However, it is also used for other medical uses including excessive sweating.  Besides its cosmetic application, Botox is also used in the treatment of

• migraine headaches
• cervical dystonia (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck)
• blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscles)
• severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

SIDE EFFECTS
Botulinum toxin used for reduction in excessive sweating can have effects such as paralysis of the wrong muscle group and allergic reaction.

"Bruising at the site of injection is a side effect not of the toxin, but rather the mode of administration. In cosmetic use, this means that the client will complain of inappropriate facial expression such as drooping eyelid, uneven smile, loss of ability to close the eye. This will wear off in around 6 weeks.
Bruising is prevented by the clinician applying pressure to the injection site, but may still occur, and will last around 7 - 10 days... All cosmetic treatments are of limited duration, and can be as short a period as six weeks, but usually one reckons with an effective period of between 3 and 6 months. At the extremely low doses used medicinally, botulinum toxin has a very low degree of toxicity."[2]

Now that you know some of the positive and negative results of using Botulinum Toxin, you can make a more informed decision whether to pursue this course of medical treatment with your doctor to reduce the incidence of excessive sweating.

[1] source - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
[2] source - Wikipedia