Underarm Odor Banned with Newly Cleared FDA Treatment

FDA Approval
Underarm Odor Banned with Newly Cleared FDA Treatment
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Jan 18, 2017 - 10:18:40 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Albertson, NY, January 18, 2017 - It's a smelly problem no one wants but millions of people cope with: severe underarm sweat and odor. But the advent of a newly FDA-cleared device to permanently eradicate glands causing the condition is cause for celebration among those who have suffered its negative impact on their body, clothing and self-esteem, according to dermatology specialists Joshua Fox, MD, and Meryl Joerg, MD, of Advanced Dermatology P.C.

Everyone sweats, but this universal human condition is only a problem for some. About 3% of Americans produce copious amounts of sweat in places such as the underarms due to hyperhidrosis - a medical term loosely translated as "excessive water." Hyperhidrosis causes excessive and unpredictable sweating, even during cool temperatures and when affected individuals are at rest.

Under the arms, in particular, pooling sweat can lead to overwhelming smell - despite the use of strong antiperspirants, extra-absorbent shirts or other measures - as odor-causing bacteria latch onto the secretions, says Dr. Fox, Advanced Dermatology's medical director.

"It's wonderful to now have an easy-to-use device that so effectively eliminates the sources of underarm sweat and offensive body odor," he says. "Using miraDry offers hope to those whose sweat and odor issues have prevented them from being confident at work or school or stopped them from feeling clean and carefree in their daily lives."

Receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance in November 2016 to tout its odor-reduction capabilities, miraDry is now the first and only FDA-cleared device for the non-invasive treatment of underarm odor. But how does the procedure work?

Delivering localized heat - precisely controlled microwave energy - to the armpit area, miraDry destroys both types of glands that lead to sweaty, smelly underarms: the eccrine and apocrine glands, Dr. Joerg explains.

The procedure is quick, taking only about an hour in a doctor's office. First, the underarm area is numbed by a topical anesthetic. Then the miraDry handpiece is placed on the skin and aligned with a personalized "treatment template" guiding where the microwave energy will be applied. Patients feel a slight suction as the handpiece is turned on and glands are brought closer to the surface for maximum results. Soothing cooling is applied to the skin throughout the procedure.

Dr. Fox explains, "Studies demonstrate that results last up to 2 years and are likely permanent as sweat glands do not regenerate." "When those glands are destroyed, they don't come back - so miraDry represents a permanent solution to an exasperating, embarrassing problem," Dr. Joerg confirms. More than 80,000 people have been treated with miraDry worldwide, and the procedure comes with a well-established safety and effectiveness profile.

Before deciding to undergo miraDry, Drs. Fox and Joerg suggest that patients be proactive about educating themselves about the procedure. They offer several key questions to ask doctors:

"For years we have found that this treatment for the hyperhidrosis also eliminated the bad smelling odor (Bromhidrosis). It's great to finally have FDA approval for this common and debilitating problem," adds Dr. Fox.

Advanced Dermatology P.C. and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery (New York & New Jersey) is one of the leading dermatology centers in the nation, offering highly experienced physicians in the fields of cosmetic and laser dermatology as well as plastic surgery and state-of-the-art medical technologies.www.advanceddermatologypc.com.

Joshua Fox, M.D., and Meryl Joerg, M.D., are board certified and specialize in dermatology at Advanced Dermatology P.C.