When you're dealing with summer's oppressive heat, you're bound to start sweating.
But for 10% of people, sweating is more than just an annoyance. That's because they have hyperactive sweat glands.
"I would go through 5 to 6 shirts a night, like drenched to the bone," says Kevin Davis, a patient.
It wasn't until recently, that Kevin Davis could stand in the sun. That's because he had a problem with excessive sweating that left him soaked.
"It's embarrassing. It's unsightly," says Davis.
"It's perfectly normal for any of us to perspire in hot environments or under stressful conditions, but for some people even a little bit of change in temperature or when they are under stress, they undergo a very vivid perspiration crisis," says dermatologist Dr. Tina Alster.
For years, hyperhidrosis was treated with clinical strength anti-perspirants and more recently with botox injections, but neither treatment was very effective for long periods of time.
Now a new FDA-approved procedure is giving patients long term relief.
"This is exciting because it's something you can do twice and get rid of 90 percent of perspiration permanently," says Dr. Alster.
Dermatologist Dr. Tina Alster says Miradry uses microwaves to go deep into the skin and kill sweat glands in the arm pits.
Most patients need two treatments for maximum effectiveness.
"You don't need those sweat glands for your skin to function. Certainly, not the ones under you arms. We have other ways to lose heat quite effectively," says Dr. Alster.
Alster says the body has thousands of sweat glands. So losing the ones under your arms, doesn't impact your body's ability to cool.
The treatment is painful, but patients get an anesthetic so they don't feel any sensation. Though afterwards, some people might experience soreness and swelling for a few days.
"It definitely affected my life, just not wanting people to touch me. Not wanted people to get too close," says Davis.
Davis says he used to shy away from outdoor activities and being in potentially awkward situations. But since he underwent the miradry treatment last year, his whole life has changed.
"It's helping me to be a bit more social. I really don't feel embarrassed. What's that commercial, raise your hand if your sure," says Davis.
The type of microwaves used in this treatment are not the type that cause cancer, but it is a form of electromagnetic energy.
Any adult can get the Miradry treatment. It costs about $3000 for two procedures.
