Everything You Need to Know About miraDry

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, can be embarrassing and isolating. You may feel like you’re the only one with constantly sweaty pits, but you’re actually one of 15.3 million Americans suffering from the same problem. 

If you’ve tried every antiperspirant you can find to dry up your constantly damp armpits, miraDry® might be the answer you’ve been searching for.

Dr. Boris Iskovitch and our Brooklyn Aesthetics team, in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, offer miraDry, an innovative hyperhidrosis treatment that will change your life. Here’s what you need to know.

Meet miraDry

The miraDry system is an FDA-approved, noninvasive treatment that combats underarm sweating. It uses thermal energy to target and eliminate sweat glands in your armpits, and it can reduce or stop excessive sweating in a single session.

The science behind miraDry

The miraDry treatment uses microwave technology to deliver controlled thermal energy to your underarm area. This energy heats and destroys your sweat glands while cooling the surface of your skin to keep it comfortable. Once these glands are destroyed, they don’t regenerate.

We start by numbing your underarm area. Then, we use a hand-held device to deliver the thermal energy. The entire procedure typically takes about an hour, and most people report minimal discomfort due to the local anesthesia.

By eliminating the root cause of excessive underarm sweating rather than just masking symptoms, miraDry gives you immediate and lasting results.

Potential side effects and risks

Like any medical procedure, miraDry has some potential side effects. The most common include swelling, redness, and tenderness in the treated area. These symptoms are generally mild and subside within a few days to a week.

In rare cases, some people may experience temporary numbness or tingling in the underarm area. There’s also a small risk of skin burns or blisters, but these are uncommon and typically resolve without complications.

Although miraDry permanently removes sweat glands, your underarms contain only about 1% of your total sweat glands, so the overall effect on temperature regulation is minimal.

What to expect during the miraDry procedure

We give you specific instructions on how to prepare before your miraDry treatment. This may include shaving your underarms and avoiding certain products or medications that could interfere with the procedure.

During the procedure, you lie on our comfortable table while we apply the local anesthetic and use the miraDry handpiece to deliver thermal energy to your underarms. 

After the treatment, you may experience some minor swelling and redness, which you can ease with ice packs and over-the-counter pain relievers. We recommend avoiding vigorous activities and heat exposure for a few days to allow the area to heal.

What to expect after the miraDry procedure

One of the most satisfying aspects of miraDry is the immediate reduction in sweating. Most people notice a significant decrease in underarm sweat right after treatment, which continues to improve over the following weeks.

While many achieve their desired results after a single session, some may require a second treatment for best results. Dr. Itskovich discusses your progress during follow-up appointments and determines if an additional session is necessary.

How miraDry compares to other treatments

If you’ve been struggling with hyperhidrosis for some time, you’ve probably researched several treatment options. Here’s how miraDry stacks up against them.

Antiperspirants

While antiperspirants are a standard first-line treatment for hyperhidrosis, they provide only temporary relief and don’t work for everyone. miraDry offers a more permanent solution by physically removing your sweat glands.

Prescription medications

Prescription medications, such as oral anticholinergics, can help reduce sweating but often come with side effects like dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention. miraDry avoids these systemic side effects by targeting your sweat glands directly.

Botox® injections

Botox injections are another option for treating excessive sweating, but they require repeated treatments every few months to maintain effectiveness, while miraDry provides lasting results with fewer sessions.

To find out if miraDry can stop your overactive armpits from constantly sweating, schedule a consultation with Dr. Itskovich today by calling our office at 718-550-6956 or using our online booking tool.