Laser Sweat Ablation - Patient Testimonials

These are testimonials written by our patients who had our new modified procedure as outlined on http://markwhiteley.blogspot.com and then http://lasersweatabltion.blogspot.com

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Mr E.R. age 20

As a 20 year old student, suffering from hyperhidrosis was a daily struggle that affected nearly every decision of daily life. Never could I wear what I wanted or feel comfortable in social situations without several layers of clothes on to hide the sweat patches. With the thought of graduating next year and trying to find a job with the constant fear in the back of my mind that everyone is judging me for sweating, I knew I had to do something drastic and permanent.

Having tried everything from acupuncture and high-strength deodorants to iontophoresis and prescription medications, my GP told me it was something I would just have to live with, an opinion I strongly disagreed with and refused to believe.

I found the Whitely Clinic online and when I went for my consultation I couldn't have been made to feel more comfortable. Dr Whiteley was extremely knowledgable and honest about the entire process, and the sweat test confirmed that not only did I have hyperhidrosis, but it was one of the worst cases he'd seen.

When I came back for the operation I was excited to finally get rid of this condition however having a phobia of needles and operations I was absolutely terrified at the same time. The nurses couldn't have been more friendly and were there throughout the operation to keep my mind off what was going on. The operation lasted about an hour and thanks to the anaesthetic I was completely numbed and it was nowhere near as bad as I had expected, instead it was actually quite a laugh with the Doctor and the Nurses and the radio in the background.

I was slightly sore after the operation but this was kept at bay with the pain killers The Whiteley Clinic gave me, and I was driving again the next day. A week later the bruising had gone down significantly however a red swollen lump appeared on one of the incisions and looked infected. I emailed the clinic a photo and was reassured that it was nothing to worry about, however I was still concerned and Dr Whiteley was more than happy for me to come in that afternoon just to put my mind at rest. I was seen straight away and Dr Whiteley confirmed it was just fluid, and surely enough it was gone within a couple of days.

Eleven weeks on and I haven't had to wear deodorant since, and the sweating is now non-existent. My six week check up and sweat test showed the operation had been 98% and 96% successful and that I now sweat only a fifth of that of a normal person. I've been in stressful situations where before I would have felt the sweat running down my side, and now theres not even a drop. I can't thank Dr Whiteley enough for changing my life and probably my entire future as well. I highly recommend The Whiteley Clinic to anyone in a similar situation as you can't put a price on getting your confidence back, and never having to worry about sweating again.

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Mr S - London

I just wanted to send you a note to say thank you for changing my life and giving me back the so longed confidence that I had lost some years ago.

After an initial consultation & test for auxiliary hyperhidrosis, I knew I had made the right decision to go for the laser sweat ablation procedure.

Dr Whiteley and his team made me feel extremely comfortable throughout and to Dr Whiteley's surprise (but not mine), I broke all records on the sweat test, which was then double checked, and yep that was how bad it was !

Dr Whiteley did reassure me in the consultation that followed that he may not be able to cure me but would do his best and a noticeable difference would be achieved in the end.

The initial iodine test for the operation was conducted and once again i surpassed Dr Whiteley expectations by sweating so much that the iodine actually run... The operation was conducted under local anaesthetic and the only pain I had during the op was from laughing so much, they really are a great team and the reassurance that I needed at the time !

Once the compression garment came off after 2 days I did have some swelling which did get worse and after another 4 days I was so concerned that I took some pictures and sent them over to Dr Whiteley, within a few minutes I received a phone call and was asked to come in to the clinic for him to check me over, reassurance was given and with a different course of antibiotics I was back on the road again back to London, I must add that at no time during this did I have any pain at all.

My underarms were a little tight over the coming weeks but by doing "The Funky Chicken" exercises it really did make a difference.

As coffee was one of my triggers for sweating, I thought I would have a double espresso just before my follow up test to see if would have any effect on the results and to my surprise there was hardly a trace of sweating and if my memory serves me right, it was a 97% success and from someone that broke the sweat test records that is pretty impressive.

The other trigger that I had was when being under pressure and since the op I have had several intense interviews for a new job, each time I came out from the interview the first thing I did was to check for sweating and not a trace was found, this in turn gave me back the confidence that I so missed and thankfully, due to this op and the new found confidence I have now secured the job !

May I thank Dr Whiteley and all his team for changing my life for the better and if you ever do suffer from auxiliary hyperhidrosis don't let it be a problem any longer, just go and see Dr Whiteley.

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32 year old lady – who had LSA in August 2010

I struggled with hyperhidrosis for many years and tried all sorts of possible cures including very strong deodorants, Botox and Iontophoresis but none of them worked for me. I had basically given up and resigned myself to always wearing black and white tops in order to make my problem less obvious.
Then I found Mr Whiteley’s sweating website which documented the new LSA operation. It sounded perfect for me.

Going along for my initial sweat test I was really nervous and worried that I wouldn’t sweat enough and Mr Whiteley would find that I didn’t have a sweat problem at all. Once the test had been carried out and I spoke to Mr Whiteley, I was so pleased, for the first time in my life, to hear that I definitely had hyperhidrosis! To hear an expert on sweating confirm that I had a severe sweat problem was great! This was made even better by the fact that Mr Whiteley said that the best results were achieved with people who sweat the most!

I was really impressed by how knowledgeable and honest Mr Whiteley was during the consultation, I was concerned that I might be given the ‘hard sell’ but this was not the case. He explained the risks and also went through all of the other possible options and operations for hyperhidrosis. I was also really impressed that Mr Whiteley documents each case thoroughly and uses his data to improve the outcome of each operation.

The operation took about an hour and Mr Whiteley and his staff were so friendly and really put me at ease throughout the whole procedure. I was surprised that they took photos of my armpits throughout, but again it just proved that Mr Whiteley wanted to learn from each procedure. At one point I experienced a strange pain which bought me to tears, but I don’t think it was really the pain which caused the tears, it was more the relief of finally getting my hyperhidrosis dealt with. It was an extremely emotional day, having lived with the problem for so long.

I was expecting the pain to be awful and to barely be able to move for days after but this was not the case. I found it hard to sleep the first night, which was due to the packing under my arms rather than any pain. The next day I took pain killers and was able to move my arms quite normally which I was really surprised by. I found that there seemed to be blood leaking from my arms which really worried me. However, one of Mr Whiteley’s staff rang me the day after the procedure and reassured me that it was most likely to be the liquid painkiller mixing with blood and seeping out, and that it would stop very soon, which it did.

After I removed the compression garment my under arms looked bruised and puffy but didn’t really hurt. I also had a lump under my right arm which I assumed would go down in a couple of days. After a few days my arms didn’t hurt at all and I barely remembered that I’d had anything done, apart from when I looked at them, as they were still bruised and puffy.

I was however, still worried about the lump under my arm as it didn’t seem to be going down and the skin on the lump was red and looked infected. I contacted Mr Whiteley and he asked me to drop in and see him. I did this, and without an official appointment, I was seen straight away without having to wait at all. Mr Whiteley checked the lump under my arm and took a sample from it. He found that it wasn’t infected, there was just pooled blood in the gap had been created in the operation. He told me this would soon be reabsorbed back into my body. I was so impressed by how quickly and efficiently I was seen and my problem sorted out.

Over the next few weeks my arms just got better and better, initially my underarm hair seemed to be falling out and not growing back, which I was very pleased about! But over time the hair has started growing again, but it seems slower growing than it used to and also less of it. Even now, 3 1/2 months on, the very centre of my armpit feels a little numb, but it is slowly coming back to life.

In the weeks after the operation I kept wondering when I would have to start wearing deodorant again, when would the sweating return? But so far it has not returned! I bought some ‘normal’ persons aerosol deodorant and was expecting to need to use it once my armpits had healed, but it remains untouched!

I returned for my 6 weeks check and sweat test and was really excited to hear how much my sweating had been reduced by, as I was pretty sure that the operation had been extremely successful. I was correct! My sweating had been reduced by 98%! I think Mr Whiteley said this was one of his best results ever!

The operation has been such a positive experience for me but unfortunately it’s the kind of thing that very quickly becomes ‘the norm’. Hence me writing this testimonial nearly 4 month after having the operation! I very quickly got used to not sweating and have almost forgotten that I had hyperhidrosis at all! I can barely remember all the problems and worries I had about sweating. It’s like I have become a different person! I have more colourful clothes and no longer need to consider what I’ll wear to hide my sweat problem. I am so glad I found Mr Whiteley and his clinic on the internet and I’m so glad I decided to take the plunge and have the operation done. Thank you so much.

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Miss MD - 29 year old lady about to get married and concerned about sweating in her wedding dress

It has been almost 3 weeks since my LSA operation and I would like to write a quick note to tell you how extremely happy I am.

I was quite nervous before the operation, however your staff made me feel very comfortable at all times. I have never met such warm and kind nurses. They provided me with all the necessary information and Dr Whiteley treated me with the utmost professional care.

In fact, after my very first consultation I was 100% sure about my life changing decision. I followed all of your recommendations and after the operation I only had slight discomfort for the first and second days.

The following week my swelling went down and I had no pain. I could not believe my eyes when I dressed myself into a white shirt.

No sweaty patches at all. The LSA surgery has been 99% successful on left arm and 95% on right arm. There are literally no words to describe how free and confident I feel these last few weeks. I can wear clothes that I could only dream of before and I feel a lot more confident.

My feet and hands also sweat less than before. I truly thank you. I just wish I had done my operation years ago. I strongly recommend Dr Mark Whiteley's clinic and his caring nurses to any one who has similar concerns.

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Mr CR - 27 year old male who had LSA for Axillary Sweating

Dear Mr Whiteley

I wanted to express my thanks to you and your team for my recent laser ablation surgery.

I had always suffered from excessive sweating and it had affected me in many ways. It had a huge effect on my self confidence and made me think very carefully about what clothes I would wear.

My wardrobe mainly consisted of dark clothing and when I first started work, I would often have to use the hand drier in the rest room to dry out my shirt. This was incredibly embarrassing.

I had tried many products including aluminium based deodorants, however, I had never been able to find anything that would actually work.

The most frustrating thing for me would be that having washed and dressed in the morning, by the time I would leave the house I would already have large sweat patches under both arms.

I would worry about friends and colleagues noticing my problem and felt that this added anxiety made me sweat even more.

I feel that my GP didn't take the issue seriously, he prescribed me beta blockers which did absolutely nothing for me. I later found out that these were not suitable for someone of my age.

I had considered botox but didn't like the idea of having to have further injections every 6 months or so.

I was initially worried about the LSA procedure but having had the first consultation, and having heard of the results of previous patients, I knew it was the best option for me.

The surgery itself wasn't even half as bad as I thought it might be and feel silly for having worried about this at all. June, Carrie and Dee were a great help and kept my mind off the procedure.

I wore the compression garment for four days and was able to sleep as normal.

The skin did become quite lumpy afterwards and I would get the occasional pain when stretching out to reach something. However, after six weeks my skin was back to normal and it is as though I had never even had the procedure.

I haven't noticed any sweat since and was very pleased to hear that my sweating has been reduced by 90% on my right arm pit and 100% on my left!

These results were again confirmed during my final iodine test at The Whiteley Clinic.

I no longer have to think about what I wear and can look forward to my wedding next year without worrying about sweat patches!

A massive thank you to you and everyone at The Whiteley Clinic.

I hope that this procedure continues to be a success and is able to help many more people overcome this embarrassing condition.

Kind regards

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Mr SP - 33 years old - 6 weeks after Laser Sweat Ablation for Axillary Hyperhidrosis (armpit sweating).

“Since I saw you week last Friday, the only thing that has changed has been my confidence that having this operation was the best decision I have ever made.

I simply can't describe how it has changed my life, and whilst I know that my hyperhidrosis wasn't as bad as that experienced by some, as far as I was concerned it was!

To describe my experience for others thinking about it:

The operation - Was far less painful or uncomfortable that I was expecting, even the administration of the local anaesthetic wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. You and your team were genuinely very helpful and friendly throughout, including recognising me and chatting when I came back for check ups.

The days after the operation - I agree the compression jacket wasn't exactly comfortable, and I fed back to you a change that I'm sure will help future patients, but could have been much worse. I am a light sleeper anyway so no real change on that front, couple of nurofen every 4-6 hours for 48 hours and all was well, no serious pain at all. I removed the compression jacket after 48 hours and noticed the grazing you mentioned online. This weaped a little for the next 24 hours but nothing to worry about, I kept it clean and dry with antiseptic wipes for the next 7-10 days and it healed exactly as you said it would.

The weeks after the operation - Due to the grazing I held off a little longer before having a proper shower with the shower head above my head, it was a very enjoyable day when I decided to go back to normal! Otherwise with the exception of ensuring I remember to stretch each morning and night the day to day health impact has been zero.

The change! - I can't describe the impact it has had on my life, as another patient mentioned, I have done the same and bought almost a whole new wardrobe of shirts and suits knowing that I won't ruin them anymore. My confidence in both my day to day work and home life has changed immeasurably, I presented to a couple of hundred people the other day, a task I would previously have hated, but now relished the challenge.

A huge thank you for developing and bringing this operation to the UK!”

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Miss TS - 2 weeks after LSA for Axillary Hyperhidrosis

Without sounding too cheesy, this procedure has changed my life. I went shopping at the weekend and spent loads of money on new tops. I refused to buy anything black and literally went round the shops picking up anything with a colour in it. My work colleagues have said that it's like having a new woman in the office. Not only am I wearing different clothes, I am also wearing the biggest smile. Thank you.

The operation was the most surreal experience. I was a little nervous about being awake for the procedure but looking back on it now, I am thrilled to have been aware of everything that was going on. I would even go as far as to say that it was actually quite a good laugh! There was no pain during the operation. I was just disappointed that I couldn't see more of what was being done. It was fascinating! The staff at the clinic are fantastic and are very talented to be able to get one of those compression jackets on someone.

Once the procedure was over and I was dressed and having a cup of tea, I burst into tears. I'm not sure if this was the adrenalin or through sheer relief that something that has dominated my life for so long, was now finally over.

I spent the next few days squeezed into the compression jacket - this is the worst part. They are so uncomfortable and god help you if you get an itch! I have to say though, it's a small price to pay for the result that I got. I was a bit tender for a few days and then my armpits felt like they were sunburnt. I'm nearly two weeks on from having the operation and 90% of the time I forget that I've had it done, but now and then I get a sharp reminder.

The only thing I need to do now, is train myself to un-fold my arms. I've spent twenty odd years trying to hide hideous sweat patches and it's going to take some time to get used to letting them swing by my sides. I also need stop thinking about whether or not I'm sweating because so far I haven't. Now it really is, all in the mind! :-)

Most gratefully yours,

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Miss KP - 2 months after LSA for Bromhidrosis

Overall I think it went extremely well.

It's just over 2 months now since the op and my armpits look almost normal (any lumpiness has just about gone).

There has been a considerable reduction in sweating/smell to the point that I haven't had to wear antiperspirant/deo since then.

I'm really glad I had the procedure done.

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Miss GB - 4 and 1/2 months after LSA

It has been several months now since I had the LSA procedure now (beginning June I think), and I just wished to update you on how I am getting on.

Having had no sweat at all for about a month or so after the operation, and on my subsequent sweat tests, I think I have now reached an equilibrium to what I can now call normal. I would say i sweat about the same as most people now, and am still very happy with the results.I no longer sweat if thinking about it, or if worrying about something, or whilst stationary; as it were, so very good results.

I still have to think about what I will wear for instance if I will be walking for a distance, or may get hot for whatever reason, which i suppose is the same as for anybody now.

If I wear a t-shirt under what I am wearing, then this stops any moisture from reaching my outer layer, in these circumstances, and i remain to still not have to suffer any more massive sweat patches through however many layers anymore! Any small patches seem to dry themselves out! Success!

Its great to have finally found something that works! My lost confidence is now growing.

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Miss R.W

'It has been seven weeks since I underwent the laser sweat ablation procedure and I am truly thrilled with my results. Excessive underarm sweating was something that had bothered me for years, so when I heard about this new treatment I was keen to find out more.

After an initial sweat test to confirm that I had axillary hyperhidrosis, and a blood test to ensure that this wasn't due to something more sinister, I had a consultation with Mr Whiteley to discuss the new procedure and other options available to me. The consultation was very informative and I was confident that this operation would potentially make a huge difference to my life.

The operation itself was conducted under local anaesthetic and I was made to feel very comfortable and well informed. An iodine test first identified the areas of sweating from which Mr Whiteley was able to establish which areas to focus on before conducting the procedure.

After the operation, my underarms were cleaned and dressed before I was helped into a compression garment which I had to wear for the following two days. After a few hours the anaesthetic began to wear off and my armpits were a little tender. I took paracetamol regularly for two days to help with the pain.

Two days after the operation, I went back into the Whiteley Clinic for a check-up. The nurses helped me out of my compression garment and my underarms were healing well, with only a little bruising. Over the next few days my underarms were feeling a little tight and sudden movements caused a tinge of pain at times. However the nurses explained that the tightness would go with a bit of encouragement from regularly moving my arms up and down and sure enough I had no trouble lifting my arms up a couple of days later.

I had another check-up the following week, during which Mr Whiteley and his team were really pleased with the outcome. My underarms were feeling fine, the bruising had almost gone, and most importantly I was no longer sweating from them. I was a little concerned about a few lumps that had developed but I was assured that these would go down with time, and they have.

I had one last check-up six and a half weeks after the operation, during which a sweat test and iodine test were conducted. Compared to my initial tests, the results were outstanding with evidence of only a trace of sweat.

I am really pleased that I made the decision to have this done and would certainly recommend the laser sweat ablation procedure to anyone who suffers from axillary hyperhidrosis. I have had no noticeable sweating since the operation and can now wear any colour of clothing without worrying about sweaty patches appearing!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Whiteley and his team for conducting the procedure, being on call for any queries I had and for being so caring over the weeks following my operation.'

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Mr M. McN.

Following surgery, I took a five day recovery period before going back into work. During this time I was not overly mobile as I spent most of this stint in bed, whilst still moving and stretching the relevant areas as advised by the clinic. At the same time I did my best to ensure all bandaging remained secure and in position, receiving assistance when required.

Having been quite wary and cautious regarding my recovery time, I did not take the garment and bandaging off for four days, carefully managing to clean around the tender areas whilst being very careful to keep them away from any moisture. Considering the manual nature of my employment, I obtained further sterilised bandages/pads which I used to replace the original protection for when I returned to work. This provided prolonged cushioning and support to the still-tender skin.

It wasn't until approximately seventeen days following the operation that I found myself comfortable enough to shower and subsequently clean the wounds comprehensibly for the first time.

Six weeks following the surgery I now find that I am moving freely again, yet sudden movements still serve as a reminder that certain areas/nerves may still be sensitive to stretching or expansive movements. As regards the results of the surgery as a whole, I have found an extremely positive improvement and a significance decrease in sweating.

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Mr R.W.

Dear Mr Whiteley,

I would like to thank you and your fantastic team for the highly successful LSA procedure I underwent 6 weeks ago. I feel much more comfortable and relaxed knowing my hyperhidrosis condition is now under control.

Upon reading into the procedure for the first time I knew it was the right option for me, other treatments I had tried using beforehand were unsuccessful although strong over-the-counter antiperspirants such as driclor gave me some relief (except at night when I applied it!) but did not give great enough results. My options became limited and LSA in my opinion trumped the alternatives of botox or keyhole surgery as the results are permanent and the risks are greatly reduced in comparison with other surgical techniques.

Coming into the clinic for the first time I was a little nervous but after meeting you and the other lovely staff who dealt with me I felt very comfortable, every staff member seemed very friendly and professional which really put me at ease when it actually came round to the operation. For the whole time I was under the laser in theatre I felt very relaxed and apart from the initial application of the anaesthetic I couldn't feel anything but numbness and a strange pulling of the skin, sort of unexplainable, but there was no pain. The team in theatre with me were really chatty and had a good sense of humour throughout, they even had a very convincing laugh when I tried to be funny!

Post-op came around very quickly and it was time for me to put on the compression jacket, after having the setup done for me I then tried to move the dressings for better comfort only to find that I had moved them out of place and so had to have the poor nurse re-adjust them for me! After 3 days I had the jacket off expecting to see heavy bruising however at no point was there bruising that prevalent. Movement in my arms for the next couple of days felt awkward but with regular arm exercises I had a speedy recovery.

6 weeks on and I'm far past fully recovered, the only side-effect being the patchy hair growth on both underarms however this I've been told can be expected and the hair can still grow back normally. Despite this I'm still very happy I went through with the procedure and I am very pleased with the results. I'm looking forward to returning to university later this month and actually sitting through lectures without worry. Thanks again to the Whiteley Clinic team you've done a fantastic job.'