Vancouver miraDry^® (in Surrey) for treating underarm sweat, odour and hair all at once, and permanently

When we first acquired this promising technology, which we knew would help many hyperhidrosis sufferers, we realized that, truthfully, it can be painful for some people to undergo (others don’t feel much at all). 

Don’t worry though: miraDry® is not as painful as surgery, of course. And people who felt pain still thought it was worth it, compared to the social embarrassment and discomfort of heavy sweat and odour. 

Thankfully, Dr. Shah (our director) has medical training in pain management. So, this was a challenge he was up to! And, one he had to solve, of course.

The root issue for the more sensitive patients, he discovered, was in the way the anaesthetic was injected, before treatments began. Through in-house research and trial, we were able to speed up the insertion and re-insertion of anesthesia over this large, but localized, area.

In short, we can now give a patient more uniform pain relief throughout the armpit area. And, our procedure means the anaesthetic can last longer, so it doesn’t wear out during the treatment, which can take at least an hour.

We are also able to predict whether a patient will experience a higher degree of pain and swelling during and after the session. That in itself is a help. If you think about it; the ‘shock value’ of pain itself can be part of what makes it uncomfortable. By being able to manage your expectations in advance, we can equip you to be ‘mentally ready’ for the treatment. 

Of course, we can also prescribe you the right pain meds for post-treatment care, too. And, we know which ones you’ll need.

Back to top

While the industry doesn’t know why for sure, miraDry® is known to create chances of infection after treatment. It could be due to the skin’s opening during the needle insertions of anaesthetic. The machine itself does create pressure on the skin, through its suction, which can then enlarge opened skin. So, that could be related to it too.

These issues usually heal in time, and with the right aftercare.

However, having been at this for quite a while, we now know when to expect these infections, based on the patient we are treating. Thus, we can also work to prevent them, too. 

Should they happen though, our on-staff doctor is certainly available to help. At our clinic, they shouldn’t be a big thing to worry about. We’ll also instruct you on what to do before, during and after the treatment, to deter side-effects. 

Back to top

While miraDry® is generally safe, and some people experience zero side effects or pain, we are aware that sometimes, complications can happen. Knowing how to administer miraDry® correctly is crucial to avoiding unnecessary infections, burns or long-term numbing (which is always temporary). 

You see, we all have a nerve plexus in our armpit area. That is, a collection, or convergence of nerves. When executing a miraDry® treatment, it is important to know how to avoid this area as best as we can. Though, sometimes, even the best doctor in the world can find it impossible to do so 100% of the time, because it can’t be seen under the skin. 

There are techniques and safety measures to follow with all miraDry® methods. And, we’re no strangers to them. In fact, we’ve perfected them over the years. We also have our ‘clinic rules’ (so to speak), for where we place the miraDry® applicator, for how long, and in what pattern. That said, when customizations to the ‘norm’ are needed for specific armpits we’re dealing with, we’re able to take on the case.

The miraDry^® system can remove up to 82% of underarm sweat, and up to 70% of hair follicles. It solves bad odour, stained clothes and embarrassment. Surveys show a 90% to 100% satisfaction rate.

Vancouver hyperhidrosis patients love this machine because:

• It’s a non-invasive, no-surgery and no repeat-needles solution (treatment session requires anaesthetic, however).
• It only takes one, or maximum 2, treatments to achieve immediate results. Very rare cases need 3 treatments.
• Targeted sweat glands are permanently destroyed, unlike Botox^® injections, which have to be repeated.
• There is little to no discomfort during the process, which only takes 1 hour by the way!
• There is little to no downtime involved, and any side effects are reported to heal in as little as a few weeks (some take a few months).
• It eliminates the need for chemical-based antiperspirants, since sweat, hair and odour glands are are basically gone after treatment. That also means no more ruined clothes or embarrassing moments!
• It doesn’t affect lymph nodes, and doesn’t affect your body’s ability to sweat naturally through other sweat glands, which produce less odour. miraDry^® specifically only targets the dermal-fat area of the skin, where your sweat glands and hair follicles are. Lymph nodes are located much deeper.
• It’s not a laser or light-based treatment! It will work on any skin colour, and with any hair colour.

During surveys, people who underwent a miraDry^® treatment reported:

• 90% all-time “Worth It” rating in Realself magazine, from January 16, 2018.
• 82% sweat reduction maintained at 1 year follow up.
• 100% reduction of sweat nuisances at 2 year follow up.
• 89% reduction of odour at 2 year follow up.

Back to top

Traditionally, miraDry^® has been used for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) patients. However, nowadays, people opt for it simply as a lifestyle choice.

Our Vancouver miraDry^® service (in Surrey) is typically a one-time treatment to target sweat glands and hair follicles around the underarm area only. It can’t be used on other parts of the body, such as the palms of your hand or feet.

By getting rid of the sweat glands under the arms, odour from axillary osmidrosis (the smelly sweat), is also reduced.

To be treated with miraDry^® at our Surrey clinic, you must be over age 18 (or at full growth development).

Back to top

miraDry^® uses microwave thermal energy at 5.8 GHz. While the word “microwave” may cause you to think about heating up food in a home appliance, that’s not what’s happening with the miraWave^TM technology. The term “microwave” simply refers to the scientific name for a wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum. This same wavelength is used in other medical technologies, and in other industries.

The science behind miraDry^® is that it heats up the layer of your skin where sweat glands, odour glands and hair follicles are. This is below the skin’s surface. So, the upper skin layers are cooled, while the lower layers are heated, and destroyed. The heated area is referred to as the focal energy zone, where the ‘action’ of miraWave^TM  takes place. It leaves other parts of your skin unaffected.

When you come in for a Vancouver miraDry^® sweating treatment at our laser clinic, you will be prepped for 45 – 60 minutes. A numbing injection will be applied, as well as a marker template for the area to be treated. After you are prepped and the numbing takes effect, we will begin the application of the miraDry^® handpiece on your skin. The handpiece comes with what’s called a bioTip^TM, which is like a suction device. This is what stabilizes the handpiece for a lengthy, unmoving application (it’s not like pulsing or gliding with a laser, if you’re used to that). The handpiece also delivers cooling to the area during the deliverance of heat, which helps with patient comfort.

The process takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete, after the 1 hour of prep time and numbing.

Please note: there are some very rare cases where miraDry^® may not work on a person, since their glands are located too far away, or too close to their skin’s surface (outside the 2 – 5mm depth range). Some people’s sweat glands can also resist this treatment. For that reason, we can’t make guarantees that miraDry^® will work for everyone.

Back to top

Most patients only need one treatment to see immediate and long-term effects. Three months after your first treatment, we advise that you come back to our office for a sweat test. If needed, we may recommend a second treatment.

You should not need more than two treatments to see the results that other people have experienced (that is, up to 82% sweat reduction).

In extremely rare cases, a third treatment may be necessary.

Back to top

The downtime with miraDry^® is minimal. Post treatment, you may experience swelling, tingling, numbness, tenderness and possible infections. These should clear up within a few weeks. Total healing time should take 2 to 3 months. During this time, you should be able to return to your normal life – work, exercise, and going out as usual.

Sometimes, sweating can decrease or increase on-and-off for a few weeks after a treatment (it’s different for everyone). However, when fully healed, this effect should go away, and leave you with less sweat overall.

Being a doctor-led clinic, you’ll have the advantage of post-treatment medical follow up available to you. If you do experience any disconcerting side effects, we urge you to contact us right away.

Back to top

What about my sweat glands? Don’t I need them?

You do need your sweat glands, but not all of them! The pesky thing about underarm sweat glands is that they produce a salt that bacteria feeds on. This is what results in the bad odour most of us hate. However, your entire body has about 2 million sweat glands, and the ones in your underarms represent about 2% of those. So, after a miraDry^® treatment, your body can still release water through the remaining 98% of your sweat glands.

Back to top

Will my lymph nodes be safe?

As described above, your lymph nodes are located deeper in the skin than the area that miraDry^® aims to target. You should not experience any effects on your lymph nodes.

miraDry^® has been used on over 100,000 patients, and currently does not have any reported long-term side effects. It is also cleared by the FDA in the United States, and has several clinical studies published about it.

Back to top

We offer up to 0% financing options.

To get an accurate estimate, we encourage you to book an, in-person consultation at our clinic. This consultation will be required before being able to book a treatment. It is the best way for us to give you advice on treatments for your particular case of excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis.

Unfortunately, Vancouver miraDry^® treatments are not recognized under PharmaCare, nor as an MSP-covered treatment for hyperhidrosis patients in B.C. However, you should check with your private insurance provider to see if they will cover the cost.

Keep in mind that 90% of surveyed participants called miraDry^® a “worth it” investment. If you consider the cost of shaving supplies, ruined clothing, repetitive Botox^® injections and not to mention, hassle – then the cost of permanent sweat reduction without surgery is likely going to pay off over your lifetime. It can also have a profound effect on your quality of life – especially if sweat is a real nuisance or insecurity for you.