Real-World Outcomes of Microwave Treatment for Axillary Hyperhidrosis and Bromhidrosis: A 12-Month Study in a Southeast Asian Setting.

BACKGROUND

Microwave therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive treatment option, but long-term real-world data, particularly from Southeast Asian populations, remain limited.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of microwave therapy and its impact on quality of life (QoL) in patients with axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A longitudinal ambispective case series study was conducted on 52 adult patients with axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis treated with microwave therapy. Treatment efficacy and QoL improvement were assessed at 1 week and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-intervention using the Minor test, Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Repeated measures were analyzed using mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

At 1 week, the mean area of discoloration decreased markedly from 49.1 cm2 to 0.3 cm2 in the left axilla, with similar improvement observed in the right axilla. At 12 months, compared with baseline, the model-predicted probability of HDSS grade 4 decreased from 68.2% to 5.7%, while the mean odor score and DLQI score decreased from 6.8 to 3.0 and from 19.5 to 6.5, respectively. Overall satisfaction at 12 months was 66.6%. Statistically significant improvements were observed across the majority of efficacy outcomes (p < 0.05). The most common adverse events were pain and swelling, which were mild and self-limiting, with no serious complications reported.

CONCLUSION

Microwave therapy demonstrated a favorable safety profile and sustained clinical benefits in patients with axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis over 12 months of follow-up. Although patient satisfaction declined modestly at 12 months, overall treatment outcomes remained favorable.