Axillary chromhidrosis: report of a case, review of the literature and treatment considerations.

Chromhidrosis is a rare but troubling syndrome whose cardinal feature is the appearance of colored sweat. In some instances, this may be associated with the use of drugs or ingested materials [Dermatology vol. 199 (1999) 149-52] but in others it is idiopathic. Irrespective of the etiology, the appearance of colored sweat can be profoundly psychologically disturbing. We report the case of a woman who had been affected by chromhidrosis for several years. Treatment with botulinum toxin type A resulted in a cessation of the problem with profoundly improved quality of life for this individual. This is significant because it is the first case of isolated axillary chromhidrosis treated with botulinum toxin A and, as with reports of facial chromhidrosis [Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology vol. 52 (2005) 89-91], resolution of the symptoms supports the eccrine etiology of this entity.