Axhidrox®

What is Axhidrox?

Axhidrox is a cream treatment for hyperhidrosis. It works by blocking neurotransmitters that cause you to sweat. Unlike antiperspirants that work by physically blocking pores to control sweating, Axhidrox stops the production of sweat at a neurochemical level.

For the first four weeks you use Axhidrox, you apply the cream to your armpits daily. After this, you can start to use the cream around twice a week.

How does Axhidrox work?

Axhidrox works by stopping sweat production. Its active ingredient, glycopyrronium bromide, belongs to a group of medications called anticholinergics.^[1]

Anticholinergics block acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that carries signals around your body. Acetylcholine tells sweat glands to produce moisture. So by blocking these signals, Axhidrox works by preventing sweat production before it starts.

What doses of Axhidrox are there?

Axhidrox comes as a 2.2mg/pump cream, which you usually apply daily for the first four weeks.

Although hyperhidrosis can affect all parts of your body, Axhidrox can only be applied to the armpits. Using it on other areas can shut down your body’s ability to naturally cool itself, and absorbing too much of the cream can cause anticholinergic overdose.

How long does Axhidrox cream take to work?

You might start to notice that your hyperhidrosis has improved after you’ve only been using the cream for a short amount of time, but it’s generally prescribed as an intensive four week course.

Using it daily for four weeks means glycopyrronium can build up in your system, and become more effective at stopping sweat production the more you use it.

After this four week period, your clinician might suggest you switch to using the cream twice a week. But this may depend on how well your symptoms are managed by Axhidrox.

How to use Axhidrox

To prepare the pump before you first use it, hold it at an angle and press it down repeatedly until some cream dispenses. This is to remove the trapped air in the pump.

To apply the cream:

• take the cap off the pump;
• hold the pump towards the removed cap;
• press the pump twice and dispense cream onto the top of the cap;
• use the cap to spread the cream around the armpit;
• repeat this process for the other armpit.

A standard dose is 2 pump actuations per armpit, which means 4 pumps in total each time you use Axhidrox.