A 22-year-old woman from Ayr, Scotland, says she has been left devastated after NHS funding for Botox injections to treat her excessive sweating condition was withdrawn. Darcie Hamilton, who suffers from hyperhidrosis, says she sweats up to three litres a day and requires up to five showers to manage the condition.
Ms Hamilton has lived with hyperhidrosis since the age of 10, when she first noticed sweating more than her classmates. The condition worsened over time, forcing her to hide it and leading to severe bullying that caused her to leave school at 14. She now experiences sweating from her armpits to her waist, along with sores and blisters on her hands.
Diagnosed in 2019, Ms Hamilton initially received NHS-funded Botox injections at University Hospital Ayr, which she says were transformative. However, treatment was withdrawn earlier this year due to a national shortage of vascular consultants and retirements. She now pays for private treatment, which remains effective but less so than the NHS option.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran confirmed that Botulinum toxin for hyperhidrosis is no longer routinely provided under new national guidance. A spokesperson said consultant time must be prioritised for acute and urgent vascular care, and apologised to affected patients.
