There are a variety of other treatment options that have been tried with limited documented success. These treatments include such surgeries as excision of sweat glands
and liposuction. It is very difficult to excise the sweat glands without creating movement problems in the armpit. The hair bearing skin typically denotes the location of the sweat glands in the armpit, but removal of this quantity of skin is both scarring and restrictive. A better alternative is liposuction. Liposuction can be performed under a form of local lidocaine anesthesia known as tumescent anesthesia. Here a dilute solution of water and lidocaine is introduced into the fat just below the armpit skin. The lidocaine provides pain relief and raises the armpit skin away from the underlying nerves and vessels that must not be damaged during surgery. A 2 mm opening is made in the armpit and a metal tube, known as a cannula, is inserted. The cannula has a cutting edge just below the tip and is vigorously pulled against the undersurface of the skin to intentionally damage and scar the sweat glands. The cannula is attached to a negative pressure vacuum suction device that collects the removed tissue and anesthesia. Tumescent liposuction of sweat glands is effective at reducing axillary sweat in some individuals.