[Osmidrosis Surgery Survey of 300 Patients] 91.3% Reported 'Odor Anxiety Resolved', 79.0% Said 'I Should Have Had It Sooner' - A Thorough Comparison of Surgery Types, Costs, and Downtime

[Conclusion] Points of this survey **In conclusion, there are mainly two types of osmidrosis surgeries: the "Excision Method" and "miraDry". The Excision method is suitable for those who want to keep costs down through insurance coverage, while miraDry is ideal for those who prefer a short downtime without scarring. Insurance coverage applies to incision-based surgeries like the Excision method, costing around 40,000 to 50,000 yen with a 30% copay. The expected downtime is 2 to 3 weeks for the Excision method and 2 to 3 days for miraDry.**

- 91.3% of treatment experienced patients answered "Anxiety about odor was resolved." - 79.0% regretted, saying "I should have had the surgery sooner." - "Duration of effectiveness" was the most prioritized factor when choosing a treatment method, at 67.3%. - The most common duration of suffering before treatment was "5 years or more" at 43.7%.

Glossary ### **■ What is Osmidrosis (Armpit Odor)?** Osmidrosis is a condition where sweat secreted from the apocrine sweat glands in the armpits is broken down by native skin bacteria, producing a distinct and strong odor. It has a strong genetic component and is a physical characteristic found in about 10-15% of Japanese people.

### **■ What is the Excision Method?** The excision method is a surgical procedure where the armpit is incised by about 3-4 cm, and a doctor visually and directly removes the apocrine sweat glands. It is covered by insurance and is expected to have the highest effectiveness, with a sweat gland removal rate of over 90%.

### **■ What is miraDry?** miraDry is a non-incisional treatment method that destroys sweat glands using heat by irradiating microwaves from above the skin. It is characterized by leaving no scars and having a short downtime, and it is provided as an out-of-pocket medical treatment.

Comparison of Osmidrosis Treatments (Excision Method vs. miraDry)

| Comparison Item | Excision Method | miraDry | | --- | --- | --- | | Insurance Coverage | Applicable | Not Applicable (Out-of-pocket) | | Estimated Cost | 40,000 - 50,000 yen (30% copay) | 300,000 - 400,000 yen | | Effectiveness (Gland Removal) | Over 90% |