マイクロ波治療（切らないワキガ治療）: Downtime
- Downtime at a glance
- Recovery timeline: treatment day to final result
- Common symptoms
- When can I do what? (Daily-life restrictions)
- Pain and anesthesia
- Tips for a smoother recovery
- Risks and side effects (the honest version)
- Spacing and combining with other procedures
- Who it may suit / who should be cautious
- Frequently asked questions
Downtime at a glance
Underarm swelling and puffiness typically last 1–2 weeks, while lumps and altered sensation take several weeks to several months as a general guide. Because the underarms are hidden by clothing, many people with desk jobs are said to return to work the next day.
Typical downtime is 1–2 weeks (lumps and altered sensation often take several weeks to several months to settle), and most people feel comfortable being seen in public after Often possible from the next day for desk work (for jobs involving heavy arm use or physical labor, allowing a few days to about 1 week is reassuring). How much swelling or bruising appears varies from person to person, depending on constitution and the extent of treatment.
Recovery timeline: treatment day to final result
Treatment is usually performed after local anesthesia (injections), and the procedure itself is said to take about 1–2 hours. Once the anesthesia wears off, stinging, a dull ache, and a hot sensation are common, and you will often be advised to cool the area frequently with ice packs. On the day itself, avoid alcohol, soaking in the bath, and strenuous exercise, and take it easy. Because there is no wound, showering is generally allowed from the same day, but take care not to overheat or rub the treated area.
This is when swelling and puffiness tend to be most noticeable. The underarms may feel puffy, and lowering your arms may feel awkward. Continued cooling tends to bring relief. Many people with desk jobs or other work that does not involve much arm use are said to return to work around this time.
The stinging and pain often pass their peak and begin to settle around this time. Swelling and puffiness still remain and may appear to extend to the upper arm or the outer chest, but they are said to subside over time. Continue to avoid friction and pressure.
Swelling and puffiness begin to subside, and many people are back to a mostly normal daily routine by this point. This is sometimes given as the guide for resuming light exercise. Around this time you may start to notice lumps or firmness deep in the underarm, but this is considered a change seen as part of the tissue's healing process.
Visible swelling has usually settled for most people by this point. Lumps, tightness, and dulled sensation may remain but tend to soften little by little. This is also the typical guide for considering a return to strenuous exercise and saunas (the timing shifts depending on how you heal).
By this time most people look outwardly back to normal. Lumps gradually shrink, and some people begin to notice a change in how much they sweat. If any symptoms still bother you, having a doctor check them at a follow-up visit is reassuring.
Lumps and altered sensation have generally settled by this point, and this is considered the typical time to assess the results. Changes in sweat and odor vary from person to person, and if one session feels insufficient, an additional treatment may be considered. Discuss whether and when further treatment is needed with your doctor.
Bars show approximate swelling levels (individual results vary).
Common symptoms
| Symptom | Likelihood | When it appears | How long it lasts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underarm swelling and puffiness | High | Immediately after treatment to the next day | 1–2 weeks | Due to the heat of the treatment and the local anesthetic fluid, puffiness may spread from the underarm to the upper arm and the outer chest. In most cases it is said to subside within 1–2 weeks. |
| Pain, stinging, and a hot sensation | High | After the anesthesia wears off, for the first few days | A few days to 1 week | Once the anesthesia wears off, you may feel a sunburn-like sting or a dull ache. Cooling the area and taking prescribed pain relievers is the usual way to manage this. |
| Lumps and firmness (induration) | High | A few days to 1 week after treatment | Several weeks to several months | As the heated tissue heals, you may feel firmness or lumps deep in the underarm. These are generally said to soften gradually over time. |
| Bruising | Medium | Day of treatment to the next day | 1–2 weeks | The local anesthetic injections can cause bruising. Because the underarms are hidden by clothing, the cosmetic impact is usually small. |
| Numbness or reduced sensation in the arm or skin | Medium | Immediately after treatment to a few days later | A few days to several weeks (rarely several months) | Temporary numbness or dulled sensation may occur around the treated area or in the upper arm. Most cases are said to recover on their own, but consult your doctor if it persists. |
| Blisters or burns | Low | Day of treatment to a few days later | Several weeks (longer if pigmentation remains) | Although said to be uncommon, blisters or mild burns can occur on the treated skin. If you notice them, contact the medical institution where you had the procedure as soon as possible. |
| Reduced or thinner underarm hair | Medium | From a few weeks after treatment | May be long-lasting | Because the heat also reaches the hair roots, underarm hair may become sparser or grow back less. The degree varies from person to person, and this is not a hair-removal treatment. |
When can I do what? (Daily-life restrictions)
| Activity | Typically OK from | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Shower | Usually allowed from the same day | Because there is no incision, there is no wound, but avoid letting very hot water run over the treated area and do not scrub it. |
| Bathing (soaking in the tub) | From a few days to 1 week later as a guide | Warming the body can intensify swelling and the hot sensation, so it is safer to stick to short showers while swelling is pronounced. |
| Alcohol | From 2–3 days later (avoid while swelling is pronounced) | Improved circulation can prolong swelling and bruising, so it is safer to hold off at least until the swelling has passed its peak. |
| Exercise | Light exercise from a few days later; strenuous exercise from about 1–2 weeks later as a guide | Sweating, increased circulation, and friction in the underarms can worsen swelling and pain. Be especially cautious about resuming sports that involve large arm movements. |
| Sauna and hot-stone baths | From about 1–2 weeks later as a guide | High heat can bring back swelling and the hot sensation, so it is safer to wait until the swelling has settled. |
| Antiperspirants and deodorants | Once redness and stinging have settled (a few days to 1 week later as a guide) | The skin is sensitive right after treatment, so it is safer to wait a little before resuming products that could be irritating. |
| Shaving the underarms | From about 1–2 weeks later as a guide | Using a razor while swelling or stinging remains can trigger skin problems. Check with your doctor about when to resume based on how you are healing. |
| Medical laser hair removal (underarms) | Once the skin has settled (several weeks or more; consult your doctor) | Stacking heat-based stimulation on the same area is said to raise the risk of skin problems. If this overlaps with a hair-removal schedule, consult both medical institutions in advance. |
| Raising the arms high; carrying heavy loads | Keep to a minimum for the first few days | Strong friction or pressure on the underarms can worsen pain and swelling. Loose-fitting clothing will keep you more comfortable. |
| Massaging or firmly rubbing the underarms | Avoid until swelling and lumps have settled | Do not knead the lumps on your own judgment; if they bother you, raise it with your doctor at a follow-up visit. |
Pain and anesthesia
The typical pain level is Mild. Local anesthesia (injections) into the underarms is considered standard. Some facilities can also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or other options alongside it, so if you are worried about pain, ask your doctor in advance. Because local anesthesia (injections) is given before treatment, pain during the procedure is said to be well controlled, though the anesthetic injections themselves cause a pricking pain. After the anesthesia wears off, a sunburn-like sting or dull ache may last for a few days, and cooling the area plus prescribed pain relievers is the usual way to manage it. Raising and lowering your arms may feel uncomfortable, but this is said to settle within about a week for most people. How pain is felt varies from person to person.
Tips for a smoother recovery
- Cooling the area frequently for the first 2–3 days after treatment is said to help keep swelling and pain milder. Follow the instructions of the medical institution where you had the procedure regarding how and for how long to cool.
- While swelling is pronounced, avoiding activities that warm the body — alcohol, long baths, strenuous exercise, saunas — is said to help keep the swelling from dragging on.
- Avoiding tight clothes and underwear that rub against the underarms, and choosing loose-fitting clothing to reduce friction and pressure, makes it easier to avoid aggravating pain and swelling.
- Lumps usually soften on their own, so do not knead them on your own judgment; if their progress concerns you, discussing it at a follow-up visit is the reassuring approach.
- If you are having the treatment ahead of the lighter-clothing season or an event, having it at least 1–2 months in advance (ideally 2–3 months) allows time for the swelling and lumps to settle.
Risks and side effects (the honest version)
- Underarm swelling, puffiness, bruising, and pain are said to occur to some degree in almost everyone. Puffiness can extend to the upper arm and the outer chest, but in most cases it tends to settle within 1–2 weeks.
- Lumps (induration) and a feeling of tightness may remain for several weeks to several months. They are said to soften over time in most cases, but consult your doctor if they persist.
- Temporary numbness or dulled sensation may occur around the treated area or in the upper arm. Most cases are said to recover naturally, but in rare instances recovery can take several months, and prolonged effects on the nerves have been reported.
- Skin burns, blisters, and pigmentation can occur, and in rare cases marks may remain. If you notice severe pain or blisters after treatment, contact the medical institution where you had the procedure promptly.
- How well the treatment works varies from person to person, and sweat and odor do not disappear completely. One session may not bring enough change, in which case an additional treatment may be considered.
- Because the heat also reaches the hair roots, underarm hair may become sparser or grow back less. If you wish to keep your underarm hair, check with your doctor beforehand.
- A small number of people are said to feel that sweat in other areas becomes more noticeable (how this is perceived varies from person to person).
- The treatment may not be available to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who use implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers. If you have any medical conditions or take medication, be sure to tell your doctor in advance, and decide whether to proceed only after an examination.
Spacing and combining with other procedures
If you have plans where your underarms will show or where odor is a concern — a wedding, a trip, the lighter-clothing season — having the treatment at least 1–2 months before the day (ideally 2–3 months before) allows time for the swelling and lumps to settle. An additional treatment of the same area is generally considered from about 2–3 months onward, once the swelling and lumps have settled and the results can be assessed. Whether to repeat depends on how the results develop and the condition of your skin, so have your doctor determine the spacing and whether it is needed.
| Combined procedure | Timing | Wait time | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botox Injection (for Underarm Excessive Sweating) | Wait required | After the swelling has settled and the results have been assessed (from about 2–3 months onward as a guide) | Both treatments reduce underarm sweat, so having them close together makes it hard to judge how well each one worked. The usual approach is said to be to see the results of the microwave treatment first, then discuss with your doctor whether to add injections as a supplement. |
| Medical Laser Hair Removal (Underarms) | Wait required | Once the skin has settled (several weeks or more; consult your doctor) | Stacking heat-based stimulation on the same area is said to raise the risk of skin problems such as burns and pigmentation. If you are partway through a hair-removal course, tell both medical institutions and adjust the schedule. |
| Surgery for Underarm Odor (Gland Excision and Other Incisional Procedures) | Wait required | Consider from about 3 months onward, once the results can be assessed | Moving on to surgery before the full results of the microwave treatment have appeared could mean undergoing treatment you do not actually need. The usual approach is said to be to watch your progress and discuss surgery with your doctor as a next option if the results feel insufficient. |
| Facial Injectables, Lasers, and Other Procedures in Different Areas | Same day OK | May be possible on the same day | If the treatment areas are far apart, same-day treatment is often said to be possible. However, adjustments may be made in view of the amount of anesthetic used and the strain on the body, so the final decision rests with your doctor. |
Who it may suit / who should be cautious
May suit you
- Those bothered by underarm sweat stains or odor but hesitant about surgery
- Those who do not want visible scars
- Those who would find the compression dressings or long rest period required after surgery difficult to manage
- Those who feel antiperspirant care has reached its limit
- Those looking for a longer-term approach to sweat rather than repeated regular injections
Consider carefully
- Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Those with implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers
- Those with an infection, skin condition, or significant inflammation in the treatment area
- Those with a history of allergy to local anesthetics
- Those prone to keloids, those with serious underlying conditions, and anyone else a physician judges unsuitable