In the 1990s, ETS surgery became a very popular choice for treating facial blushing. Just as for hand sweating, the second thoracic ganglion was cut or cauterized or clipped in treating facial blushing. There were some minor differences regarding where T-2 was cut for hand sweating versus for facial blushing. I think that for facial blushing, the cut was closer to T-1, implying much greater chances for side effects such as Horner's Syndrome. I have not done much research on this difference in technique since I never suffered from facial blushing. Of course most surgeons today cut T-3 and/or T-4 for hand sweating problems so the comparison is no longer relevant anyway.
Moreover, since the early 2000s, an increasing number of ETS surgeons have been refusing to treat facial blushing with surgery. High rates of symptom re-occurrence and high rates of compensatory sweating made too many facial blushing patients regret having ETS surgery. When I went to Sweden for my own ETS surgery in 1998, there were several other patients over there who I talked to that had come for a re-operation for facial blushing recurrence.
Although I have read a lot of negative testimonials from people who had ETS for facial blushing (many of whom joined the FFSO group in Sweden and another similar group in Taiwan), there are also many satisfied former blushers who had a successful ETS surgery. A must read is Philip's excellent summary of his ETS surgery to cure facial blushing and facial sweating. Anxiety seems to be a much greater cause of symptoms for blushers in comparison to those who suffer from only palmar hyperhidrosis, and Philip discusses his use of XANAX to curtail anxiety (prior to getting ETS surgery).
Some facial blushing before and after ETS surgery pictures from Dr. Lin's old website: |
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For more on facial blushing, see the Facial Blushing Forum.