Understanding Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. It's often an ongoing (chronic) condition. Here's what you need to know.
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. It’s often an ongoing (chronic) condition. Sweating is a normal process. It helps manage body temperature and other processes of the body. But excessive sweating is more sweating than is needed to do this. The symptoms can start when you’re a child and continue into adulthood.
How to say it
hi-per-hi-DROH-sihs
What causes hyperhidrosis?
In most cases, the cause isn’t known. It may be because of a problem with how the nervous system responds to stress. In some cases, it may be caused by another health condition or a medicine. This is known as secondary hyperhidrosis.
Symptoms of hyperhidrosis
The main symptom of hyperhidrosis is heavy sweating that:
Can cause problems with daily activities and social events.
Happens during the day but not at night.
May happen with no physical activity.
The sweating occurs most often in any or all of these areas:
Bottoms of the feet
Palms
Underarms
In some cases, it may also occur in these areas:
Face
Groin
Scalp
Under the breasts
Treatment for hyperhidrosis
Treatment choices include:
Antiperspirant. The main ingredient in antiperspirant is aluminum chloride, which can block sweat glands and help stop sweating for a while. You can use antiperspirant on your underarms, hands, feet, back, and groin areas. It comes in creams, sticks, gels, and sprays. And you can buy it at a drugstore. It is useful for treating mild hyperhidrosis. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger antiperspirant that has more aluminum chloride, if needed. Apply antiperspirant to dry skin at night before bed. Apply it every night for 1 to 2 weeks, and then once or twice a week or as needed. This can irritate the skin for some people.
Botulinum toxin. This is a type of medicine that is injected into the areas with sweat glands. This medicine temporarily blocks a chemical that stimulates the sweat glands. You’ll need to get injections every 4 to 6 months.
Iontophoresis. This treatment uses electricity to block sweat glands. Moist pads are put on the skin, or your hands or feet are placed in shallow water. Chemicals may be added to the water. An electrical current is sent through fluid. The process is done several times a week until sweating is reduced, and then once a week or as advised.
Surgery. In severe cases, you may have surgery to remove your sweat glands. Or surgery can be done to cut the nerves that send signals to the sweat glands. Either of these types of surgery can stop sweat forever. The most common side effect is compensatory hyperhidrosis. This means that while you will no longer sweat from the area where you had surgery, your body will make up for it by sweating in other areas.
Microwave thermolysis. This procedure is done in your doctor's office. Your doctor uses a device that destroys sweat glands in your underarms with heat. Results are usually seen within 1 to 2 office visits.
Medicated gels or cloths. You use these in your underarms. They reduce how much sweat your body can make.
Treating another health condition, or changing a medicine. A health condition or a medicine can cause secondary hyperhidrosis. This can be managed by treating the health condition or by changing the medicine. Your doctor will talk with you about these choices.
Oral medicines. These are medicines that can be taken by mouth. They work throughout your body to help reduce sweating.
Possible complications of hyperhidrosis
You may have skin problems in the areas where you sweat. The skin may become moist, pale, swollen, and soft enough to rub away easily. This is known as skin maceration. It can lead to loss of skin, pain, and skin infection. You can help prevent this problem by treating your hyperhidrosis and keeping your skin dry as much as possible.
Living with hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis may be caused by or made worse by emotional stress and heat. It can cause problems with work and social life. You may have stains on your clothes and not want to shake hands with people. It can be upsetting to cope with the problems of excess sweat. Talk with your doctor about:
Support groups.
How to prevent skin maceration.
Other ways to manage your condition long-term.
When to contact your doctor
Contact your doctor or get medical care right away if you have:
Symptoms that don’t get better, or get worse.
New symptoms.