What can you expect?
With an array of treatments on offer, there’s no need to sweat it. First up is iontophoresis, which uses a weak current to block the sweat glands. Depending on your problem area, it’ll either involve putting your hands and feet in a bowl of water, or a wet contact pad will be placed under each armpit. Beyond ironing out wrinkles, botox can also be injected to stop the brain’s signals to the sweat glands. And where all else has failed, surgery is always an option. Here, small incisions are made in the side of the chest and the nerves that control sweating are cut, or in more serious cases, the sweat glands are removed altogether.
Prescription antiperspirants are also available – your doctor may be able to prescribe one for you to help you stop the sweat.
Know before you go
- Saying no to spicy foods and alcohol as well as avoiding tight and restrictive clothing can ease symptoms, so you might want to try these tactics first.
- Prescription antiperspirants are also available – your doctor may be able to prescribe one for you to help you stop the sweat.
- Those mulling over surgery should know there’s a chance of the hyperhidrosis shifting to another part of the body.
The sciencey stuff
Sweating is a natural reaction when your body's working harder. Once cooled down, the nerves that signal sweating are put on hold. With hyperhidrosis, the sweat glands never shut off. This falls into two categories – primary hyperhidrosis, which affects the hands, underarms, face, and feet with no apparent reason, and secondary hyperhidrosis which impacts a bigger area of the body and can be caused by a medical condition or medication. If you’re not sure which you suffer from, it’s worth checking in with your doctor.
