Sweating profusely even without any physical exertion is known as hyperhidrosis. People suffering from this condition often find it necessary to change their clothes several times a day. In this health tip, we explain what hyperhidrosis is all about.
Our bodies produce sweat, not just in the summer but also in colder seasons, to stay cool or keep certain areas of the skin moist. This is an essential function. But if someone sweats so much that they find it necessary to change their clothes several times a day, or perhaps even develop an aversion to shaking hands, this is a condition known as hyperhidrosis. And this excessive sweating can be very uncomfortable.
Feelings of shame and anxiety
According to University Hospital Basel, around 1% of the Swiss population suffers from excessive sweating. Heavy perspiration is particularly unwelcome when it affects the hands, feet or armpits. People often feel especially self-conscious about damp patches around the armpits, as this is very noticeable to others. That's why excessive sweating can also affect your mental health. Feelings of shame, anxiety about meeting new people or reluctance to raise your arms are just some of the negative effects experienced by sufferers.
Conservative treatment options
There are various options for treating excessive sweating:
- Aluminium chloride solutions: These solutions are available as an ointment. Applying them to the affected areas inhibits the activity of the sweat glands. This method is a very good option in cases of mild hyperhidrosis.
- Iontophoresis: This procedure involves immersing your hands or feet in a water bath and passing a weak direct or pulsed current through the water. Other regions, such as the armpits, can be treated using special electrodes.
- Botox: With this method, botox is injected into the upper layers of the skin in order to block the production of sweat. In the best-case scenario, the effects can last for up to six months.
Those suffering from a milder form of hyperhidrosis can also try taking sage in the form of tea or tablets for a period of several weeks, as sage is known in herbal medicine for its antiperspirant properties.
Surgical intervention
However different the treatment methods listed above may be, they all have one thing in common: they all need to be repeated after a certain period of time. If none of these conservative methods leads to an improvement, surgery may be considered for certain parts of the body as a last resort. This involves severing some nerve endings, but there is a risk of leaving unsightly scars and a possibility that the effects of the treatment won't last.
