A no-sweat solution to excessive sweating
September 3, 2002 | 12:00am
If you have a body that beads like an ice-cold can of soft drink on a hot summer day even when you are just sitting still in the shade, then you have what is known in medical lingo as hyperhidrosis.
When the sun is at its highest and hottest, your body will become overheated, sending your thermoregulatory response into high gear. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself and is a normal response to a hot environment or an intense exercise. On the other hand, excessive sweating is an abnormal response which physicians believe can be linked to a breakdown in communication between the brain and the mechanisms that activate sweating.
A genetic link may also exist, according to the experts, in which about 40 percent of the patients with the condition would have a family history. The problem usually begins at puberty and can affect the palms, soles, armpits and other less significant areas like the back, nose, areas above the lips and forehead. Sweat is the by-product of the body’s efficient internal thermostat and air-conditioning system. The human body contains more than two million sweat glands.
Excessive sweating is also triggered by other factors like stressful situations, eating spicy foods, alcohol intake and the presence of underlying conditions like tuberculosis, brucellosis (an infection), malaria, lymphoma, hyperthyroidism, hyperpituitarism, hypoglycemia, obesity, diabetes, menopause, neurological lesions and others with hormonal imbalance, a bout of excessive vomiting and the use of certain drugs.
Hyperhidrosis is not only an embarrassing medical problem – it can also tell us that something worse than the problem itself can be happening. It is a warning device that one would need further evaluation for other more important and life-threatening conditions. It can also lead to other skin problems like irritant contact dermatitis and athlete’s foot.
Most over-the-counter perspirants are not strong enough to effectively prevent excessive sweating. Doctors usually prescribe strong anti-perspirants (aluminum chloride) which work by blocking the sweat pores. Others like formaldehyde-based solutions may trigger an allergic reaction and glutaraldehyde solutions can stain the skin.
Oral drugs cannot be given for life and have a lot of unwanted effects such as glaucoma, hyperthermia and convulsions. Iontophoresis is only temporarily suppressive and one needs a regular session with a dermatologist to maintain its effects.
Botox is a welcome new addition to this arsenal of medical solutions for hyperhidrosis. Compared with the use of Botox for improving wrinkles, the benefits of this injectable treatment for hyperhidrosis, especially of the palms and soles, appear to be more persistent, lasting for four to 12 months.
Sympathectomy is another popular procedure wherein a certain segment of the sympathetic chain within the chest cavity, which is responsible for the sweating, is eliminated through electrocautery, ultrasound dissection and excision or clamping. But this procedure leaves large unsightly scars.
Luckily, we now have a "new-old" surgical method for the treatment of axillary sweat and odor. It is similar to a liposuction technique, with subdermal curettage (scraping of the tissue under the skin). The procedure is performed for more or less two hours on an outpatient basis. One or two small incisions, 0.5 to 1 cm. long (less than 1/2 of an inch), are made in the armpit area, making the scar less obvious compared to excision.
The patient would feel a little sore the following day after which he will almost be fully recovered and can even go back to work. Complications are temporary and can improve faster with massage or ultrasound. The best thing about this procedure is that it is 85 to 95 percent effective with a total freedom to engage in any activity, outdoor even under hot conditions, or wear daring clothes that you have never tried before due to fear of getting embarrassed. One does not have to spend for anti-perspirants for life.
When the sun is at its highest and hottest, your body will become overheated, sending your thermoregulatory response into high gear. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself and is a normal response to a hot environment or an intense exercise. On the other hand, excessive sweating is an abnormal response which physicians believe can be linked to a breakdown in communication between the brain and the mechanisms that activate sweating.
A genetic link may also exist, according to the experts, in which about 40 percent of the patients with the condition would have a family history. The problem usually begins at puberty and can affect the palms, soles, armpits and other less significant areas like the back, nose, areas above the lips and forehead. Sweat is the by-product of the body’s efficient internal thermostat and air-conditioning system. The human body contains more than two million sweat glands.
Excessive sweating is also triggered by other factors like stressful situations, eating spicy foods, alcohol intake and the presence of underlying conditions like tuberculosis, brucellosis (an infection), malaria, lymphoma, hyperthyroidism, hyperpituitarism, hypoglycemia, obesity, diabetes, menopause, neurological lesions and others with hormonal imbalance, a bout of excessive vomiting and the use of certain drugs.
Hyperhidrosis is not only an embarrassing medical problem – it can also tell us that something worse than the problem itself can be happening. It is a warning device that one would need further evaluation for other more important and life-threatening conditions. It can also lead to other skin problems like irritant contact dermatitis and athlete’s foot.
Most over-the-counter perspirants are not strong enough to effectively prevent excessive sweating. Doctors usually prescribe strong anti-perspirants (aluminum chloride) which work by blocking the sweat pores. Others like formaldehyde-based solutions may trigger an allergic reaction and glutaraldehyde solutions can stain the skin.
Oral drugs cannot be given for life and have a lot of unwanted effects such as glaucoma, hyperthermia and convulsions. Iontophoresis is only temporarily suppressive and one needs a regular session with a dermatologist to maintain its effects.
Botox is a welcome new addition to this arsenal of medical solutions for hyperhidrosis. Compared with the use of Botox for improving wrinkles, the benefits of this injectable treatment for hyperhidrosis, especially of the palms and soles, appear to be more persistent, lasting for four to 12 months.
Sympathectomy is another popular procedure wherein a certain segment of the sympathetic chain within the chest cavity, which is responsible for the sweating, is eliminated through electrocautery, ultrasound dissection and excision or clamping. But this procedure leaves large unsightly scars.
Luckily, we now have a "new-old" surgical method for the treatment of axillary sweat and odor. It is similar to a liposuction technique, with subdermal curettage (scraping of the tissue under the skin). The procedure is performed for more or less two hours on an outpatient basis. One or two small incisions, 0.5 to 1 cm. long (less than 1/2 of an inch), are made in the armpit area, making the scar less obvious compared to excision.
The patient would feel a little sore the following day after which he will almost be fully recovered and can even go back to work. Complications are temporary and can improve faster with massage or ultrasound. The best thing about this procedure is that it is 85 to 95 percent effective with a total freedom to engage in any activity, outdoor even under hot conditions, or wear daring clothes that you have never tried before due to fear of getting embarrassed. One does not have to spend for anti-perspirants for life.
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