HYPERHIDROSIS
It is a medical term used to describe increased sweating from a body part that shouldn’t sweat in normal conditions.
It is a condition in which some specific body part/s or whole body sweats excessively as compared to normal body part/individual. The sufferer feels excessively wet skin or in severe condition, sweat may start dripping from hands or feet. Underarms may also be effected.
The patient may feel excessive sweating from many body parts
Such as:
- Hands
- Feet
- Or hands and feet both
- Underarms
- Face
The condition usually starts during childhood or teenage.
The more common site for hyperhidrosis is hands or feet. Usually hyperhidrosis effects hands and feet simultaneously but there are conditions in which either hands or feet are involved only.
Physical and Emotional influence of Hyperhidrosis
The condition is very embarassing as the patient has to keep a small towel or handkerchief to dry that specific body part repeatedly. He/She finds difficulty in handling objects as they may get slipped out of hands, the papers may aquire sweat spots on it while writing, cellphones/laptop usage becomes difficult and there are increased chances of electrical shock while dealing with electric machines, The socks may get very smelly and feet slip out of shoes. Patient may get emotionally/mentally disturbed too as it leads to lack of confidence and patient tries to avoid social interactions.
Causes
- The exact cause for the condition is still unknown but usually the disease runs in families.It is hereditary and effects specific body parts such as hands and feet or underarms.
- Thyroid involvement may also be a reason in a few cases but that leads the whole body to sweat excessively. Doctor may prescribe Thyroid Functioning Tests such as T3 , T4 and TSH.
The underlying sweat glands get overactive in hyperhidrosis and the result is excessive sweat production.
Treatment Options
1: ETS Surgery
It is effective but normally has the most severe side effects as compared to any other treatment option.
2: Iontophoresis
It proves to be extremely effective for the excessive sweating of hands and feet and has least to no side effects with 98-100% sweat reduction.
3: Botox injections
The treatment option is suitable for treating excessive sweating of underarms with a few side effects, but botox is not suitable for the treatment of sweaty hands and feet as it produces less benefits for these two body parts.