Given that a majority of hyperhidrosis patients may have been suffering from it since their early years, a few lucky ones may experience spontaneous relief from its symptoms by the time they reach adulthood. While for most of them, symptoms of hyperhidrosis is a permanent cause of social embarrassment and physical discomfort.

Excessive sweating can either affect the whole body (generalized sweating) or it can be limited to specific body areas where the active eccrine sweat glands are found (localized sweating). Some of the sweat prone areas of the body are the palms, soles, armpit, groin and chest. It can cause the affected skin to appear pink or blue-white, macerated, cracked, or scaly – more so if it involves the palms (palmar hyperhidrosis) and soles (plantar hyperhidrosis).

Sweating is a natural and involuntary body response controlled by the sympathetic nervous system to cool the body. Various stimuli such as heightened emotions (anger, fear, stress, or anxiety) and increased physical activity, make one susceptible to and experience hyperhidrosis symptoms. Likewise, exposure to certain chemicals like nicotine and caffeine (found in foods, drinks, cigarettes, etc.) triggers the production of sweat. However, hyperhidrosis symptoms occur almost spontaneously that even without these stimuli, or perhaps even with the slightest experience of any of these factors, patients sweat profusely.

Hyperactivity of either the sympathetic nerves or eccrine sweat glands is generally accepted as the physiological explanation for excessive sweat production. The reason why they become over-activated is still unknown.

Degree of sweating in hyperhidrosis cases varies from person to person. Most patients can tolerate mild to moderate symptoms.  On the other hand, severe cases are very much a cause of embarrassment and distress especially when their condition does not only bring physical discomfort, but also when it already becomes socially disabling. It is especially alarming when their condition is already taking a heavy toll on their normal daily activities. Patients, for instance, may find it extremely difficult to perform an otherwise very simple job-related task such as typing on the computer keyboard, or holding papers and documents. Some, whose palms are often damp or dripping wet, even hesitate to shake hands. It is not at all surprising if, in the long run, they begin to avoid people rather than suffer from social embarrassment.

Considering the tremendous impact of hyperhidrosis and its symptoms to the lives of a significant number of the affected population, only appropriate medical treatments and interventions should be given to those finding temporary or long-term relief from their condition.

As everyone knows, sweating is a natural way of the body to cool itself and retain internal body temperature. But there are just some people who sweat profusely that their condition has become unmanageable – often a source of social embarrassment, frustration and even distraction, which in turn results to social withdrawal and reduced work productivity.

Hyperhidrosis can be caused by a number of factors. The most common are stress and an overactive sympathetic nervous system. It is the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the millions of sweat glands found throughout the body. A great proportion of these sweat glands are found in the armpits, hands, feet and face, making these the most susceptible to excessive sweating.

Those currently suffering from hyperhidrosis and looking for a cure may find it surprising that far too many treatment approaches are already available. But of course, it will mostly depend on the severity of their condition and which body part is affected.

Patients should be aware that there are natural cures worth exploring before they consider any of the more expensive and invasive approaches like surgery and botox injections. The following may prove to be helpful and effective for certain cases:

Antiperspirants
Antiperspirants are the common treatments used for mild to moderate cases of excessive sweating. Aluminum chloride is the active natural ingredient of antiperspirants that acts to control the production of excessive perspiration by the sweat glands. Of course, it has to be used regularly as it will eventually wear off. Use of antiperspirants three times a week should help manage mild cases, while use of antiperspirants once daily or more should help control moderate sweating. Antiperspirants come in many forms – lotions, creams, or sprays to relieve sweaty underarms, palms or feet These are readily available, convenient, easy to use, and affordable too.

Iontophoresis
In this procedure, mild electric currents are used to stimulate the affected area (usually the hands or feet) while immersed in water. This treatment works to temporarily shut-off the sweat glands. The complete procedure could take about half an hour or longer per session, but helps relieve one from excessive sweating for four weeks or longer. Skin cracking and drying could happen but these are very rare side effects.

Stress Management
Stress is very much to be blamed if one suffers from severe hyperhidrosis.
Stress management techniques practiced regularly such as exercise and meditation should do a good trick. A simpler lifestyle and work-life balance should significantly improve one’s health and well being thereby reducing stress (and sweat!)

Needless to say, above remedies are natural, safe and yet effective. Unlike surgery, botox injections and other invasive procedures – they have no side effects. These may not be permanent cures, but nonetheless help sufferers cope up with their condition. Trying to learn to live with hyperhidrosis – the natural way, is indeed worth the try!

Hyperhidrosis occurs when the sympathethic nervous system is overactive. This triggers the release of hormones that activate the sweat glands, causing them to produce excessive sweat. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, approximately 7 million of Americans are affected with this disorder. Most sufferers are in their adolescent and menopausal stages, some are pregnant women, and others are obese. Hyperhidrosis can be a burden to an individual for his entire life, or it can be a temporary disorder that can later be treated. Causes of hyperhidrosis can be classified as primary hyperhidrosis, which has a vague origin, or secondary, which is due to the abnormal flow of the sympathethic nervous system.

Of course, nobody wants to stay wet with sweat all the time. Our common reaction for this is to find remedy through the prescribed medication available in the market. There’s a lot of effective antiperspirants available now. An example for this is the Maxim antiperspirant. Though the credibility of this antiperspirant has been proven by most of its users, the standard Maxim antiperspirant can cause irritation to the skin. From the latest marketing survey of the CORAD Healthcare, out of 330 patients, almost 15 % of them experience itching, burning, and mild erythemia or redness in skin. The prescription antiperspirants they use contain alcohol, which triggers irritation to patients with sensitive skin.

Now, the worry is gone for the patients with sensitive skin. An innovation of standard Maxim antiperspirant and now formally introduced to the market, the Maxim Sensitive contains 10 % aluminum chloride active ingredient.

Not surprisingly, the product gained positive response in the market. Users of the product claim that by using Maxim Sensitive, they can control perspiration without experiencing irritation and side effects.

Maxim products are best used to treat excessive sweating in the armpit. This is because the armpits have apocrine sweat glands. The apocrine sweat glands are located at the surface of the skin, making them easy to be detected and treated by Maxim products. However, the hand, face and feet cannot be easily treated because they contain eccrine sweat glands, which are located at the deeper areas of the skin.

Sweating in any part of the body is very important for thermal regulation. We need it for cooling. Our skin area is about 2,700 square inches; each single part of the skin is an avenue for sweating. Of this given area, our armpits occupy only about 10 square inches. The skin let our sweat to evaporate from our body causing cooling. When our body sweats too much, cooling is a complete disaster.

This may be treated by using Maxim products. Maxim or Maxim Sensitive can completely eliminate excessive sweating in the armpits. These products will not affect the thermoregulatory system of our body. This is the safest way to fight against hyperhidrosis. Unlike the surgical method, which can cause irreversible compensatory sweating in the stomach, rear end, legs and back, Maxim products are made to consider the sensitivity of your skin and has no side effect. Submitting yourself into surgery should only be considered if non-surgical means are proven to be ineffective. Before anything else, try Maxim and Maxim Sensitive.

According to some studies, 3% of the total population suffers from hyperhidrosis. Most sufferers notice excessive sweating on specific parts of the body such as the underarms (axillary hyperhidrosis), face (facial hyperhidrosis) and feet (planar hyperhidrosis). As you see, sweating on these parts of the body is very common to most of us. We tend to be blind and treat this as normal, not knowing that it is already a symptom of hyperhidrosis. It is not widely known that such a disorder is a very serious medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment.

Hyperhidrosis occurs when there is an abnormal response from the sweat nerves. A part of the brain called hypothalamus is responsible in sending the sensory signals to the sweat nerves. The hypothalamus is located in the chest cavity. The sweat nerves, as a part of the sympathetic nervous system, in turn throws signals to the sweat glands which results to producing sweat. When the signals violate the sending and response process, hyperhidrosis occurs. The sweat glands begin to produce excessive amount of sweats, and this liquid will seek outlets on your underarms, face, palms and feet, resulting to unwanted perspiration in such parts of our body.

We cannot purely blame all this to the uneven responses of our sweat nerves, however. There are a lot of factors contributing to why we perspire so much. By doing intense jobs and heavy activities such as vigorous exercise, we can expel extra liquid in our body. Our emotions can also trigger to generate sweat. Sweating stabilizes the corporal body temperature, especially when doing such activities.

Our skin glands are also the primary factor why hyperhidrosis occurs. Our skin has two kinds of glands: the apocrines and the eccrines. The apocrines do not contribute much in the regultation of body temperature. Basically, these glands can be found in the hair follicle and are not involved in the process of hyperhidrosis. The gland eccrines, on the other hand, is the major contributor for the hyperhidrosis. The increased secretion of the gland eccrines is the cause of such abnormalities. Eccrines are more concentrated in parts of the body such as the armpits, feet, palms, and are very important in regulating the body temperature.

Hyperhidrosis can be primary or secondary. Primary Hyperhidrosis has no specific origin. This is the most common type of hyperhidrosis and is attributed to a genetic factor. Everybody has the tendency to acquire primary hyperhidrosis, and this commonly manifests during the earlier stages of the person’s life. Secondary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, is an acquired disorder due to an associated cause such as obesity, menopause and the use of antidepressive drugs.

Other factors such excess taking of drugs can cause sweating. Intakes of aspirin and acetaminophen, morphine, excess of the thyroid hormones, lack of feminine hormones during menopausal stage, testosterone deficit for men, and low rate of sugar in the blood can incite hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis is defined as sweating beyond normal limits needed to keep the body cool. The most commonly affected areas include the hands, the soles of the feet, and the armpits (axilla). It has two forms namely, primary and secondary Hyperhidrosis . It is not known what the exact etiology of primary Hyperhidrosis is – however, the excessive sweating has something to do with the sweat glands of the body overreacting to either the body’s temperature or emotional stress, or even both. Another explanation is that it is a result of an excessive cholinergic stimulation of the eccrine glands. It usually starts during adolescence or even before, and seems to be an inherited as an autosomal dominant genetic trait. In contrast to the primary Hyperhidrosis , the cause of secondary Hyperhidrosis can be attributed to several medical conditions such as Panic Attacks, Anxiety Disorders, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Cancer and Tumors, Menopause and Obesity.

Treatment options are available and abundant; though some are a bit extreme such as surgery; other treatment regimens are natural, such as acupuncture. The use of acupuncture to treat Hyperhidrosis has been said to be successful. Sweat is considered a key factor in identifying disharmony in the body and is identified as a fundamental substance in Chinese medical text. Chinese medicine is often overlooked by western medicine; however, it is interesting to note that there is an alternative aside from radical surgery and drugs.

Acupuncture is considered to be one of the oldest and most commonly used procedures in the world. It is thought to be more than 2,000 years old. It is a family of techniques of inserting and manipulating filiform needles into specific points on the body. It involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. It became popular in the United States in 1971, when James Reston, a New York Times Reporter, wrote about how doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery. It is thought that around this time Hyperhidrosis Acupuncture was also introduced to western society. It stimulates points in the body thought to be directly related to excessive sweating. The American practice of acupuncture incorporates several medical traditions which include those of China, Japan, and, Korea.

Is it painful? Questions on pain are legitimate questions especially when it deals with needles. People can experience hyperhidrosis acupuncture differently. There are those that go through Hyperhidrosis acupuncture with little or no pain at all for long as the treatment is going on. Some even report to be more energized because of the treatment, while others feel relaxed. Problems can occur though and may be due to a variety of reasons. Improper needle placement, excessive movement of the patient, or defects in the needle can cause soreness and pain during the treatment. This is the very reason why it’s important to seek treatment from a qualified hyperhidrosis acupuncture practitioner or a certified practitioner from a qualified body. For instance, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved hyperhidrosis acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners since 1996. Aside from approving qualified personnel, the FDA requires the use of sterile, nontoxic needles and that they are labeled for single use only. The dangers of ill-trained practitioners or unlicensed ones include infections, bleeding, and puncturing organs. Complications can also result from inadequate sterilization and improper delivery of treatment.

Personal Hygiene and Showering. Taking a bath at least once a day can help one in the reduction of excessive sweating and bad odor. People with hyperhidrosis, or people who suffer from an abnormally increased perspiration beyond the required for body thermoregulation, may need to take a bath at least three to four times in a day. In addition, sufferers who also don’t shave their armpit hairs choose to take bath more than once a day to combat bad odor. With the use of a good antibacterial soap, one can also prevent the growth of bacteria around the body and reduce body odor. Choosing the right antibacterial soap is simply a matter of preference – just make sure to use fresh water and dry yourself with a clean cloth. For sufferers, it’s advisable to use a clean and fresh towel after every shower.

Use Natural Fibers. The material we use for our clothes can contribute to the smells we emit. For individuals suffering from excessive sweating, natural fibers like linen, cotton and wool is advisable. These natural fibers allow the flow of air and helps in the evaporation process, thus helping to control sweating. Tight clothing, especially skin tight ones, can make one sweat more is not advisable for those suffering from excessive sweating. It would also help to provide sufficient space surrounding the armpit area to allow good air circulation. Clothes made of polyester and other synthetic fibers can block the free flow of air and increase perspiration, so individuals suffering from excessive sweating should avoid them.

Drinking Water. Aside from preventing possible dehydration, water can replace what the body loses through excessive sweating. As one sweats, water and other essential minerals are lost from the body and must be replenished. Drinking more water will keep toxin levels at much lower levels, giving bacteria less tendency to thrive. To get an idea if you’re drinking enough water, check your urine. If your urine is colorless and odorless on a continual basis, then it means your water consumption levels are ideal.

Using Baking Soda. Baking soda can function as a natural underarm perspiration protection. It acts as a deodorant, but is much less likely to cause less irritation or allergies to sensitive skin than commercial deodorants. It is a great moisture absorber and can suppress bad odor. It is important to note that the use of baking soda is only applicable over an armpit that is dry and shaved, so the first tip in this article still has to come into play.

These days we prefer natural remedies over chemicals or drugs. This is very ideal to those people who wish to control underarm sweating without taking chances with products with funny-sounding ingredients. If the natural remedies mentioned do not solve the problem effectively enough, they may be used together with other methods available to control excessive underarm sweating.

So, before it becomes a real threat to everybody, some healthcare companies produce antiperspirants in attempts to mitigate the effects of hyperhidrosis. If you are one of the sufferers of hyperhidrosis there are a lot of ways to manage such disorder. This website will feature different antiperspirant products that are very helpful in dealing with excessive sweating. All these antiperspirants can effectively decrease the sweat production from the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands. Here are some hyperhidrosis antiperspirant products recommended by doctors and physicians.

Most physicians recommend Maxim, as it has a customized formula for hyperhidrosis effective enough to impede the excessive perspiration. It is distributed by CORAD Healthcare, Inc and Maxim is their trademark product. One bottle can last an individual up to 2 or 3 months, depending on the frequency of use. This product has been developed exclusively for excessive sweating and hyperhidrosis, and treats the medical condition quite effectively.

Another featured antiperspirant is Odaban. It is considered to be the safest and the most effective way in dealing with hyperhidrosis. Its credibility has been proven for more than 35 years, and no other antiperspirant product can offer higher standards in terms of its formulation, method of manufacture, and unique dispensing mechanism. This product offers expediency and is very economical. People all over the world, suffering from hyperhydrosis or not, claims that Odaban is one of the best antiperspirant products out there.

Drysol is also an effective antiperspirant. It contains 20% aluminum chloride in anhydrous ethyl alcohol which, is good for people with hyperhidrosis. This has a moderate effect in treating palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis, but may cause severe skin irritation. Drysol is best applied during nighttime before going to sleep. When you wake up the following day, the medication will already have expired. This product offers good results during the first several uses, but does not guarantee long-term success in its treatment.

Another effective antiperspirant is Xertac AC – a good product, but one that may not be as effective as Drysol. Other useful topical antiperspirants include Tannic acid in ethanol and formalin solutions. However, this solution has been found to cause allergic reactions in some patients. Botox is also widely used for treating excessive sweating in body areas like underarms, palms, feet and forehead. All of these topical antiperspirants are best applied during nighttime specifically before sleeping.

These products make hyperhidrosis an easy medical condition to treat – take your pick and see what works for you. If unsure, it’s best to consult your dermatologist.

Sweating is the body’s natural response to an intense situation. The nervous system immediately senses any stressors in the body’s immediate environment and signals the sweat glands to produce sweat. This helps the body, which naturally heats up during stressful moments, regulate its own temperature. This is most obvious when we are subjected to climates warmer than our own, when exercising, or when we feel nervous, angry, embarrassed, or afraid.

While sweating is perfectly normal, excessive sweating may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Excessive sweating is normally defined as the state when the body produces more sweat than is needed to regulate the body temperature. Excessive sweating is also known by its medical term, hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis is a medical disorder characterized by excessive sweating at any part of the body. It is a medical condition that causes the sufferer to experience unpredictable and excessive sweating, even at cool and comfortable temperatures, or when they are at rest. Cases of hyperhidrosis usually affect specific parts of the body, such as hands, armpits and feet. Excessive sweating in the hands is called palmar hyperhidrosis; in the armpits, it’s called axillary hyperhidrosis; and in the feet, it’s called plantar hyperhidrosis. The sympathetic nervous system controls much of the sweating process, and any problem affecting it may affect the body’s perspiration system.

Hyperhidrosis can be primary or secondary. Primary hypehidrosis usually starts during or even before the individual’s adolescent stage. In primary hyperhidrosis, the affected part of the body may be the hands, feet, or armpits. Primary hyperhidrosis is also known as focal hyperhidrosis and can run in families. Often, sufferers ignore the symptoms of primary hyperhidrosis – according to studies, primary hyperhidrosis affects 2-3% of the population, and not even 40% of these sufferers seek medical advice regarding this disorder.

Secondary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, may come unexpectedly. It can affect anybody at any age. This type of hyperhidrosis is the result of an underlying condition, such as a disorder of the thyroid or pituitary gland, diabetes mellitus, tumors, gout, menopause, certain drugs, or mercury poisoning. The symptoms of secondary hyperhidrosis may be more serious than primary hyperhidrosis.

Regardless of the type and reason for onset, hyperhidrosis poses a serious physical and psychological problem for the sufferer. The discomfort and embarrassment the condition brings may affect the individual emotionally, and may cause him/her to delay or even forego treatment. It’s important to set aside fears and see a dermatologist immediately once your levels of perspiration causes you to worry. Identified early, hyperhidrosis may necessitate only mild forms of treatment and be prevented from escalating any further.

Areas affected by profuse perspiration commonly appear white, cracked, chapped, scaly, and soft, and may sport some bad odor. The unwelcome scent is caused by the buildup and action of bacteria, which is also an indication of hyperhidrosis.

Overactive sweat glands do more than just produce wetness and body odor, however – many individuals also suffer emotional and psychological stress over the condition. Kids, for instance, may suffer teasing and ridicule from their playmates, and may ultimately result to withdrawing themselves from as much social contact as possible. Adults may suffer the same stress in the workplace. And with teenagers, who are going through perhaps the toughest times of their lives, have to deal with the social backlash that sweaty palms, feet, and underarms force them to go through.

Treatment of hyperhidrosis comes in several forms, such as surgery (thoracic surgery procedure, surgery to remove overactive sweat glands, etc.) and excessive perspiration treatment. Most hyperhidrosis treatments available today are safe and effective, and many dermatologists specialize in the medical condition.

Over activity of the sweat glands in the underarms may also be remedied by tumescent liposuction, subcutaneous curettage or a combination of these medical procedures.

Some procedures, particularly the drysol method, have been observed to cause side effects on patients who are very sensitive to drugs. However, most other popular treatments, such as Botox, have no known side effects.

Iontophoresis is another popular treatment that can curb hyperhidrosis for months after a single session. It involves passing certain drugs through the skin by passing a mild current over the affected area. Patients who have undergone iontophoresis have reported relief from excessive sweating for up to six months after the treatment.

When visiting your dermatologist regarding hyperhidrosis, the doctor will take into account the status of your health, your age, the severity of the condition, and any allergies to certain medications, procedures, and therapies. The doctor will also ask you for any family history of excessive sweating.

Other treatments for overactive sweat glands include the application of aluminum chloride solution to the affected areas. And for those who have undergone severe emotional and psychological stress due to the condition’s embarrassing symptoms, some dermatologists may recommend therapy and psychological counseling.

Compensatory hyperhidrosis usually occur after a surgical operation for axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis (sympathectomy). It’s the most common and notable side effect of sympathectomy. Other side-effects include gustatory sweating (sweating when eating), and neuralgic pain, but these are relatively rare.

Excessive sweating occurs in untreated body areas, usually in the upper or lower back and trunk, to compensate for reduced sweating in the treated areas (armpit and hands). The brain is responsible for shifting sweat production to a different body location to get rid of the perceived excess body heat. It’s actually a reflex response of the brain when it senses that it’s not cooling the body enough. The brain sends signals to the body to sweat more through the existing and undamaged sweat channels.

The symptoms of compensatory hyperhidrosis, such as profuse sweating and feeling of hotness (or sometimes coldness), may happen at irregular intervals or be constant throughout the day. Excessive sweating may occur in the lower and upper back, lower chest, abdomen, buttocks, groin and backs of the thighs. Patients who experience compensatory hyperhidrosis sweat profusely with the slightest thermal increase and physical activity.

Patients who have undergone sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis may develop compensatory hyperhidrosis soon after the operation, or later for some. On the average, sweating symptoms will remain stable six months after, but may continue to occur long after the operation.

It’s impossible to accurately predict who will and won’t develop severe compensatory hyperhidrosis after surgery. Likewise, it’s impossible to know in advance how intense the symptoms will manifest in certain patients. What’s certain is that almost all patients who undergo any form of sympathectomy experience some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis. Its severity, however, will depend upon the levels of the interrupted sympathetic chain.

Research shows that a significant reduction in compensatory hyperhidrosis symptoms can be done by dividing the sympathetic chain at a single level (T2 sympathectomy). For older patients that have increased body mass index (BMI), it may be recommended that they undergo a temporary sympathetic block prior to permanent sympathectomy. This should help determine if compensatory hyperhidrosis would be a significant side effect for them after the operation.

Degree of tolerance for compensatory hyperhidrosis as a side effect of sympathectomy varies. Some patients may regret the surgical procedure because of the severity of the symptoms of compensatory hyperhidrosis, but this is relatively rare. Still, a majority of patients who have undergone this procedure can very well tolerate mild to moderate compensatory hyperhidrosis symptoms, which, for them, is an insignificant price to pay compared to a lifetime of trouble and discomfort from profuse underarm or hand sweating.

Since sympathectomy is a surgical procedure that’s irreversible, it’s still important that the patient be made aware of its side effects. Although most patients report that it’s an acceptable trade-off for getting rid of axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis, compensatory hyperhidrosis is something real and could be permanent, with no known cure. An informed choice is still the best privilege any patient could possibly have.