Hyperhidrosis

Sweating is a normal process by which our body regulates temperature, but some people have excessive and strong sweat, which can represent a problem. Hyperhidrosis consists of excess sweating in some part of the body, such as the hands or feet.

What problems does hyperhidrosis cause?

Hyperhidrosis primarily causes discomfort and relationship problems. People with excessive sweat on their hands, for example, may get papers wet when writing or may feel self-conscious when shaking hands with others. The effect of wet clothes, or the bad smell that sweat causes on the feet can also be unpleasant for the patient or their peers.

It has a solution?

There are treatments for hyperhidrosis:

• Antiperspirants: Topical cream, spray, or roll-on antiperspirants are often the first treatment patients try. They are very similar to each other, as they all contain a variable concentration of aluminum hydroxide. They control hyperhidrosis to a certain extent, and have a rebound effect when they stop being applied.
• Iontophoresis: consists of treating the area that sweats with a device that uses electrical current. It requires time, since the patient has to carry out the treatment very constantly, and in the warmer times of the year he must do it practically every day. These devices can be expensive, and treatment success cannot be guaranteed for all patients.
• Botulinum toxin: the well-known toxin, known to the general public because it is used for expression, can be used to treat hyperhidrosis. If injected into areas that sweat excessively, it is able to paralyze the sweat glands and stop the area from sweating. It is an expensive treatment and is generally not covered by public medicine.
• Sympathectomy: this is an operation that must be performed under general. It consists of accessing the nerves that control sweating in the hands by thoracoscopy and blocking them so that they do not stimulate the sweat glands. Like any surgical intervention, it can have its risks and complications. The main one is that some patients have rebound sweating in some other part of the body when sweat is blocked in one area of ​​the skin. An obvious drawback of this operation is that it only serves to treat hand sweat.

Who can advise me on the best treatment in My case?

In principle, the patient should go to a dermatologist to explain the best options in their particular case. Some dermatologists perform botulinum toxin treatment. However, sympathectomy is performed by thoracic surgeons.

• What it is: excessive sweating somewhere on the body.
• Treatments: antiperspirants, botulinum toxin, iontophoresis and sympathectomy.
• Consult: the dermatologist is the one who will advise the most appropriate treatment.