
Do you have excessive sweating from your hands, feet, head, and/or underarms? You know, the kind that soaks through your clothes or drips from your face. You may have a condition called hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis is abnormal sweating, even when you’re not overheated by the environment or exercise. It’s caused by overactive sweat glands and according to the American Academy of Dermatology, it affects approximately 3% of the population around the globe
Those with this condition may feel embarrassed by their sweating hands and/or soaked clothing, leading to social withdrawal. According to an International Hyperhidrosis Society survey, 90% of hyperhidrosis sufferers reported they had received negative or cruel comments about their sweating.
It isn’t constant, but hyperhidrosis causes EXCESSIVE SWEATING instead of the amount the average person would perspire when triggered by environmental or psychological stimuli.
Hyperhidrosis is diagnosed as one of two types: primary or secondary.
Primary hyperhidrosis, the most common form, is caused by the sweat glands being overstimulated by the nerves that control them.
Common triggers include:
Secondary hyperhidrosis results from another medical condition or as a side effect from taking (or stopping) a medication.
For example:
Your dermatologist will perform a physical examination of the areas of the body that are sweating. He may also run labs to determine if your hyperhidrosis is being caused by an underlying medical condition such as hyperthyroidism or hypoglycemia.
Your provider may also conduct a “Sweat Test” to determine the severity of your hyperhidrosis. Examples include skin conductance, thermoregulatory, and iodine-starch tests.
There are a variety of treatments for hyperhidrosis which include:
You can alleviate many of the negative effects of your excessive sweating by following these simple tips in your daily routine:
Start treating your excessive sweating now! Book an appointment with Integrated Dermatology of Tidewater online at idtidewater.com or by calling the office at (757) 461-1033 Opt 1.