A person with hyperhidrosis, or excessive perspiration, may have four to five times the sweat volume as an unaffected individual, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society. Recognized by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and the Coalition of Skin Diseases (CSD) as a serious skin disease, hyperhidrosis affects about 178 million people worldwide, which is approximately 3 percent of the population.
Botulinum Toxin (Botox)
In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Botulinum toxin (Botox) for use in severe cases of primary axillary hyperhidrosis, a condition in which there is excessive sweating in the armpits with no underlying cause. Botox is the same drug used in cosmetic surgery to temporarily paralyze muscles.
Primary axillary hyperhidrosis can be a socially isolating condition as sweat can soak through clothing in a matter of minutes. Botox injections block the secretion of chemicals in the nervous system that "turn on" sweat glands, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
The treatment can be administered in a physician's office. A small needle is inserted under the skin near sweat glands and multiple injections are needed to cover the area. Mayo Clinic points out that the treatment lasts only about four months and, because some sweat glands can be missed, some sweating may continue. Patients should consider that injections may be painful and address only the symptoms of the disease, not the cause. Botox may also treat sweating in the face, hands and feet.
Surgery
A number of surgical methods are available for people with extreme cases of hyperhidrosis. The International Hyperhidrosis Society cautions that surgery is only a "last resort" treatment as side effects can be severe and the treatment is irreversible.
Because sweat glands cover the entire body, only localized areas can be treated. A physician will determine if local surgery will offer enough relief. Local surgery for the underarm areas include excision, whereby the sweat glands are cut out of the body, curettage, whereby the glands are scraped out, and liposuction, which removes the glands through a suction action.
Endoscopic thoric sympathectomy permanently stops palmar (on the hands) hyperhidrosis. This treatment severs the nerves that carry messages to the sweat glands to turn them on. Unfortunately, side effects can be serious and they are permanent.
Compensatory sweating is the major side effect of endoscopic thoric sympathectomy. This means that, while the palmar sweating stops, excessive sweating starts in another area of the body. The International Hyperhidrosis Society cites a study at the Medical City Hospital in Dallas of 121 patients who underwent the surgery. Eighty percent of the patients developed compensatory sweating. Compensatory sweating commonly occurs on the back, chest, abdomen, legs, face and buttocks.
Home Remedies
Mayo Clinic lists a variety of home remedies that can be tried by someone suffering from hyperhidrosis. These include applying over-the-counter antiperspirants to the hands and feet (in the cases of palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis), as well as to the underarm areas. The aluminum salts in antiperspirants inhibit the activity of sweat ducts.
Bathing daily, taking care to dry feet thoroughly and using foot powder can offer some relief. Wearing natural materials, including shoes and socks, can help as these fabrics "breathe," whereas synthetics trap heat and moisture.
Yoga, medication, acupuncture, hypnosis and biofeedback can all be tried. Every patient is different and some relief may be found through one or a combination of these alternative treatments.
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