Remedies for sweaty palms run the gamut from the innocuous to the surgical. It is imperative to first determine if the condition warrants treatment. Sweating is a normal bodily function that serves as the body's cooling mechanism. But some individuals sweat in such volumes that it disrupts their daily lives. This condition is called hyperhidrosis and can occur on the palms, underarms and feet. The condition is labeled palmer hyperhidrosis when it occurs on the palms. When palmer hyperhidrosis causes social discomfort or stress, treatment should be sought from a dermatologist.
Topical Medications and Ointments
Topical medications and ointments can be an effective first step in treating sweaty palms. Ideally, patients should start with the safest and least obtrusive method of controlling sweaty palms. If milder remedies fail to work, then a physician may prescribe additional treatment. A dermatologist may prescribe an antiperspirant or suggest that a patient try an over-the-counter brand that contains aluminum chloride hexahydrate, a compound that acts as a drying agent. Other topical treatments include wipes, creams or ointments containing glycopyrrolate, a chemical that reduces secretions.
Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis is an electrical therapy used to treat sweaty palms. The patient places his palms in water and a small machine conducts a light electrical current to the palms. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, the minerals in the water combine with the electrical charge to thicken the patient's palms at the microscopic level. This thickening deters excessive sweating. Patients interested in iontophoresis should first consult a dermatologist. The doctor may perform the procedure in her office or prescribe an iontophoresis machine that the patient can use at home. In a 2002 study published in the International Journal of Dermatology, Dr. Yunus Karakoc wrote that iontophoresis therapy controlled sweaty palms in 81.2 percent of patients.
Endoscopic Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy
Surgery may be the only remedy for the most extreme cases of sweaty palms. During an endoscopic thoracoscopic sympathectomy, or ETS, a thoracic surgeon severs and cauterizes, or cuts and burns, the sympathetic nerve. The sympathetic nerve is part of the sympathetic chain, a bundle of nerves situated parallel to the spine, inside the chest. ETS is a permanent process that stops the brain signal causing the excessive sweating. While the surgery itself is not especially complicated, there can be complications. One complication is compensatory hyperhidrosis. After surgery, the patient may begin sweating from another part of the body. Compensatory hyperhidrosis is a side effect for up to 50 percent of patients.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Thoracic Surgery Division
- International Hyperhidrosis Society: Hyperhidrosis Treatments
- "International Journal of Dermatology"; Safe Control of Palmoplantar Hyperhidrosis With Direct Electrical Current; Yunus Karakoc, Ph.D.; September 2002
