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Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

Treat excessive or abnormal sweating with one of many successful methods.

There is a Solution for Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)

It isn’t easy to be lost in a world where you cannot control sweat, whether it occurs in your armpits or your hands and feet. Certain social circumstances can become embarrassing or uncomfortable if you sweat excessively despite trying ways to stop or hide it. Antiperspirants might not work for you, and you may find yourself with no practical solution for your sweating.

What is Hyperhidrosis?

Sweating clears your skin, boosts immunity, detoxifies the body, and releases feel-good hormones. But too much of everything is more of a threat than a benefit. Hyperhidrosis or Polyhidrosis or Sudorrhea, is a common disorder of excessive sweating. When you start to sweat abnormally, you have difficulty doing day to day activities. Many people have hyperhidrosis of the underarms, also called axillary hyperhidrosis, and of the palms and soles of the feet or palmoplantar hyperhidrosis. 

Axillary hyperhidrosis starts late in adolescence, around the age of thirteen. If it is left untreated, it will likely continue throughout your life. Hyperhidrosis is caused by infectious, endocrine, neurologic, and other systemic diseases. In some cases, heat and emotions may trigger excessive sweating. If you have hyperhidrosis, you will continue to sweat all day, regardless of your mood or the weather.

Seek professional care if:

  • The sweating disrupts your daily activities
  • You sweat more than usual
  • It causes social withdrawal
  • It results in emotional distress
  • You sweat for no apparent reason.

What Causes Hyperhidrosis?

Sweating is the body’s mechanism to cool down. When your body temperature rises, your nervous system automatically triggers the sweat glands. It is a simple process with a lot of benefits, but when you start to sweat even though you haven’t been physically active or due to rise in temperature, it is called primary Idiopathic hyperhidrosis. ‘Idiopathic’ means ‘of unknown cause’. It usually affects your palms and soles and sometimes your face. 

Secondary hyperhidrosis occurs due to medical conditions such as diabetes, menopause or hot flashes, low blood sugar, heart attack, infections, nervous system disorder, thyroid problems among others. Secondary hyperhidrosis is a less common type which causes sweating all over your body. Hyperhidrosis may be present from birth or may develop later in life.

Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis

Episodes of excessive sweating can happen to anyone at any point in time. It is important to understand the signs to understand if your abnormal sweating is hyperhidrosis. The symptoms include:

  • Frequent sweating
  • Sweaty or wet soles on your feet
  • Sweaty or wet palms on your hands
  • Noticeable underarm sweating that soaks through your clothes 

You may also experience irritation, pain, fungal or bacterial infection. Hyperhidrosis may affect your social life and cause emotional distress. You may worry about stained clothes, body odor, and feel conscious and reluctant to make physical contact. You may also withdraw yourself from social life which can lead to depression.

How is Hyperhidrosis Treated?

Most people suffering from hyperhidrosis use alternate solutions such as antiperspirants, underarm pads or armpit shields, socks, leather instead of synthetic material, among others. When these solutions are not helpful, medical treatment is the only answer. Your doctor at Innovative MedSpa will first determine whether you have hyperhidrosis before a treatment plan is created. A urine test is recommended to determine if the abnormal sweating is caused by any medical condition. The sweat test is recommended to pinpoint the areas of sweating, as well as estimate the severity of your condition. Based on the severity of your condition, your doctor will prescribe treatment options that will include:

  • An antiperspirant with aluminum chloride
  • A prescription cream that contains glycopyrrolate
  • Nerve blocking prescription medicine
  • Botulinum toxin injection
  • Surgical procedures that include: a) microwave energy to destroy sweat glands, b) suction curettage to remove sweat glands, or c) sympathectomy or nerve surgery to burn or clamp the spinal nerves that control sweating.

If you think you may have hyperhidrosis, give us a call and book an appointment at Innovative MedSpa.

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LINCOLN PARK

2418 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60614

Call: (773) 420-8571

Text: (773) 900-4449

RIVER NORTH

511 N Orleans St
Chicago, IL 60654

Call: (773) 657-8377

Text: (773) 232-3292