The sweat is one of the mechanisms which has humans to maintain a stable body temperature. In certain situations, such as when we do physical exercise or when we are at high temperatures, our body produces sweat to be able to lower the degrees to which it is evaporating water and mineral salts and thus cooling the skin. Sweat may also appear as a response of our body to situations of stress or anxiety.

The hyperhidrosis is a chronic disease that causes the sufferer to produce a greater amount of sweat that needs due to failure of the sympathetic system. It is a hereditary disease, which affects both men and women alike, and usually appears in childhood or adolescence. Let’s see what causes it and its possible treatments.

Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that, although it does not have to be serious, does negatively affect the quality of life of the person suffering from it depending on its grade. Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating can cause stress or anxiety in the patient who, fearful of the social response to their problem, can become isolated and refuse contact with other people.

Hyperhidrosis, depending on its causes, may be primary or secondary. In primary hyperhidrosis it is not known exactly the cause that produces it, while in the secondary this can come hand in hand with other diseases such as diabetes mellitus or thyroid disorders, a specific condition such as menopause or due to the use of Some drugs.

Depending on the point of our body where hyperhidrosis occurs, it can be localized (if it occurs only in the armpits, for example) or generalized (usually occurs on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, armpits and the area Pubic).

How is hyperhidrosis treated?

First of all, if you think that you can suffer hyperhidrosis it is best to go to a specialist doctor who diagnoses us and which indicates the treatment that best suits our needs depending on the degree of hyperhidrosis and its location.

• Treatments with aluminum chloride: these are antiperspirants that contain a solution of aluminum chloride in them and they usually work well in the area of the armpits, although it may irritate the skin.
• Treatment with botulinum toxin or botox: also recommended in some cases for axillary hyperhidrosis. Botulinum toxin infiltration should be performed periodically to maintain its effect.
• Iontophoresis: a treatment by which a low voltage electric current is passed under the skin, which temporarily deactivates the sweat glands. It is effective for hyperhidrosis in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and several sessions of this treatment are necessary to see its effect.
• Surgical Procedures: There are two surgical procedures that can help us eliminate or control hyperhidrosis. On the one hand is the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy : a non-invasive method in which the nerve is cut off to give the signal of excessive sweating to the brain, and works well for hyperhidrosis patients on the palms of the hands. On the other hand we have axillary surgery, a surgery that removes the sweat glands of the armpits by means of the laser, curettage, excision or liposuction.