What is Hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. It can cause distress because the body sweats even when it does not need to cool down, and we recognise that it can be embarrassing to be constantly sweating and that the more distressed you become, the worse the condition can get. The sweating can be localised or may occur in several areas across the body, including the face, underarms, back and palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
Hyperhidrosis can be triggered by a specific cause, such as anxiety or eating spicy food, or it can occur without any obvious reason. Localised symmetrical hyperhidrosis (primary hyperhidrosis) is the most common form of the condition. It affects specific areas of the body, such as the palms or underarms, and affects both sides of the body simultaneously, with symptoms usually presenting themselves in adolescence or childhood. Generalised hyperhidrosis (secondary hyperhidrosis) affects the entire body at once and can be triggered by illnesses or hormonal conditions, including diabetes and the menopause.
While the causes of hyperhidrosis are not well known, we do know how to treat it. You may have been told that there is no treatment, but we can help to reduce your symptoms and the distress you may be feeling.
If you think you are suffering from hyperhidrosis, we can provide a diagnosis and treatments which will help to reduce your symptoms. Our Consultants are highly experienced and respected dermatologists with an extensive history of successfully treating patients with hyperhidrosis.
What to expect from your Hyperhidrosis consultation
All consultations take place at our private London clinic and all patients are seen by one of our qualified dermatologists. Your first consultation includes a thorough assessment of your condition, followed by a recommended treatment plan.
- We will take a full medical history and discuss the problem with you, including your specific symptoms and anything you may have tried in the past to manage it. If you are diagnosed with hyperhidrosis, several treatments can make a huge difference.
- We will recommend the best treatments for your condition, basing our advice on your situation, with the aim of reducing your symptoms and making the excessive sweating easier to manage.
- We will keep you informed of all costs, options and available alternatives, so you are fully in control of your diagnosis and your treatment.
Recommended Hyperhidrosis Treatments
There are several options when it comes to treating hyperhidrosis, and your specific treatment plan will depend largely on the nature of your condition. Our treatments focus on not only alleviating the symptoms but also tackling the condition on a long-term basis.
Self-help for hyperhidrosis
To help manage hyperhidrosis, the first agents to try are topical products that can help to absorb the excess sweat, such as talcum powder and cornstarch powder (e.g. Zeasorb®). These are usually only helpful in mild cases.
Stronger antiperspirants containing aluminium chloride e.g. Driclor ® and AnHydrolForte® can be used for armpits, hands and feet. They are applied 2-3 times a week at night and washed off in the morning to avoid damage to clothes. Application can be effective, especially for underarm sweating, but they can cause the skin to become irritated over time. If this happens you should consult your doctor.
Botox™ Injections provide an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis in many people.
Treatment involves injecting small doses of Botox™ into the skin of the affected areas. It works by blocking the action of nerves that supply the eccrine (sweat) glands. This stops the glands from producing sweat.
The effects of Botox™ treatment can last for several months by blocking the nerve endings and, as new nerve endings start to form, a repeat treatment is usually required.
What does the treatment involve?
You will need a number of small injections with a fine needle into the affected area. The injections may cause some discomfort and your skin may be slightly red and inflamed immediately after treatment. This normally resolves within a few hours.
Are there any side effects?
Side effects include bruising or tenderness at the injection sites and increased sweating at other sites. Rare side effects include itching, muscle aches, allergic reactions and muscle weakness.
How long does it take to work?
Most patients notice some positive changes within the first week after treatment. The effects usually last between 4-7 months.
Anticholinergic drugs such as Robinul® (Glycopyrrolate) can inhibit sweating. They may be useful for patients with hyperhidrosis at multiple sites. Patients commonly experience side effects such as dry eyes and mouth and occasional blurred vision.
Iontophoresis involves immersing the parts of your body where the worst of your hyperhidrosis symptoms occur in warm water. A mild electric current is then passed through the immersion fluid. Some clinicians add glycopyrrhonium bromide to enhance the effects.
Because your body’s natural electrical charge is negative, positive ions in the water induced by the current flow straight through the sweat ducts, interrupting the sweating process by an unknown mechanism.
Iontophoresis has been in clinical use for several decades and is not dangerous. Few people report discomfort, apart from some tingling, and sometimes a dry mouth.
To become effective, iontophoresis is usually delivered in multiple treatment sessions and maintenance sessions are necessary to help manage your hyperhidrosis.
Surgery for hyperhidrosis
Surgical procedures may be considered when other methods have been tried first. Two types of surgery are available:
Subcutaneous sweat gland curettage
Over-active sweat glands are removed under general anaesthetic. The procedure can reduce sweating by up to 50% in many cases.
This involves cutting the nerves that supply the sweat glands. If necessary, the surgeon performs partial removal of the involved nerve fibres and ganglia in the spine (T2 and T3) under general anaesthetic. This eliminates excessive sweating in the hands and underarms and is permanent. It is an effective treatment for severe hyperhidrosis on the palms and under the arms but there is between 40-69% risk of compensatory hyperhidrosis in which new areas of excessive sweating develop, usually on the trunk and lower parts of the body).
If you sweat excessively, you do not need to keep suffering. Our experts can treat your hyperhidrosis by providing medical therapies that are proven to help reduce the symptoms of excessive sweating.