Perspiration is part of our body and its function is to regulate body temperature, therefore it is necessary to sweat. However, when this sweating becomes excessive it is a cause for concern, as everything that is too much gets in the way.
Excessive sweating can be genetic, or acquired over time due to factors related to obesity, use of antidepressants, nervous system dysfunction, among others.
What is hyperhidrosis?
Excessive sweating has a name: hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a glandular dysfunction that constantly produces excess sweat. Excessive sweating can appear in moments of emotion, such as anxiety or fear, but, for those who have the problem of hyperhidrosis, sweating is not restricted to these moments, excess sweating happens almost all the time and is independent of the temperature. Generally, the parts of the body most affected by hyperhidrosis are the feet, hands, armpits and groin, but it can appear in other parts of the body.
In addition to the inconvenience of excessive sweat, it can be accompanied by odors, as bacteria proliferate in the affected area, causing a bad smell. Excess odor also has a name: it is known as bromhidrosis. Some people may have only hyperhidrosis or bromhidrosis or both together.
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What is the solution for excessive underarm sweating?
For those who don’t have the problem, it seems simple. However, anyone who suffers from this lack of body temperature control feels completely embarrassed. Social and professional life are also affected by the problem, as the person often stops interacting.
Treatment for hyperhidrosis can be clinical or surgical
1) Clinical treatment: Local injection of botulinum toxin or botox, as it is popularly known, is the most popular treatment for those suffering from this condition. Botox injections completely eliminate sweat, but they are not permanent, requiring the procedure to be repeated when necessary, generally every 6 to 12 months depending on the case.
2) Surgical treatment: sympathectomy is a definitive treatment, that is, the patient will no longer sweat in the affected area, as the sweat glands in the armpits are removed in this surgery. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The disadvantage of sympathectomy is that this treatment can stimulate sweating in other parts of the body, called compensatory hyperhidrosis, but the problem tends to disappear over time.
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3) Aluminum chloride: In less severe cases, sweating can be treated with hydroalcoholic aluminum chloride lotions prescribed by dermatologists. This liquid lotion covers the exit from sweat glands to the skin. It can be applied every night before going to sleep and has satisfactory results as the days go by. However, this lotion causes allergies in some people, which require them to discontinue use.
At the moment…
In an article published by ISTOÉ, a new treatment has already been used to improve excessive sweating. It is the use of oxybutynin, a medicine in tablets taken every day for the treatment of hyperhidrosis. See the figure below for the differences in treatments.
