Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, can affect the entire body or specific parts of it. Excessive sweating occurs in every age group, in both men and women. Increased sweating is the body’s normal reaction to an increase in body temperature and emotions such as anxiety. However, when excessive sweating accompanies us on a daily basis, also in a relaxed state, we are dealing with an abnormal reaction of sympathetic nerves, which control the sweat glands.

Excessive sweating of the body can be a serious problem in social relationships causing great strain on the psyche of the affected person. Sweaty palms make some activities difficult, such as writing with a pen and keyboard, playing musical instruments, or playing racket sports. Therefore, excessive sweating is worth consulting a dermatologist and taking appropriate treatment.

Types and causes of hyperhidrosis

There are two types of hyperhidrosis:

1. Primary, or focal hyperhidrosis, which affects specific parts of the body located symmetrically on both love handles of the body. This type of sweating affects the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the face, the skin under the arms, and the scalp. The problem usually appears during childhood or adolescence and may subside with age. The cause of this type of hyperhidrosis is not known.

1. Secondary, or generalized hyperhidrosis, which affects the entire body. The most common causes of this type of sweating are certain diseases and infections of the body, as well as hormonal changes such as menopause, diabetes or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes the cause remains undiagnosed.

Symptoms of hyperhidrosis

The symptoms of body hyperhidrosis are visible sweat on the skin, clothes wet with sweat, wet hands or feet in everyday situations that are not associated with an excessive emotional response of the body.

Treatment methods for hyperhidrosis

Most people with hyperhidrosis start by using antiperspirants, which are available at drugstores. If antiperspirants don’t help, and sweating is so intense that it interferes with your work or social life, you should seek medical advice to help determine the cause of your hyperhidrosis.

Treatment of excessive body sweating involves:

1. Elimination of the cause of hyperhidrosis.
2. Inhibition of sweat secretion by sebaceous glands.

The following forms of treatment are usually used for focal (primary) hyperhidrosis:

• Aluminum chloride used mainly under the arms, on the hands and feet. May cause dryness and redness of the skin.
• Formalin solutions that block the tubules leading from the sweat glands to the skin surface. They can only be applied to the soles of the feet.
• Botulinum toxin (also known as botox), which is injected under the skin in very small, carefully controlled doses to block the nerves that activate the sweat glands. Botulinum toxin can be used in hyperhidrosis of the feet, hands, armpits and face.
• Thoracic sympathectomy, which is the surgical cutting of the sympathetic nerves. This method is used for severe hyperhidrosis of the hands and face.

In the case of generalized hyperhidrosis, antiperspirants, injections or surgery do not produce satisfactory results because the entire body surface is affected. In this situation, oral medications are used.

Hyperhidrosis treatment in the Zakrzewscy Clinic of Aesthetic Medicine and Dermatology

At our clinic, we offer Patients treatment for focal (primary) hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin. This effective and safe method proves well for hyperhidrosis of armpits, feet and hands. Neurotoxin paralyzes nerve endings blocking excessive sweating in the treatment site. As a result, the Patient can forget about the problem of hyperhidrosis for at least nine months.

Course of treatment

Botulinum toxin treatment is preceded by a medical consultation, during which the physician conducts a detailed interview with the Patient. The physician assesses the Patient’s health, makes sure that there are no contraindications to the procedure, selects the appropriate dose of the preparation and together with the Patient sets the schedule of treatments. Toxin dose and the number of treatments needed to achieve optimal results of the therapy is selected individually for each Patient. During the procedure, the physician first cleans the skin at the site of treatment, then applies an anesthetic ointment, and finally injects botulinum toxin with a thin needle into the area of hyperhidrosis. The treatment time usually does not exceed 30 minutes.

Indications after botulinum toxin treatment

In order to minimize the possible side treatment effects, and for the positive effect of the therapy to last as long as possible, the Patient should avoid:

• massaging the treated areas
• bending and lifting for several hours after the procedure
• intense physical activity for several days
• use of sauna and solarium for two weeks
• drinking alcohol for 24 hours after the procedure.

Recovery

In most cases, the Patient can return to daily activities immediately after the procedure. Sometimes there is a slight swelling at the injection site that lasts for a few hours after the procedure and bruising, which disappears over the next few days.

Safety of botulinum toxin treatment

Treatment of hyperhidrosis of armpits, hands and feet in our clinic is performed by an experienced dermatologist. Botulinum toxin preparations used in our clinic have the required certificates and come only from reputable producers. This allows us to guarantee to our Patients the safety of the treatment and satisfactory results of the therapy.

Contraindications to botulinum toxin treatment include:

• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• neuromuscular disorders (myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome and others)
• allergy to any of the preparation ingredients
• local skin infections or infestations
• taking aminoglycoside antibiotics.

If you suffer from hyperhidrosis of armpits, hands or feet and would like to benefit from professional consultation and treatment, feel free to contact our clinic.

Make an appointment