Demystifying Hyperhidrosis

In simple terms, hyperhidrosis is profuse and excessive sweating. It is not caused by stimulus and begins at any age. With hyperhidrosis, one tends to sweat more than what is necessary to regulate their body temperature. It is also not influenced by the weather or climate as people in warm or cold areas can suffer from it. It is also not specific to any race.

Axillary Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is commonly referred to as the silent handicap. This is because people: medical practitioners as well as family members do not see the condition as life-threatening and therefore perceive no need to act upon it. Those who suffer from hyperhidrosis are often viewed as incompetent, nervous or lacking confidence. This psychologically affects them and thus affects the quality of their lives. It often leads to frustration, embarrassment and stress and should therefore not be ignored.


The International Hyperhidrosis Society reports that about 3% of the world suffers from hyperhidrosis. It is, however, believed that even more suffer from the condition since most people are too embarrassed to talk about it and never seek medical attention. The National Institutes of Health further back this up by stating that less than 40% of the people suffering from hyperhidrosis come forward to seek help. Dermatologists even believe that many children and adolescents suffer from undiagnosed hyperhidrosis.

NG Wear is devoted in helping those who suffer from Axilliary Hyperhydrosis. They are able to get their confidence back and even steer away from dangerous procedures such as botox, surgery and medication as a way of dealing with the condition.

 

Types of Hyperhidrosis

There are two types according to the American Academy of Dermatology. These are: 

  • Primary hyperhidrosis
  • Secondary hyperhidrosis
The most common type is primary hyperhidrosis. It usually starts at puberty and affects certain areas of the body. The excessive sweating could occur under the arms in the armpits, on the forehead, hands and feet. Those who have primary hyperhidrosis need not be afraid as they are otherwise healthy.
Most people often sweat excessively at least once a weak. For those who have primary hyperhidrosis, the sweating is daily. When it occurs in the underarm region it is referred to as Axilliary Hyperhidrosis while Palmar and Planter Hyperhydrosis refers to excessive sweating in the hands and feet.
Unlike primary hyperhidrosis, the secondary type has an underling cause and forms the basis of the name. Medical conditions as well as certain medication and food supplements cause this type of hyperhidrosis. It starts in adulthood and those who suffer from it will notice that they start sweating excessively either all over the body or in specific parts of the body.

Some of the medical conditions that can lead to secondary hyperhidrosis include:

  • – Hyperthyroidism, which refers to having an overactive thyroid
  • – Diabetes
  • – Obesity
  • – Menopause

You should not ignore signs of over sweating, especially if it happens when you are asleep. It is important to seek medical help by visiting a doctor. There are other classifications of hyperhydrosis based on the area of the body that is affected by excessive sweating.

These include:

  • – Axillary Hyperhidrosis linked to the underarms
  • – Palmer Hyperhidrosis linked to the hands
  • – Planter Hyperhidrosis linked to the feet
  • – Cranial Hyperhidrosis linked to the face or the head
  • – Inguinal Hyperhidrosis linked to the groin
  • – Truncal Hyperhidrosis linked to the torso
  • – Compensatory Hyperhidrosis (CS) which is a common Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathetcomy (ETS) side effect. The latter is a surgery that is carried out to treat severe hyperhidrosis which affects only one part of the body. CS is also known as reflex or rebound hyperhidrosis.