What To Know About Excessive Sweating

Find out what causes excessive sweating and what you can do to get it under control.

We all sweat, whether it’s from an intense spin class or being outside during a particularly hot day; however, some people deal with excessive sweating, or a condition known as hyperhidrosis. This type of intense sweating impacts your daily life and may make you feel embarrassed. From the office of our West Palm Beach, FL, dermatologists Dr. Barry Kuttner and Dr. Kathleen Herne, here’s what you should know about excessive sweating.

How do you know if your sweating is excessive?

Yes, you may sweat a lot, but how can you differential normal sweating from having a real medical condition such as hyperhidrosis? While sweat often occurs while exercising or in hot climates, if you find yourself sweating while simply sitting down or even relaxing then you could have hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis occurs anytime of the day and it isn’t related to temperature, activities or any external factors that could naturally make the body sweat. If you feel like you’re sweating too much and it’s bothering you, then it’s worth talking with our West Palm Beach, FL, dermatologists to find out if you are dealing with excessive sweating.

What causes hyperhidrosis?

For the majority of patients, there is no known cause for hyperhidrosis. These patients often see symptoms of excessive sweating begin after adolescence. Of course, there are certain factors that could cause excessive sweating including,

• Medications
• Menopause
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Other medical conditions

It’s important that your doctor rules out these causes of excessive sweating before determining whether you have hyperhidrosis.

How is hyperhidrosis treated?

There are several strategies that can help reduce sweating. Some of these include simple over-the-counter products while others may include prescription medications. A lot will depend on the severity of your condition. Some treatment options include,

• Aluminum-containing antiperspirants (you can either get these over the counter or you can get a stronger antiperspirant from your dermatologist)
• Anticholinergic medications, which act on nerve signals that are sent to the sweat glands
• Iontophoresis, a handheld device that sends low electrical currents to the hands, feet and armpits to temporarily block sweat glands
• Anti-anxiety medication to reduce stress-related sweating
• Botox injections

If you are dealing with excessive sweating here in West Palm Beach, FL, it’s important to determine what’s causing this problem, as it could also be a sign of a more serious health problem. To find out if you have hyperhidrosis, call Integrated Dermatology of West Palm Beach at (561) 964-6664 to schedule an appointment with our expert dermatologists.