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Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)

Are you someone who feels like they are perpetually sweating, no matter the temperature?

Even if you are sitting still in an air-conditioned room, you look as if you’ve just run a marathon on the hottest day of the year — the armpits of your shirt are soaked, your hands are slick with sweat, and beads of perspiration are running down your face.

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, can be a difficult problem to deal with, making you feel self-conscious and embarrassed as you try to hide your condition.

But, even if you feel alone in this struggle, at The Rejuva Center at Williams, we know that hyperhidrosis is a common and treatable medical issue.

We’re here to help you navigate and understand the ins and outs of your condition.

What is Hyperhidrosis?

Did you know that the human body has between two and five million sweat glands? Of that number, 100,000 are in your underarms — which may seem like a lot but is insignificant compared to the total number of sweat glands.

Between 2 to 3% of the population is affected by hyperhidrosis, a condition originating in your sympathetic nervous system.

In a nutshell, hyperhidrosis causes sweat glands to work overtime, making a person perspire heavily and nearly constantly no matter the temperature or level of activity.

Nearly 90% of people suffering from hyperhidrosis have primary hyperhidrosis, which is caused by the eccrine glands.

Eccrine glands are found primarily in the underarms, on hands and feet, and on the face. These glands can cause excessive sweating in only those areas.

The root cause of primary hyperhidrosis is unknown, but doctors believe it can most likely be attributed to a genetic condition.

Hyperhidrosis is divided into two categories— primary and axillary. Axillary hyperhidrosis can cause perspiration all over the body.

It can be the result of a number of factors, including some medications and medical conditions, including:

  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Diabetes
  • Pregnancy
  • Menopause
  • Obesity
  • Infection
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Lymphoma
  • Gout

Causes of Hyperhidrosis

Excessive sweating in any form can be embarrassing and have a significant impact on your confidence, especially in social situations.

While 2-3% of Americans have hyperhidrosis, knowing that it is a fairly common problem doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.

Again, while the exact cause of the condition is unknown, there are several factors that can affect the severity of your hyperhidrosis, including:

  • Stress: When you’re nervous, the stress triggers the body’s “fight or flight” response, which causes the release of cortisol and epinephrine (stress hormones). Stress hormones help you cope, but they also raise the body temperature, which results in the body working to regulate the elevated temperature by activating your sweat glands. If someone is already self-conscious about sweaty palms, the anxiety felt in social situations can make the stress hormones kick in, and the vicious cycle of palmar hyperhidrosis continues.

 

  • Low Blood Sugar: Whether someone is skipping meals, eating too much sugar, or suffering from diabetes, low blood sugar may contribute to hyperhidrosis. When blood sugar levels fluctuate to one extreme or the other, the body releases stress hormones that not only release sugar from the body but also result in shaking and sweating.

 

  • Hyperthyroidism: Because hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy cells, the body thinks it is fighting an infection. It responds by both increasing your body temperature and activating your parasympathetic nervous system, making you sweat more than normal.

 

  • Hormonal Changes: Pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause all cause fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone, interfering with your body’s thermoregulation process. Someone who is sensitive to these changes may have uncontrolled hot flashes that can interfere with their daily life and affect their confidence.

 

  • Alcohol: While alcohol in moderation is fine for most people, but for someone with hyperhidrosis, it can not only trigger symptoms, but exacerbate them as well. Alcohol causes the blood vessels to dilate, heating the skin and triggering the parasympathetic nervous system to release sweat in order to bring down the body temperature.

 

  • Coffee & Spicy Foods: On their own, coffee and spicy foods most likely won’t cause severe sweating, but they can worsen your existing symptoms. Both caffeine and spice can trigger stress hormones and activate the neurotransmitters responsible for thermoregulation, causing the hormones to overcompensate and produce excessive amounts of sweat.

 

While all the above factors may contribute to excessive sweating, your condition may simply be the result of genetic predisposition.

But no matter what the cause is, The Rejuva Center at Williams offers several options for treating hyperhidrosis in all of its forms. These can range from injectables such as Botox, to less invasive creams or foams.

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Call us today at 518-786-7004

To learn how The Rejuva Center at Williams can treat this common condition and restore your confidence, contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Allow us to help treat this condition and restore your self-confidence.

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