Excessive Sweating Treatment

If one or more parts of your body are sweating to a level that is more uncomfortable than usual, and this situation affects your life negatively, you can apply the excessive sweating treatment. Doctors will perform a series of tests to determine the level of excessive sweating you are suffering from and offer you the most appropriate treatment.

Overnight stay is not required

1 hour

Preparations for excessive sweating treatment will vary depending on the procedure to be applied. If you have just started treatment, you will be offered methods of excessive sweating that require less preparation before choosing surgery if none of them is satisfied. In surgery, doctors will tell you what to avoid before surgery. For example, tobacco and tobacco products, blood thinners, or some of the herbal supplements should not be used in the preparation stage of excessive sweating treatment.

Although there is increased awareness with the use of botulinum toxin injections as a non-surgical treatment of hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating, the results are generally not durable beyond 14 months. However, ETS (endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy) is a minimally invasive and permanent technique that has increased the interest in excessive sweating treatment. ETS is generally performed under general anesthesia and during the surgery, a portion of the sympathetic nerve trunk in the thoracic region is destroyed to treat excessive sweating in certain parts of the body (usually in the palms or face). Surgeons use a miniature camera to insert into the chest under the armpit and then they cut or otherwise destroy the nerve paths associated with the overactive sweat glands. This procedure usually has successful outcomes and is very useful to treat excessive sweating.

Initial or non-invasive excessive sweating treatment options do not require any recovery period, but surgery does. Recovery is usually a couple of days, although patients may feel pain and discomfort for up to a week and need to limit their activity during that time. If the surgery has not been sufficient enough, it is also possible to perform secondary surgery or to use Botox or antiperspirants to control sweating from remaining sweat glands.

Some of the most common risks and complications of excessive sweating treatments are:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Soreness
• Damaging the nerves
• Inability to tolerate heat
• Abnormal heartbeat

There are mild to severe side effects can occur during or after the excessive sweating treatment such as: 

• Loss of feeling in the underarm
• Scarring
• Bruising
• Compensatory sweating
• Low blood pressure
• Muscle weakness (Botox injections)

Excessive sweating treatment options have high satisfaction rates from initial drug treatments to surgery. Experienced doctors play a big role in increasing the likelihood of satisfaction by offering the most appropriate treatment option depending on the patient's complaint and general condition.

2 to 3% of Americans suffer from excessive sweating of their armpits, feet, palms or faces. Armpit problems usually begin in adolescence, while palms and floor sweating usually starts around the age of 13. If left untreated, these problems may persist throughout life and have an impact on quality of life. After excessive sweating treatment options, patients feel more comfortable and confident because they get rid of the problem that affects their lives so much.

What causes excessive sweating?

It is not accepted yet, but hyperhidrosis seems to stem from a minor malfunction in the nervous system. There's also some evidence that genetic susceptibility is another reason to have excessive sweating.

Is Excessive Sweating Treatment Painful?

No, non-invasive treatments have not any potential to create pain and patients do not feel anything during the surgery. If any discomfort such as post-operative pain is occur, doctors may prescribe medicines to release the pain. 

Are there any natural remedies for excessive sweating?

Natural remedies to treat excessive sweating include herbal substances such as sage tea, chamomile or valerian root. Acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, and relaxation techniques have also discussed as potential treatments. Recently it is believed that eating a completely gluten-free diet can cause excessive sweating to stop. There is little research to recommend such natural remedies and they have not proven yet, so it would be better to visit a dermatologist to start an excessive sweating treatment by his or her guidance.

This content is written and reviewed by our medical content teamin July, 2019.