The Problem with Too Much Sweat

It’s important to sweat.

It is what keeps our body temperature in check, helps us to respond to emotional stress, manage our metabolism and is also a key way in which the body gets rid of waste. 

However, it’s also possible to sweat too much; and this is a condition where the sweat glands go into overdrive leaving you in a ‘perma sweat’. This condition is called Hyperhidrosis.

What is it?

Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition characterised by excessive sweating. It’s estimated that between 2-5% of the world’s population (200 -365 million people) suffer from this condition and for many, it is uncontrollable.

There are two main categories:

Primary hyperhidrosis –  excessive sweating that isn’t caused by another medical condition nor is a side effect of medication. It occurs on very specific areas of the body (hands, feet and underarms) and is usually relatively "symmetric" meaning that both the left and right sides of the body are affected. There may be a genetic link, but more research is ongoing.

Secondary hyperhidrosis – the trigger for this type of excessive sweating is an underlying medical condition, for example, hyperthyroidism or the menopause. Medications like antidepressants can cause excessive sweating and also withdrawal from different types of medication such as those used for alcohol dependency, diabetes or cancer.

Unlike primary hyperhidrosis, people with secondary hyperhidrosis experience sweating on larger areas of the body e.g. back, groin and even all over the body - they often experience their sweating symptoms while sleeping. 

Is it bad to sweat so much?

Generally, excessive sweating is not a life -threatening condition but it can affect quality of life. Sufferers experience a great deal of emotional and psychological trauma as constant sweating impacts their personal and professional lives. 

Social lives may be compromised as maintaining relationships becomes cumbersome. The constant sweating can limit sufferers from doing certain activities and also wearing certain clothing or colours.

Some Hyperhidrosis sufferers speak of the burden of changing numerous times in the day as their clothes become visibly wet and damp very quickly. Dealing with this causes a significant degree of shame, embarrassment and hopelessness. Sufferers have been shown to have a lower quality of life as a result.

Can Hyperhidrosis be treated?

Treatment options for excessive sweating are varied and many are only a temporary solution. A lot of solutions like the use of stonger antiperspirants, laser or Botox only manage the condition for a few months at best; they don’t provide a permanent solution.

The only non invasive treatment that has been found to permanently reduce excessive sweating is miraDry®. 

“For most sufferers of Hyperhidrosis, one treatment is sufficient to experience immediate and long-lasting results.”

— miraDry Data on File

What is miraDry®?

miraDry® has many things going for it. 

For starters, it is a medically approved  FDA treatment that is a non-invasive and non-surgical solution to treat underarm hyperhidrosis. It does this by permanently eliminating the sweat and odour glands in the underarm region.  As there’s are only a small amount of sweat glands in the region, getting rid of them won’t cause a problem, therefore sweating can still safely occur in other parts of the body.

“miraDry® is safe for all ethnicities, with no further adjustments needed for skin of colour.”

— Dr Benji Dhillon, Define Clinic

How does miraDry® work?

miraDry® uses microwave energy to focus on the deeper, water rich element of the skin that contains the sweat glands in order to treat them effectively. The cooling element of miraDry® restricts the heat to the area being treated which prevents the energy from dispersing to other areas of the skin. This makes miraDry a safe treatment for Black and darker skin tones as the chances of any hyperpigmentation or scarring are reduced.

miraDry® is noted for being safe and suitable for all skin types and tones with very little, if any at all, adjustments to the way the treatment is delivered. Additionally, there is no down time and you resume your daily activities very quickly.

What are the success rates?

Naturally, results can vary accordingly depending on the individual but for most sufferers of Hyperhidrosis, one treatment is sufficient to experience immediate and long-lasting results. The treatment is clinically proven with an average 82% sweat reduction.

Find your nearest miraDry® clinic today!

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