It is very normal to sweat heavily during the hot summer months. But have you noticed how some people sweat all year round – be it summer, be it their nervousness, or icy cold winter. There is always a streak of sweat forming in their forehead. All those individuals suffer from a condition known as Hyperhidrosis. This is actually not a rare condition and in fact, affects many people. But it gets difficult to diagnose due to indifference or ignorance and can lead to associated problems that reduce self-confidence.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition when people sweat profusely even if it’s not hot, they are not working out or doing any heavy physical activities, or if they are not anxious. Visible symptoms include sweaty palms, feet, underarms, scalps, shin and groin. The most common form of this condition is called primary focal hyperhidrosis, which affects the basic body parts. It usually starts in childhood or is genetic in nature. The second form is secondary generalized hyperhidrosis, which is caused due to existing medical problems like diabetes, thyroid, infections, obesity, menopause, or if you are on medications. This develops later in the years due to an associated problem in the body.
Hyperhidrosis visibly causes excessive sweating but one would also be haunted by body odours, sweat-soaked clothes near the armpits, and back, wet soaks, skin infections, redness and itchiness of the skin and more.
How does hyperhidrosis affect a person?
Long term hyperhidrosis may affect a person’s personality negatively. When they notice that people stare awkwardly at them for their excessive sweating with any heat sources, they tend to self isolate themselves. They realize that people find is strange that a person is constantly wiping off sweat which keeps appearing out of reason. This increases a person’s social anxiety, alienates them from other people and becomes a hindrance to freely meeting people. It is also instrumental in instilling low confidence levels. On the flip side it leads people to become reclusive, avoiding physical touch, dating and more.
How is hyperhidrosis treated?
Unfortunately, in a tropical climate like that of India, which goes up to 42 degrees during the summer, sweating is seen as a very normal process. Thus, the condition often goes unnoticed and untreated as people consider it ‘normal sweating’ . However, if it does get diagnosed then it is treated with antiperspirants, regular use of sweat wipes, oral medications, Botox injections with effects lasting up to a year, iontophoresis which sends electric signals to sweat glands and stops them from perspiring, and lastly surgery, which blocks the sweat glands.
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