Hyperhidrosis of hands and feet, Excessive sweating
Hyperactivity of sweat glands is a major cause of excessive sweating. Studies have shown that in cases of primary or localized excessive sweating, the part of the brain that regulates the sweating process generates signals for the sweat glands, even when there is no particular need to cool the body. This dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system can lead to sweating that occurs for no apparent reason and cause problems for the person.Primary or local excessive sweating is considered genetic: there is a tendency for inheritance (family history occurs in 30 to 50% of people).It occurs in perfectly healthy people during adolescence and usually peaks in the second or third decade of life. The most annoying and at the same time embarrassing for many people is hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet, which they try to combat in various ways.
What is excessive foot sweating?
Excessive foot sweating is a difficult problem, affecting, one in three people. Discomfort, does not only affect the person struggling with sweating, but also his surroundings, as sweating feet are accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Idiopathic excessive sweating of the soles, occurs most often, especially in men. People with this unpleasant problem quite often complain not only about excessive sweating of the feet, but also about, corns, abrasions and foot fungus.Excessive sweating of the feet has a bad effect on the condition of the skin, since good conditions are created for the accumulation and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms that cause odor. It is necessary to treat hyperhidrosis of the feet, since it can lead to dermatological diseases. Before starting treatment, the dermatologist tries to identify and remove the reasons for increased sweating.
Main causes of excessive foot sweating
- Uncomfortable or narrow shoes that prevent the skin of the feet from breathing properly
- Socks manufactured from synthetic fabric
- Abnormal functioning of the nervous system
- Improper foot hygiene
- Endocrine system disorders
- Internal infections in the body
- Benign or malignant tumors.
Dermatological diseases of the feet: ringworm manifests itself in the form of infection of the skin between the toes, cracks are visible, peeling, itching and bad odor are felt. In many cases, a proven way to eliminate hyperhidrosis of the feet is daily and thorough foot care.
How to get rid of hyperhidrosis of the feet?
The fight against hyperhidrosis of the feet will be crowned with success if a person follows the important indications of a dermatologist. Always take careful care of your feet, wash your feet twice a day, using soap and cold water, wiping thoroughly with a towel. It is necessary to take care of the right shoes, permeable to air, made of high-quality, natural material.Footwear should be cleaned not only, outside but also from the inside, often replace the insoles and, what is very important, change the socks every day, which must not be made of synthetic fabrics. Indicated are aesthetic medicine treatments that eliminate hyperhidrosis of the feet.
Hyperhidrosis of the hands
A pathological condition caused by abnormal functioning of sweat glands located in the skin of the palmar surface, accompanied by increased perspiration.
Reasons for hyperhidrosis of the hands
The function of sweat glands depends on the influence of various external and internal factors. Determining the etiology of increased sweating of the hands allows you to choose the most optimal treatment and avoid recurrence. If the causes of excessive sweating are not properly identified, symptomatic treatment can be applied without a clear improvement in the condition.The main causes of the disease are:
- Hereditary predisposition, which can cause both secondary, due to predisposition to the appearance of a local form of the disease under the influence of predisposing factors, and primary disorder caused by an excess of sweat glands in certain parts of the body, increased sensitivity of sweat glands to nerve stimulation
- Dysfunction of nerve centers due to changes in the activity of thermoregulatory centers, which are responsible for skin temperature and the rate of sweat secretion
- Hormonal imbalance, also quite common causes increased sweating and occurs in adolescents and menopausal women
- Dermatological disorders, such as vitiligo, psoriasis, birthmark, can also cause changes in sweat intensity.
- Symptoms of excessive sweating of the hands can be exacerbated by stress when eating spices, onions, garlic and other irritants. The disturbance can also be caused by high ambient temperatures.
Symptoms of palm hyperhidrosis
In such patients, the hands are most often cold to the touch and wet. The amount of sweat secreted can vary significantly. The skin of the palms of such patients is pink, the lines and furrows are deep, clear. Sweating occurs during wakefulness and completely disappears during sleep. The patient is forced to constantly wipe away excess moisture with a handkerchief.When touched with the hand, wet spots remain on paper, fabrics and other surrounding objects. The first thing that patients with this problem point out is the difficulty in communication. Difficulties arise when it is necessary to shake hands with relatives who want close physical contact.
Treatment of hyperhidrosis of the hands
The choice of treatment method depends on the diseases that triggered the development of excessive sweating. To reduce sweating of the palms, the patient is advised to use antiperspirants, botulinum toxin injections, iontophoresis, neurosurgical sympathectomy (a procedure that destroys nerves in the sympathetic nervous system).
Specialized cosmetic treatment options include:
Botulinum toxin type A
Commonly known as botox, it is particularly useful for people suffering from excessive sweating, injected with neurotoxic substances and helps prevent excessive sweating. It is most often used for underarms, but also in hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet has good results.Botulinum toxin reduces sweating by blocking the release of acetylcholine, causing reversible local denervation of the sweat glands.Advantages of the method:
- The procedure is almost painless, performed with very fine needles
- a way to treat, among other things, hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet
- Botulinum toxin does not affect the overall process of heat and water exchange in the skin with the environment
This treatment technique is popular all over the world. It helps make daily life more comfortable for those suffering from excessive sweating. And also those who try not to use deodorants in spring and summer. Botox is used to prevent fungal infection and odor with excessive foot sweating.
Iontophoresis (electrical treatment)
Using this method, the skin is saturated with electric current ions. The ions act on the sweat glands, temporarily switching them. Iontophoresis is suitable for the treatment of localized hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet.To carry out the procedure, the hands and feet are immersed in a container of water, through which a weak electric current flows. To treat the armpits, a wet pad is placed under each arm.It is believed that the electric current helps block the sweat glands. The procedure is painless, but the current may cause temporary skin irritation and discomfort. Each session of iontophoresis lasts 20-30 minutes. Usually 2 to 4 sessions per week are required. After 1 to 2 weeks, sweating should diminish, after which the interval between treatments is increased to 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the severity of excessive sweating.In severe cases, even surgical procedures (performed mainly with laser) can be used are aimed at eliminating the nerve stimulation pathway of sweating. It is recommended for patients suffering from severe localized excessive sweating on the hands, underarms or face.
Medications for hyperhidrosis of the feet and hands
With this systemic treatment, neurotransmitter blocks prevent stimulation of the sweat glands. However, these drugs are primarily used to treat secondary excessive sweating and have serious side effects. It is useful to take general strengthening agents: preparations of iron, calcium, phosphorus, valerian, multivitamins, infusions of medicinal herbs, for example, lemon balm, sage.Note that decoctions should not contain sugar. Deodorants and antiperspirants. They kill the odor released by bacteria and reduce the activity of sweat glands. In addition to deodorants, you can use special ointments and shoe powders with the same effect.
Folk recipes for hyperhidrosis of feet and hands
- For general body sweating, mint will help. Pour a tablespoon of mint into a glass of boiling water, let it sit for thirty minutes, strain. Wash the problem areas with the infusion.
- You can prepare an infusion of chamomile (6 tablespoons of chopped flowers, pour 2 liters of boiling water, leave for an hour), add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Use the solution to rub into the skin in areas of profuse sweating.
- ecary is a cold compress (15-18 degrees). It helps shrink pores, reduce sebum production and sweating. It should be applied for five to ten minutes.
- A bath with oak bark, white willow, sage helps. Pour half a kilogram of crushed oak bark into four liters of water, boil for thirty minutes, drain. Pour five teaspoons of powdered white willow into two liters of cold water, leave for eight hours, strain, use for bath. The bath should last from twenty to thirty minutes and not more than once a week.
- Hyperhidrosis of the feet can also be overcome in another way using oak bark. Finely grind some bark and sprinkle your socks or stockings with this powder. Repeat this procedure every day until sweating returns to normal. Two to three weeks is enough, do not use oak bark any longer, otherwise the sweat may stop completely, and this is harmful to the body.
- Baths with potassium permanganate (the solution should be light pink) help well. Another way: wash your feet with salt water in the morning and evening. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of hot water, then cool a little.
- You can prepare salt rinses for hyperhidrosis of the hands: dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of hot water and rinse your hands twice a day. Do not wipe, but let your hands dry.