Sometimes you like to get a good sweat on. You’ve put in a solid workout at the gym, or you’ve run further or faster than you set out to do. Or maybe you needed to sweat it out in a sauna. In these cases, you will likely be happy with the amount of sweat that pours out of your pores. That is in fact, the intended goal. But for the 1% to 3% of the population who suffer from excessive sweating caused by primary focal hyperhidrosis, the sweat is unwelcome, and sometimes a source of discomfort or embarrassment. In this case, there might be a need for certain hyperhidrosis accessories that help to curb the amount of sweat.
Hyperhidrosis accessories such as iontophoresis devices
There are many hyperhidrosis accessories for those looking to alleviate the sweating problem or to hide the sweat spots on their clothing. There are hand sprays, footwear, and uniquely designed undershirts. But perhaps the most interesting accessory for someone experiencing hyperhidrosis would be an iontophoresis device. These devices deliver small electrical currents by way of water into the skin in order to eventually shut down the sweat glands. One iontophoresis therapy session typically lasts around 10 to 20 minutes, and if the condition is severe enough, a patient may need to undergo two or three treatments in a week when first beginning the treatment in order for it to be successful.
Understanding the condition
An average person’s sweat glands number anywhere from two million to four million, and these work to keep the body from overheating. However in the case of those 8 million Americans struggling to control hyperhidrosis, it seems as though those millions of glands are working against them, as they tend to sweat four to five times as much as an individual without hyperdhidrosis. In some cases, the condition is a result of the person’s genes. Other times it is hard to pinpoint the reason why the brain sends messages to the glands to protect the body from overheating even though there is no danger of that happening. Still others can experience forms of hyperhidrosis that are brought on by additional or external factors, such as menopause, pregnancy, drug use, infections or medications.
Living with hyperhidrosis
Too many of those experiencing hyperhidrosis report that having the condition can affect their emotions and confidence level. Unfortunately, an overwhelming 90% have embarrassed or other negative feelings as a result of the condition. But the important thing to remember is that it does not have to control your life or be the thing that defines you. There are ways to live with it and to treat it, and the more people learn about the condition, the less stigmatized it will be.
Treatments for hyperhidrosis do exist and are available. Finding a way to be comfortable in your own skin, however sweaty it may be, is the main goal. If nothing else, you could always try to convince others that you just got done with an intense workout. But then again, caring about what people think should be the last thing you are even interested in. It’s your life, live it and sweat it how you will!
