KEEP your COOL
Sweating has its place when it comes to helping our bodies cope with the heat, but no one wants to do it in excess. Try Dr Andrew Weil’s solutions to save yourself embarrassment.
When it comes to sweating, there’s no established ‘normal’. But about 3 per cent of people have a condition called hyperhidrosis, defined as sweat production beyond what is necessary to maintain proper body temperature. The condition often begins in the teenage years or after menopause, but anyone can develop hyperhidrosis. Regardless of age, it can be a significant source of stress and embarrassment.
In primary hyperhidrosis – the more common type – sweat glands overreact to factors that spark normal perspiration, including changes in temperature, physical activity and emotional stress. The underarms, hands and feet are most often affected. Doctors don’t know what causes it, although genetics may play a role.
Secondary hyperhidrosis is caused by an underlying health condition, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, or is a side effect of certain medications, including aspirin and some antidepressants. This type of excessive perspiration tends to occur at night and affect only one side of the body. The secondary type requires medical treatment, but most cases of primary hyperhidrosis can be managed at home.
Try to minimise sweating by applying an antiperspirant to underarms, hands and feet. It’s more likely to stay in place on dry skin, so apply it at night, when sweat production is usually reduced. If you need something stronger, your doctor may prescribe an antiperspirant with higher concentrations of active ingredients. Test these products on a small area of skin to make sure they aren’t irritating. Use foot powder and wear moisture-wicking socks to help manage sweaty feet. In addition, reduce your intake of caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods, all of which can promote perspiration.
For a natural remedy, consider taking 1,000mg per day of dried sage, which has a history of use for combating excessive perspiration. Avoid ingesting sage essential oil, however, which can be toxic. (Pregnant women should not take sage because it can cause uterine contractions.)
Mind-body techniques like meditation, guided imagery and clinical hypnosis can help reduce stress that might otherwise provoke sweating.
If none of these measures work, your physician may suggest medical treatment, including tapwater iontophoresis, which involves soaking feet or hands in an electrolyte solution while a generator supplies a low-intensity electrical current; oral prescription drugs that block the actions of a chemical messenger that stimulates sweat glands; or injections of Botox, which, when administered at the site of excessive sweating, blocks the same chemical messenger.