Sweating
Sweating is vitally important, but when it becomes too much to deal with underarm sweat ...
Some people sweat more, some people less. This happens independently of age, gender or weight.
For those who sweat a lot we present our experiences with underarm sweat, our daily problems and our solution in these pages.
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. mult. T. Ruzicka
For the afflicted, hyperhidrosis is definitely not only a cosmetic problem, but may also be connected to heavy professional, medical and psychosocial burdens.
Director of the clinic and outpatient clinic for dermatology and allergology of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany
Hyperhidrosis - what is it?
Hyperhidrosis (griech. ὑπέρ (hypér) „exceedingly abundantly, over" and ἱδρώς (hidrós) „sweat") is a sickness that is characterized by an excessive production of sweat. It is believed that approximately 1-2% of the population of Europe and 2,8% of the population of the US suffers from this affliction. There are many possibilities of dealing with the pathological sweating. With hyperhidrosis, the affected person produces uncontrollable amounts of sweat. Temperature and season do not play any significant role.
The occurrence of hyperhidrosis in different body parts looks like this:
- Approximately 40% of the afflicted suffer from excessive underarm sweating
- Approximately 10% of the afflicted suffer from excessive sweating ontheir head and/or other body parts
- Approximately 60% of the afflicted suffer from excessive sweating on their hands or feet
How much sweat production a person thinks is normal or excessive is very subjective. However, there are rather simple rules to help classify a possible hyperhidrosis.
| Degree of severity of
hyperhidrosis | Symptoms of hyperhydrosis |
|---|---|
| I - light Hyperhidrosis | Underarms + hands/feet: considerable, increased skin moisture Underarms: Sweat stains with a diameter of 5-10cm |
| II - moderate
hyperhidrosis | Underarms + hands/feet: beads of sweat form Underarms: Sweat stains with a diameter of 10-20 Hands/feet: sweating on palms or soles is limited |
| III - severe hyperhidrosis | Underarms + hands/feet: Sweat drips Underarms: Sweat stains with a diameter greater than 20cm Hands/feet: Sweating on the back of fingers and toes as well as the lateral edge of hands and feet. |
Only a doctor can give you further information and assistance. Here, only general information and the experience of a fellow sufferer is described. Though I have found a way to live with excessive underarm sweat, I am not a doctor. Other or additional help against sweating can be found on the following pages.
