Hyperhidrosis

Treating Hyperhidrosis

If you think you are suffering from hyperhidrosis, we can provide a diagnosis and treatments which will help to reduce your symptoms. Our Consultants are highly experienced and respected dermatologists with an extensive history of successfully treating patients with hyperhidrosis.

What to expect from your Hyperhidrosis consultation

All consultations take place at our private London clinic and all patients are seen by one of our qualified dermatologists. Your first consultation includes a thorough assessment of your condition, followed by a recommended treatment plan.

• We will take a full medical history and discuss the problem with you, including your specific symptoms and anything you may have tried in the past to manage it. If you are diagnosed with hyperhidrosis, several treatments can make a huge difference.
• We will recommend the best treatments for your condition, basing our advice on your situation, with the aim of reducing your symptoms and making the excessive sweating easier to manage.
• We will keep you informed of all costs, options and available alternatives, so you are fully in control of your diagnosis and your treatment.

Recommended Hyperhidrosis Treatments

There are several options when it comes to treating hyperhidrosis, and your specific treatment plan will depend largely on the nature of your condition. Our treatments focus on not only alleviating the symptoms but also tackling the condition on a long-term basis.

Self-help for hyperhidrosis

To help manage hyperhidrosis, the first agents to try are topical products that can help to absorb the excess sweat, such as talcum powder and cornstarch powder (e.g. Zeasorb®). These are usually only helpful in mild cases.

Stronger antiperspirants containing aluminium chloride e.g. Driclor ® and AnHydrolForte® can be used for armpits, hands and feet. They are applied 2-3 times a week at night and washed off in the morning to avoid damage to clothes. Application can be effective, especially for underarm sweating, but they can cause the skin to become irritated over time. If this happens you should consult your doctor.

Botox™ Injections

Botox™ Injections provide an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis in many people.

Treatment involves injecting small doses of Botox™ into the skin of the affected areas. It works by blocking the action of nerves that supply the eccrine (sweat) glands. This stops the glands from producing sweat.

The effects of Botox™ treatment can last for several months by blocking the nerve endings and, as new nerve endings start to form, a repeat treatment is usually required.

What does the treatment involve?

You will need a number of small injections with a fine needle into the affected area. The injections may cause some discomfort and your skin may be slightly red and inflamed immediately after treatment. This normally resolves within a few hours.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects include bruising or tenderness at the injection sites and increased sweating at other sites. Rare side effects include itching, muscle aches, allergic reactions and muscle weakness.

How long does it take to work?

Most patients notice some positive changes within the first week after treatment. The effects usually last between 4-7 months.

Systemic treatments

Anticholinergic drugs such as Robinul® (Glycopyrrolate) can inhibit sweating. They may be useful for patients with hyperhidrosis at multiple sites. Patients commonly experience side effects such as dry eyes and mouth and occasional blurred vision.

Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis involves immersing the parts of your body where the worst of your hyperhidrosis symptoms occur in warm water. A mild electric current is then passed through the immersion fluid. Some clinicians add glycopyrrhonium bromide to enhance the effects.

Because your body’s natural electrical charge is negative, positive ions in the water induced by the current flow straight through the sweat ducts, interrupting the sweating process by an unknown mechanism.

Iontophoresis has been in clinical use for several decades and is not dangerous. Few people report discomfort, apart from some tingling, and sometimes a dry mouth.

To become effective, iontophoresis is usually delivered in multiple treatment sessions and maintenance sessions are necessary to help manage your hyperhidrosis.

Surgery for hyperhidrosis

Surgical procedures may be considered when other methods have been tried first. Two types of surgery are available:

Subcutaneous sweat gland curettage

Over-active sweat glands are removed under general anaesthetic. The procedure can reduce sweating by up to 50% in many cases.

Transthoracic sympathectomy

This involves cutting the nerves that supply the sweat glands. If necessary, the surgeon performs partial removal of the involved nerve fibres and ganglia in the spine (T2 and T3) under general anaesthetic. This eliminates excessive sweating in the hands and underarms and is permanent. It is an effective treatment for severe hyperhidrosis on the palms and under the arms but there is between 40-69% risk of compensatory hyperhidrosis in which new areas of excessive sweating develop, usually on the trunk and lower parts of the body).