What Are the Treatments for Sweaty Hands & Feet?
Excessive sweating in the extremities (the hands and feet) is a condition known as hyperhidrosis. It happens when a person's sweat glands work overtime to keep the body cool. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society people with the condition often sweat four or five times more than normal. This can lead to embarrassment and a fear of social situations. While the condition may cause a feeling of hopelessness for those affected, there are ways to treat it.
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Over-The-Counter Antiperspirants
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Believe it or not, a little antiperspirant goes a long way and can be helpful in treating overactive sweating of the hands and feet. Your doctor should have a list of effective antiperspirants that can be beneficial in treating problems with sweat. There are several over-the-counter brands available including Certain Dri and Secret Clinical Strength.
Prescription Antiperspirants
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If over-the-counter antiperspirants fail to help control hyperhidrosis, your doctor may prescribe a stronger antiperspirant to deal with the issue. Generally, these antiperspirants contain aluminum chloride and are used to cover dry skin before the person goes to sleep. The antiperspirant should be washed off in the morning to avoid the hands and feet from becoming inflamed and itchy.
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Iontophoresis treatment
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Iontophoresis treatment involves the use of electrical current to change the outer layers of skin so that sweat will be less likely to get through. By using an electrical current and a couple of water-saturated wool pads to conduct low-levels of electricity in to the affected area. Iontophoresis treatment pain ranges from mild to moderate and the treatment needs to be done twice a day for three to four weeks.
Medications
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Some cases of hyperhidrosis may require oral medication in order to block the production of sweat. There are three different types of medication that your doctor could prescribe; carbonic anhydrase inhibitors like Topiramate help to block sweating, anticholinergics, or glycopyrrolate, help to block impulse from the nerves to sweat glands, and clonidine reduces nerve stimulation thus decreasing the output of the sweat glands.
Surgery
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If all else fails, your doctor may advise surgery as a form of treatment for hyperhidrosis. There are two ways in which surgery can help to decrease sweating. One is simply to remove a certain number of sweat glands thus decreasing the amount of sweat. The second method involves interrupting nerve signals that promote sweating.
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