1st
Advisors For Excessive sweating, Body Odor, Hyperhidrosis, Hyperhydrosis
and Perspiration. Nonprofit
organization dedicated to the millions of people in the world with
severe problems with the aforementioned disorders.
This
web site contains information about the causes of body odor, hyperhydrosis
and perspiration and various treatment options available from non-surgical
to surgical.
Perspiration
in it's severe form is also known in the medical field as hyperhydrosis.
Perspiration is the body's natural method of cooling itself and
is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system. Sweat evaporates
over the skin's surface and heat transfer occurs. The result is
cooling. However, when one's sympathetic nervous system becomes
overactive, excessive perspiration or hyperhydrosis results and
sweating can occur for no reason at all. In this case, the hyperhydrosis
can be labeled primary. Secondary hyperhydrosis may be the result
of diabetes, obesity, antidepressants, diet, anxiety or other physical
or mental disorders.
Hyperhydrosis
can manifest itself in many forms. The most common form is excessive
sweating. The sweating can occur in the hands (palmar hypherhydrosis),
feet (plantar hyperhydrosis), face and armpits (axillary hyperhydrosis).
HH can also result in facial blushing. No one really knows what
causes hyperhydrosis but it is thought to be endocrine system related.
The endocrine system regulates chemicals that the brain produces
such as epinephrine, nor-epinephrine and seritonin. These chemicals
control anxiety levels, mood and appetite. While the condition is
not harmful physically, it can be socially devastating. Most people
who suffer hyperhydrosis complain of dripping hands, armpits, face,
etc. They avoid shaking hands, public speaking or anything that
would draw attention to their condition.
Body
Odor
Severe
body odor, most often a case of underarm odor is a medical term
known as trichomychosis axillaris and is caused by the decomposition
of bacteria reacting with uric acid. Click this link for an excellent
site, which provided detailed information on the disorder and some
over the counter remedies you can purchase, http://www.emedicine.com.
The fastest method of treatment is to shave the affected hair. Benzoyl
peroxide (gel or wash formulations) aids in treatment and prevents
recurrence. Antiperspirant helps treat and prevent the condition
by reducing axillary hyperhydrosis Topical antibiotic preparations
such as clindamycin or erythromycin also are effective. "Drying"
powders may assist treatment.
Non-Surgical
Treatments For Perspiration and hyperhydrosis
First,
let's start with some good non-surgical treatments. Maxim™ antiperspirant
is an over the counter antiperspirant developed specifically for
hyperhydrosis and can be found at www.stopsweatnow.com.
An antiperspirant
like Maxim will work by shrinking the sweat pores. Strong antiperspirants
will use a form of aluminum to accomplish this. Dispite internet
rumors, according to many institutions including the American Cancer
Society and the National
Cancer Institute, aluminum is very safe to use and there has
never been any link with cancer or other long term diseases as it
has been on the market for decades.
Mitchum
is an over the counter remedy that is not very effective on severe
perspiration, but if you are here, you've probably already tried
it and found it to be ineffectual for your condition.
Should Maxim not be affective, there are other non-surgical treatments
that you can use. DRIONIC® is a machine that can be purchased for
about $135.00 and uses the passage of a small electric current (around
15 mA) through the skin, which tends to stop the sweat glands from
working for quite a while. This process, called iontophoresis, works
by "injecting" electrically charged ions into the skin, which interact
with the sweat glands and ducts to cause them to stop secreting
sweat; it may work by plugging the ducts up in a manner similar
to the antiperspirants. Regular tap water is used, as it has dissolved
salts and minerals that can carry the electric current, rather than
more expensive electrolyte solutions. Some physicians have recommended
the iontophoresis of medications such as Robinul® (glycopyrrolate)
to further cut down on sweating. There are some machines that can
only be used by physicians, but there is one commercial machine,
the Drionic® device, that can be purchased with a doctor's prescription,
and used regularly at home. This machine comes in two forms, one
that only works on hands or feet, and the other that is designed
to work only on the underarms. Both use tap water and batteries
to administer the current to the skin between the two pads of the
Drionic® machine. Treatment usually requires 20 minutes of use at
each site for a few times a week, and then once the perspiration
has stopped, the machine is not used until it starts up again. Although
this device has been proven safe and effective, and has been very
useful to many, it can only treat the hands/feet and underarms,
and cannot be used on the head, face, groin, chest or back; in addition,
it does not control the flushing that is often associated with hyperhydrosis
For people who have many areas of excessive sweating, this may not
prove practical, but for people who are bothered at treatable locations,
this machine and treatment may be an option, after receiving a doctor's
prescription and instruction for the safe use of this medical device.
I have used the device and have found it to be moderately affective
on the armpits, but it can be somewhat cumbersome and time consuming.
I have also talked to people who complain of shocking and the breaking
of blood vessels.
Surgical
Treatments for Hyperhydrosis
Surgery
is the last option you should consider for hyperhydrosis because
it involves cutting the nerves, called ganglion, which come out
of the spine. These nerves are conduits for the neurotransmitters
which produce sweat. Once these nerves are cut, they are cut and
they will most likely never grow back. The problem with this is
that while being very effective for curing hand and facial sweating,
you may develop severe compensatory sweating, where you will sweat
in the chest, back, legs and rear end. Some surgeons are now using
a method whereby they are not cutting the nerves anymore, but rather
they are clamping them with a titanium clip. Dr.'s Rapheal
Reisfeld and James
Garza are two surgeons that we would recommend
highly. Dr.
Timo Telaranta comes highly recommended for
ETS and reversals.
If
you know a friend or colleague and are embarrassed to inform them
of their severe body odor, here's a site that can help, http://www.coworkerhints.com.
They'll send them a diplomatic, anonymous letter for only a small
fee.
Severe
body odor, most often a case of underarm odor is a medical term
known as trichomychosis axillaris and is caused by the decomposition
of bacteria reacting with uric acid. Click this link for an excellent
site, which provided detailed information on the disorder and some
over the counter remedies you can purchase, 
Should Maxim not be affective, there are other non-surgical treatments
that you can use. DRIONIC® is a machine that can be purchased for
about $135.00 and uses the passage of a small electric current (around
15 mA) through the skin, which tends to stop the sweat glands from
working for quite a while. This process, called iontophoresis, works
by "injecting" electrically charged ions into the skin, which interact
with the sweat glands and ducts to cause them to stop secreting
sweat; it may work by plugging the ducts up in a manner similar
to the antiperspirants. Regular tap water is used, as it has dissolved
salts and minerals that can carry the electric current, rather than
more expensive electrolyte solutions. Some physicians have recommended
the iontophoresis of medications such as Robinul® (glycopyrrolate)
to further cut down on sweating. There are some machines that can
only be used by physicians, but there is one commercial machine,
the Drionic® device, that can be purchased with a doctor's prescription,
and used regularly at home. This machine comes in two forms, one
that only works on hands or feet, and the other that is designed
to work only on the underarms. Both use tap water and batteries
to administer the current to the skin between the two pads of the
Drionic® machine. Treatment usually requires 20 minutes of use at
each site for a few times a week, and then once the perspiration
has stopped, the machine is not used until it starts up again. Although
this device has been proven safe and effective, and has been very
useful to many, it can only treat the hands/feet and underarms,
and cannot be used on the head, face, groin, chest or back; in addition,
it does not control the flushing that is often associated with hyperhydrosis
For people who have many areas of excessive sweating, this may not
prove practical, but for people who are bothered at treatable locations,
this machine and treatment may be an option, after receiving a doctor's
prescription and instruction for the safe use of this medical device.
I have used the device and have found it to be moderately affective
on the armpits, but it can be somewhat cumbersome and time consuming.
I have also talked to people who complain of shocking and the breaking
of blood vessels. 
Surgery
is the last option you should consider for hyperhydrosis because
it involves cutting the nerves, called ganglion, which come out
of the spine. These nerves are conduits for the neurotransmitters
which produce sweat. Once these nerves are cut, they are cut and
they will most likely never grow back. The problem with this is
that while being very effective for curing hand and facial sweating,
you may develop severe compensatory sweating, where you will sweat
in the chest, back, legs and rear end. Some surgeons are now using
a method whereby they are not cutting the nerves anymore, but rather
they are clamping them with a titanium clip. Dr.'s