Excessive Underarm Sweating – Live Life Sweat Free
Book Review
July 5, 2012 |
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I have absolutely no hesitation in saying "Stop Sweating and Start Living" will soon put antiperspirant companies out of business.
I was reluctant at first to endorse any product but this book was different. The remedies it suggests are all-natural and target the root causes of problem sweating.
My only complaint is that it is only available as an instant access ebook. It can't be purchased in bookstores or on Amazon.com, but I'm sure the instant download feature is popular with people overseas and those who are ready to get started.
I strongly recommend "Stop Sweating and Start Living" to anyone who sweats excessively in the underarm, hand, foot, face or back areas.
- James Chambers
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Sweating is a normal biological function of our body. Our perspiration
is the response of the brain through the sympathetic nervous
system to a sudden spurt in our body temperatures owing to various
reasons
like exposure to the sun physical exercise or tension. Sweating
keeps our bodies cool maintains salt levels and most importantly
helps remove certain toxins from the body.
Sometimes however some people suffer
from the problem of excessive perspiration when the amount of
sweat lost exceeds the level
of what is actually required by the system to perform the abovementioned
duties. The medical term for this condition of excessive
sweating is hyperhidrosis which is a clinical disorder leading to
the production of abnormal amounts of sweat by the sweat glands.
It impairs the
normal course of your life in two ways by producing intolerable
body odor and by causing large amounts of visible sweat to
gather in conspicuous locations on your body which are impossible
to hide.
Now we all know what kinds of social embarrassments are caused by
excessive underarm perspiration. It is awkward it is uncomfortable
and it distinguishes you to the point of social isolation. The problem
of excessive perspiration generally begins during puberty considerably
affecting the self-esteem and social interactions of young people.
But it should not be the cause of your worry any more. Recent developments
in the field of dermatology have opened the door for a number of
safe and effective treatments to end this painful predicament.
Combat excessive sweating
If you feel that you are suffering from hyperhidrosis there
is no logic in suffering throughout your life without availing
the benefits of numerous advanced ways of handling the problem.
The escape route may take either of these two forms: prevention
or treatment. Which of the two paths is most appropriate for you
depends on the intensity of your problem. According to severity
this disorder can be divided into three main categories: mild hyperhidrosis
persistent hyperhidrosis and acute hyperhidrosis.
If you feel you might have mild hyperhidrosis go for prevention.
• Try to avoid direct exposure to the sun
• Take a shower every day rinsing and thoroughly cleaning
the underarms
• Try wearing washed cotton clothes every day
• Find yourself a good antiperspirant or a deodorant. Although
antiperspirants and deodorants are often used as
interchangeable terms they are not at all the same. While deodorants
work to hide
underarm odor by retarding bacterial growth antiperspirants
actually reduce the volume of sweat produced by the sweat glands
most effectively
in the underarms
• Spray on a talcum powder or medicated powder to slow down
bacterial growth
• If you prefer a natural lifestyle create your own deodorant
by mixing some amount of cornstarch powder and
baking powder. For a mild scent add to it a few drops of essential
oil. This mixture
is a natural way of making sweat evaporate quicker
Treatments for persistent and acute hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis in this stage can be treated in several ways.
Topical antiperspirants
The first stage of treating hyperhidrosis involves the use
of topical antiperspirants. Standard antiperspirants are made with
several ingredients including wax a liquid emollient and an active
ingredient compound possessing sweat-blocking power. All antiperspirants
have aluminum-based compounds as their active ingredients. In fact
the chief ingredients of topical antiperspirants are a variety
of aluminum salts like aluminum chloride. These aluminum contents
work on the sweat glands and prevent them from secreting sweat.
Those who perspire excessively need antiperspirants with an aluminum
concentration of 10%-15%. People with more severe disorders need
prescription antiperspirants which may contain aluminum chloride
of up to 20% concentration. These are so strong that they cannot
be sold without a doctor’s prescription.
The strongest antiperspirants are generally applied at night. They
are effective instruments to deal with the problem of excessive underarm
sweating though reports of local irritations from some users are
not uncommon.
Botulinum toxin (Botox)
This is the latest development in the treatment of hyperhidrosis.
It is an FDA-approved advanced therapy involving neurotoxin injections
specially innovated to treat underarm hyperhidrosis though it can
also be applied to treat excessive sweating of the palms and feet.
Botulinum toxin which is better known by its brand name Botox
has long been a method to cosmetically remove wrinkles from the skin.
Recent studies have successfully used Botox in the treatment of excessive
underarm sweating. Typically Botox temporarily prevents the secretion
of acetylcholine by hindering the process by which the nerves instruct
the glands to sweat. By administering 12–14 Botox injections
in the underarm area the nerves are stopped from stimulating the
sweat glands.
Depending on the patient’s system the benefit from the injections
lasts for six-10 months or 200 days. However the process needs to
be repeated when the patient’s hyperhidrosis shows signs of
reappearing. In test conditions nearly 85 percent of patients were
reported to achieve a far lesser degree of perspiration in the injected
areas. With the exception of a little bleeding in the injected areas
this treatment is extremely safe and more effective than the older
therapies. However it is expensive not suitable for pregnant and
nursing mothers and must be repeated for a patient’s lifetime.
Oral Agents
In some cases oral anticholinergic medicines are prescribed
to cut down on the functions of acetylcholine and prevent the stimulation
of sweat glands. However these medicines may lead to some undesirable
side effects so they are prescribed only after thoroughly taking
the patient’s overall health into consideration.
Iontophoresis
This is a therapy that involves the weakening of the nerves
by passing a low electrical current through the surface of the
skin to reduce sweat gland stimulation. This treatment has been
practiced for more than 50 years though its application to treat
underarm sweating is a relatively recent development.
In this technique you have to immerse your hands completely in
water through which a low voltage electric current is passed. The
process which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes temporarily blocks the
glands in the sweat-prone areas of the body. The severity of the
hyperhidrosis seems to diminish after 5–10 sessions. After
that patients are invited for one or two sessions per week to prevent
the symptoms from recurring.
Though a number of patients who have opted for iontophoresis have
reported that they are satisfied with the treatment it needs to
be repeated frequently and may lead to dry and irritated skin. Moreover
cardiac patients with pacemakers patients with orthopedic implants
or pregnant women are not qualified to receive this treatment.
Surgery
Surgery is recommended for the most severe cases of hyperhidrosis.
Because of the risk factors involved this course is advisable
only after thoroughly examining a patient’s medical history.
The surgical procedure involves the removal of the connection between
the sympathetic nerves and the sweat glands. Two types of surgery
are performed to treat hyperhidrosis: sweat gland resection and
endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS).
The first category or resection involves the removal of sweat glands
altogether. ETS is the process of removing the nerves that send the
chemical messages to the sweat glands.
At one point of time ETS was treated as a major operation. But
today it is performed very quickly and is minimally invasive with
a brief recovery period. Most people who have undergone surgery have
reported a complete elimination of hyperhidrosis in the concerned
area but many have had to endure compensatory sweating in other
areas.
In many cases excessive sweating may indicate a larger physical
or mental disorder but in most cases it is simply annoying without
posing a serious threat to your overall health. In either case in
the face of amazing advancement of research one should always explore
options to reduce underarm sweating.
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