Sweating is a physiological process necessary to regulate our temperature, but it can sometimes be excessive.
Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily, we talks today about perspiration, a normal physiological process in everyone, which helps regulate our temperature, but which can sometimes be annoying.
franceinfo: In which cases is sweating considered exaggerated?
Martin Ducret: First of all, sweating is completely normal! It is a cooling process to regulate the internal temperature of our body, which fluctuates around 37°C. In normal times, the body produces about half to 1 liter of sweat per day, and much more in case of physical effort, high heat or stress.
When the sweating becomes excessive, it is called excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, and it is characterized by various symptoms: for example, when the sweating of the hands causes discomfort when holding an object, or when shaking someone’s hand; when the body sweats so much that one is afraid to play sports or dance with other people; when you have to shower and change several times a day. Situations that often lead to significant social and psychological discomfort.
In 10% of cases, this excessive sweating is generalized over the whole body, and it is often secondary to an underlying cause, which can be treated such as menopause, obesity, a thyroid problem or certain medications. But in 90% of cases excessive sweating is localized, that is to say it mainly affects the armpits, hands, feet or face.
What solutions can be offered to patients to reduce sweating, especially those with a localized form?
First, there are simple measures to adopt, such as eliminating foods that stimulate sweat production: caffeine, alcohol or spicy foods. It is also necessary to favor loose clothing, made of natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool), and avoid synthetic materials. As for treatments, there are over-the-counter antiperspirants for local use, often based on aluminum salts, which block the secretion of sweat.
If, despite everything, excessive sweating persists, your dermatologist can offer you several 20-minute iontophoresis sessions: the idea is to immerse your feet and hands in a container of water, through which a low-intensity electric current passes, which reduces the production of sweat. It also works for the armpits, with wet sponges fitted with electrodes.
There is also the possibility of injecting botulinum toxins, which make it possible to stop the production of sweat at the levels of the glands which secrete it. And really, as a last resort, there is surgery to cut the little nerves responsible for excessive sweating in the armpits, face and hands.