Is your excessive sweating causing you discomfort and embarrassment? Without taboo, La Dépêche du Midi tells you about this problem and the treatments that exist, with supporting expertise.
Often singled out as a lack of hygiene, perspiration can be particularly bothersome on a daily basis. Difficult to quantify, the latter is considered excessive when the sweat bothers the person to the point of having to take several showers and plan changes. Its effects handicap social relationships; ranging from the inability to shake hands to the difficulty of maintaining romantic relationships. “Inconvenienced people avoid human contact as much as possible or find alternatives to restrict it. But there are solutions, it’s not a taboo subject and you have to talk to a specialist about it”, advises Doctor Laurence Netter.
A healthy lifestyle and common sense
Wash yourself every day and take care of yourself dry properly to avoid maceration. Originally odorless, sweat becomes malodorous on contact with bacteria that like damp environments.
After washing, wear loose and light clothing that allow air to circulate over your body. Cotton, linen or wool allow the skin to breathe, absorb sweat and retain less heat than synthetic materials which are to be banned. They suffocate the skin, promote sweating and have a lower absorption capacity.
Digestion and diet also play a key role in sweat production. According to Laurence Netter, this is the case “for exciting products, such as coffee or tea, which should be avoided”. A 700 gram steak will not require the same digestive effort from your body as a green salad: eat easily digestible foods.
Simple products
There alum stone tightens the pores of the skin thanks to its properties which limit perspiration. Apply directly to wet skin for desired results.
Baking soda prevents the proliferation of bacteria responsible for the bad smell. It blocks their development and strongly reduces odors but does not change the amount of sweat. Whether it’s a balm, a spray or an application, baking soda is applied directly to the skin.
The deodorant neutralizes bad odors but does not reduce perspiration unlike the antiperspirant. The aluminum salts that compose it clog the excretory ducts of sweat. Prescribed for people with excessive sweating, it is usually “insufficient facing a too much sweat“, according to dermatologist Laurence Netter. In extreme cases, other “treatments are chosen according to the location, the importance and the budget of the patient”, develops the dermatologist.
Treatments for severe cases
If the problem persists, you may be suffering from excessive sweating. “People affected secrete an abnormally high amount of sweat that is not justified by any specific need for the body,” explains Laurence Netter. The disease is often underdiagnosed and undertreated due to the taboo surrounding it.
The use of botox, introduced under the armpits, at the level of the sweat glands responsible for perspiration, can then be indicated: it paralyzes the nervous message and blocks sweat. According to Laurence Netter, “botox injection is a solution for a period of 6 months which is quite expensive. It has no inconvenient effect except for the hands.
THE microwave stop excessive perspiration and permanently destroy the sweat glands through the action of heat. “We see a 80% improvement in patients”. Crusts can form but don’t panic, “removing sweat from one part of the body is not dangerous”, says Dr. Netter.
Iontophoresis, finally, consists of passing water through which a low-intensity electric current passes through the skin of the hands and feet. According to Laurence Netter, “the channel which extracts perspiration is blocked by electricity and after several sessions a 60% average improvement is observed”.