Top 10 tips for reducing sweating
“Sweaty? You don’t have to be.
Surgeon Miss Sherina Balaratnam from S-Thetics, Beaconsfield’s first dedicated medical aesthetic clinic, tells us how”
Our body is designed to sweat in order to help us regulate our core temperature, especially during periods of excessive heat, exercise and even during illness. When sweat evaporates, it removes excess heat from the body, and we cool down. Excessive sweating is not just an issue during the summer months and can affect people all year round.
The natural process of sweating can be affected by certain medical conditions, and this gives rise to excessive sweating, a condition called hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a disease affecting over 1% of the general UK population, both men and women equally, and can have a significant impact on day-to-day life as it occurs irrespective of circumstance and weather.
Body odour is often a problem due to mixture of sweat with bacteria and hair in the underarms, and clothing has visible stains due to the consistency of sweat secretions within the area. With over 2 million sweat glands in the body, the majority are found in the underarms, which is why we sweat more from here.
Below are some top tips to reduce sweating:
- Wear loose, breathable, cotton clothing, which allows air to circulate easily. Changing regularly will prevent damp and underarm odor.
- Keep your underarms clean and hair-free. Odor is produced by the protein and fatty acids in sweat, which are metabolized by bacteria on skin and hair.
- Showering with an antibacterial soap helps to reduce bacteria in the underarms. Drying the area thoroughly afterwards with a clean towel each time will prevent bacteria from growing in damp conditions.
- Drink more water to keep your body cool and well hydrated. Reduce your intake of alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods as these cause the sweat ducts to dilate and release more odor.
- Situations causing you anxiety and stress can make you sweat more so avoid these where possible.
- Use an antiperspirant containing Aluminum Chloride. These particles are broken down by sweat and block the formation of sweat within sweat ducts. Severe hyperhidrosis may require more prescription-strength formulations.
- Iontophoresis: The hands and feet of hyperhidrosis sufferers are placed in water basins, where a device delivers a low intensity electrical current through the water to block nerve transmission to sweat glands. For the underarms, pads are available which deliver electrical current through an electrode. Iontophoresis is fast, pain-free and may require repeating several times a week.
- Botulinum toxin type A injections are FDA-approved for the treatment of hyperhidrosis. As this is a prescription medication, you will need to see a Doctor for a detailed medical consultation and clinical assessment to ensure your suitability for treatment. Injections are relatively painless, results are successful and can last up to 9 months.
- Mira Dry is a non-invasive treatment for underarm sweating. It uses focused electromagnetic energy delivered through a hand piece, which penetrates to the areas where sweat glands reside. The heat generated destroys the target sweat gland. 2 treatments are generally recommended and the area covered with topical anesthesia to allow a more comfortable experience.
- Surgical procedures should be a final resort when all other treatment options have failed. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy involves dividing the nerves that supply the sweat glands and should only be used in cases affecting the hands and armpits. The procedure is carried out under general anaesthesia by a qualified surgeon.
As featured in Elite Magazine October 2015 edition
Find out more about hyperhidrosis treatments at S-Thetics
For more information on hyperhidrosis please visit www.hyperhidrosis.org
To book your complimentary consultation to find out how we could help you, contact us on 01494 670990 or info@sthetics.co.uk