Axillary hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessively sweaty armpits. It is an embarrassing and odorous condition that western society deems to be socially unacceptable, leading to emotional trauma for the sufferer. Additionally, other medical conditions can arise from it, like yeast infections and bacterial skin infections. However, the inconvenience of having to deal with constantly wet underarms is bad enough by itself.
A vast array of antiperspirants and deodorants for men exist to treat the problem of axillary hyperhidrosis. The deodorant and antiperspirant industry is a $2 billion dollar market in the U.S. alone. For most people, these products work as intended: they keep the armpits reasonably dry and odor free, except when the person is engaged in sports or other strenuous activity in which the body needs to sweat in order to cool itself. All of the mens deodorants in the world is not going to help with underarm sweat. Using deodorant for body odor control is great but to control sweating you have to use a form of antiperspirant. But for all of the antiperspirants and types of deodorants for men out there, some people just are not able to control their sweat production with these off the shelf options.
For a person with axillary hyperhidrosis, the first line of treatment would be to try an extra-strength antiperspirant that is available over the counter. Brands like Certain Dri and Degree Clinical Strength are specially formulated to stop excessive sweating. Certain Dri actually makes two products for underarms: an antiperspirant to stop sweating for up to 72 hours, and a non-irritating deodorant to keep the underarm area smelling good.
These types of “clinical strength” antiperspirants were originally available only by prescription, but are now over-the-counter. They contain aluminum chloride, which stops sweat by passing aluminum ions into the cells that produce sweat. The aluminum ions carry water into the cells with them, causing them to swell shut and trap the sweat inside the cells. A 12% concentration of aluminum chloride is most effective at stopping sweat this way.
Stronger yet, are prescription antiperspirants like Drysol and Xerac. These formulations also consist mainly of aluminum chloride, but in a much stronger concentration, usually about 40%. To avoid irritation, treatment is started at about a 10% solution, and increased slowly until the sweating is under control. This type of treatment is usually applied to clean armpits at bedtime, and washed off after six to eight hours.
Oral medications can also be prescribed to cut down on the excessive underarm sweating, or axillary hyperhidrosis. Anticholinergic medicines and psychotropic drugs have helped some patients, but the side effects of dry mouth, dry eyes and urine retention can be extremely bothersome.
It should be noted here that some anti-depressants actually cause excessive sweating. Always discuss all your medications with any doctor that you are seeing, so he or she can properly diagnose what is causing your symptoms.
Another treatment for excessively sweaty armpits is called iontophoresis. Also known as Drionics, this treatment method sends a very weak electrical current through a wet pad which is applied to the armpit. The mild shock temporarily disables the sweat glands, which leads to drier armpits. Some people find this procedure painful, and some find that it’s tolerable or feels good. There’s no way to know without trying.
Your doctor may also recommend Botox injections to alleviate the axillary hyperhidrosis symptoms. The botulinum toxin is injected into the skin where you sweat the most, and can provide relief for up to a year in some cases.
For those who are not keen on electrical current or Botox, some alternative medicine therapies may help. Acupuncture, for example, can relieve or eliminate a lot of conditions because it works on your body as a whole. Acupuncturists believe that many physical conditions result from the flow of energy through the body being disrupted; restoring the flow of energy to its proper force and pathways cures conditions that were untreatable by other methods.
Herbalists believe that an imbalance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems can cause hyperhidrosis, and can prescribe a number of herbs to restore your balance. St. John’s Wort, Valerian root, Astragalus and Sage, or a combination of them, all might be just what you need. There are usually no ill effects from taking herbs in a tea or tincture form, but use your common sense.
Homeopathy is another thing to check out for relief of your symptoms. A good homeopathic physician will prescribe one or more remedies based on a careful evaluation of your symptoms. You might be surprised at the questions that you are asked though. You may feel that the excessive sweating is the symptom, but instead find yourself talking about the taste in your mouth or the color of your tongue. This is nothing to be alarmed about; it is simply the way this type of medicine is done.
In general, there is a wide array of treatment options available for excessively sweaty armpits. Thoroughly exploring all of them may net you the solution that works for your situation. Never give up hope that you will find relief! And always know that you are a valuable person no matter what your outside looks like or smells like. It’s what is in your heart that matters, and anyone who thinks differently doesn’t matter at all.