Sunny Health

Have you ever shaken someone’s hand and thought to yourself, “oh gosh, I need to wash my hands right now!” Or have you ever thought twice before shaking someone’s hand for fear that your sweaty palms might embarrass you?

When sweat glands in the hands become overactive, they produce more fluid on your skin, also known as perspiration.  Excessive sweat that brings problems to people normally occurs at the armpits (axillary hyperhidrosis), feet (plantar hyperhidrosis) and hands (palmar hyperhidrosis).

Why do some people suffer from excessive sweating?

The humid weather in Singapore can cause our body to warm up and produce sweat to cool us down.  Sometimes, stress or anxiety can cause a person to produce even more sweat. For people whose sweat glands are more active than others, their sweat glands will produce more sweat than others.

Other causal factors include:
• Caffeinated drinks and alcohol
• Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
• Medicinal drugs (such as certain painkillers, cardiovascular drugs and antidepressants)
• Menopause
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

Preventions:
Excessive sweating can be controlled and in some cases, prevented from happening. Antiperspirants that are commonly used on the armpits can also be used on the palms. If you feel that your normal antiperspirants are not working, do see a doctor and they will prescribe you stronger antiperspirants.

Avoid caffeine as it can trigger the sympathetic nervous system.

Complications
Excessive sweating can result in a number of unwanted problems such as:
• Body Odour
• Infections at sweaty areas
• Socialising problems
• Low self-esteem and depression

For a more comprehensive list, check out this article by Mayoclinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperhidrosis/DS01082/DSECTION=complications

When to see a doctor?
If you perspire excessively at night for no apparent reason, or feel that excessive sweating is causing you problems in your daily life, do consult a doctor for medical treatment. For severe cases, you may need to undergo a surgery which will remove the sweat glands.

Sources:
http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/SkinBeauty/Pages/Sweaty-Palms-and-Feet-Coping-Tips.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperhidrosis/DS01082/DSECTION=complications
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/medical/IM00027