We all do it, and no one likes. Sweating is our body’s natural cooling system. Although sweating is absolutely necessary to help us maintain a healthy body temperature, too much sweating can elicit problems in your social life and even begin harm your emotional health. It is important that you understand what amount of sweating is normal according to your body’s needs and when it has become a problem. The good news is that hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, is a condition that your dermatologist can effectively treat.
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Why Do I Sweat?
- The act of sweating is simply your body’s attempt to maintain a normal body temperature. If there is a temperature rise, whether it is from exercise, hot weather, nerves or fever, your body’s sweat glands kick in. Even spicy foods can ignite a person’s sweat glands into action.
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How Do I Know If I Have Excessive Sweating?
- “The amount of sweat considered normal is quite variable and depends on the demands of the body,” says Dee Anna Glaser, MD, a professor of dermatology at St. Louis University, in St. Louis, Mo., and president of the International Hyperhidrosis Society. During the day, you may sweat less than a liter or as much as several liters depending on what you are doing. In addition, some people just sweat more than others. Just because you are drenched after a one-mile run and your partner seems barely damp doesn’t necessarily mean you have excessive sweating. Everyone has different sweating needs depending on their body.
- Hyperhidrosis means you sweat far more than your body needs you to sweat, such as sweating while calmly sitting at your office desk. Hyperhidrosis involves overactive sweat glands that can produce as much as five times more than normal. About 3% of the population has excessive sweating. Although it is hard to quantify what is normal in terms of sweating amount, most hyperhidrosis patients know when they have a problem.
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How is Hyperhidrosis Treated?
- Finding a dermatologist, such as Olansky Dermatology Associates, that offers miraDry is your best bet. This axillary hyperhidrosis treatment is distinguished by its permanent and successful results, providing an 86% reduction in underarm sweating. Whether you choose miraDry or another treatment option, it is important that you know there is help for you that can put an end to your excessive sweating problem.
