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Summer's Here: We've Got Sweatin' on our Minds
Many of us look forward to the summer months: balmy breezes and a more relaxed state of mind. The IHHS knows that the warmer months are not typically so enthusiastically welcomed by hyperhidrosis sufferers. This season of weddings, graduations, barbeques and bathing suits is not particularly compatible with excessive sweating.
Fear not! You can be more confident at those summer events. Hot weather is a great time to address the overwhelming effects of living with hyperhidrosis. The layers of clothing that many use to mask sweat stains are not so comfortable when the temperature rises; those cute sandals you’d love to wear to your friend’s baby shower: out of the question.
So many people with excessive sweating live in utter dread of being obliged to appear in a public social situation with sweat stains covering their clothing. Here are a couple of real-life examples:
Therese was getting married in a few months; among the many concerns she had regarding the big day, one in particular stood out: What was she going to do about her excessively sweaty hands and feet?
This bride-to-be had suffered with her condition for many years and, despite looking throughout that time, she never found an adequate solution. “It took forever and a half for my doctors to realize it was a problem,” she says. “Like most people with hyperhidrosis, my condition was taken for craziness, absurdity, or a temporary "thing." No one wanted to believe me and, for a while, I thought I was crazy; even though my father and my sister have the same condition.”
Luckily, Therese found the IHHS and the outlook began to improve. She attended one of our stellar live-patient teaching events and was able to get Botox injections to combat her sweaty hands. (A side benefit of getting Botox injections in the hands is that it often results in drier feet too. This dryness occurred in Therese’s case.) The results were life-changing and she was able to get treatment before her wedding day.
“It had gotten to where I could feel the sweat dripping from my fingers or down my arms from my hands, but on our wedding day, while standing before of our family and friends, I only pulled my hands away to wipe the tears out of my eyes instead of pulling them away to wipe my sweaty hands."
Andre faced a similar situation. Since his early 20s, Andre had experienced severe underarm sweating. “From 8:30 in the morning until bedtime I was sweating. I tried every kind of deodorant and antiperspirant out there, nothing came close to helping me stop it.” He became accustomed to taking three shirts with him wherever he went. Forget about ever taking off his jacket.
Unfortunately, Andre didn’t know that his hyperhidrosis was a treatable medical condition prior to being asked to be in a good friend’s wedding, Andre was filled with anxiety but had to say yes to the request. How did he handle the wedding ceremony? “I had to buy two tuxedos to make it through the event.”
Andre did eventually discover that his hyperhidrosis was a real medical condition and that treatment was available. He used one of the doctors in our Physician Finder database — Dr. Anthony Benedetto — to get an evaluation and has been using Botox injections to manage his excessive sweating ever since. “I can’t say it enough,” he says with emphasis, “this has changed my life.”
The burdens of living with hyperhidrosis are manifold. The overwhelming lack of confidence and self esteem, the expense, the life limitations...If you are living this life (or you know someone who is), take control today. Read up on all the treatment options and find a dermatologist near you in our Physician Finder database. Remember, all medical professionals in the database with a gold star by their name have received specialized training in the art of hyperhidrosis management.
Now go ahead--get out there and revel in those warm summer breezes!
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Find a doctor who treats excessive sweating. |
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