Having sweaty hands can really put a damper on your quality of life. Simple activities that many people take for granted—like shaking hands during an introduction, holding a piece of paper, or operating a piece of equipment—can be extra challenging when you can’t control the amount that your hands sweat.
If you have excessively sweaty hands, you may be experiencing a medical condition known as hyperhidrosis. Luckily, you can take steps to control this situation, including effective treatment methods that can help prevent sweat in the first place.
Read on for four tips for living with hyperhidrosis.
Part of the agony of having hyperhidrosis of your hands (also known as palmar hyperhidrosis) is that you never know what may trigger your sweaty hands. It helps to anticipate a potential sweat situation in advance—and be prepared with an extra towel to dry off.
Using a specific antiperspirant formula on your hands can also help you be proactive and avoid a potentially embarrassing or aggravating situation. Topical treatments for controlling sweat include both prescription and over the counter products. The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends prescription wipes for the same “on-the-go” effect.
Several oral medications are specially formulated to help control excessive sweating. For some patients, these medicines are enough to control sweating daily. These medications can be useful because they control sweating all over the body, not just in your hands. However, many of these medications also have side effects, such as overheating, dry mouth, dry eyes, blurry vision, or heart palpitations.
If you have tried the above methods for sweaty hands and you’re looking for a definitive solution for palmar hyperhidrosis, a specialized surgery known as an endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) may be appropriate. An ETS surgery is the only permanent solution for palmar hyperhidrosis. In an ETS, a surgeon divides specific nerves that control your sweat glands. By disrupting these nerve signals, an ETS surgery can permanently disable the sweat response to the palms of your hands.
The ETS procedure is a minimally invasive surgery performed as an outpatient. Recovery after the ETS procedure is swift and the results are 99% effective at curing palmar hyperhidrosis.
If you suspect you have hyperhidrosis, don’t sweat it. Instead, call us at (732) 398-5099. Our experienced physicians can work with you to develop a unique treatment plan to meet your personal goals.
