What is hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition characterized by excessive sweat production.
Although sweating is a vital and physiological process, the body produces excessive amounts of sweat in hyperhidrosis.
A distinction is made between focal and generalized hyperhidrosis.
In the case of focal hyperhidrosis, the armpits, hands or feet are often affected.
In more than 90% of cases, the cause remains unknown.
In 10% of cases, the triggers can be hormonal, medicinal or functional disorders.
Excessive sweating can be very distressing.
Don’t hesitate to arrange your treatment for hyperhidrosis with us in Frankfurt.
Our team will be happy to help you regain your self-confidence.
What are the causes of excessive sweating?
In generalized hyperhidrosis, the entire body is affected by excessive sweat production.
The causes are varied and include
- Idiopathic cases in less than 85% of cases (without a recognizable cause)
- Hormonal disorders (e.g. hyperthyroidism, diabetes)
- Medication
- Infections (e.g. flu)
- Diseases of the nervous system
Hyperhidrosis treatment in Frankfurt
Several treatment options are available for the treatment of focal axillary hyperhidrosis:
Muscle relaxant injections
This non-surgical method is particularly effective.
By injecting a purified protein (BTX), the activity of acetylcholine is reduced, which reduces sweat production.
In the case of excessive sweat production in the armpit area, 25 injection points per armpit are treated with muscle relaxant.
The full effect is achieved after about 7 days.
Sweat production is noticeably reduced.
Treatment is also possible on the scalp, feet and hands.
The effect lasts for around 4 to 7 months, depending on the amount of sweat and the area affected.
This treatment is safe, well tolerated and very effective.
Privately insured patients may be able to have the costs reimbursed by their health insurance.
Topical treatments
Antiperspirants that contain aluminum salts (such as commercially available deodorants) block the ducts of the sweat glands and thus reduce the amount of sweat.
However, these products can cause skin irritation and burning sensations and do not always achieve the desired effect of significantly reducing perspiration.
Surgical treatment of the sweat glands
Another option for axillary hyperhidrosis is the almost complete removal of the sweat glands by curettage.
This method has success rates of up to 70%, but carries considerable risks such as wound infections, scarring, skin necrosis and skin discoloration.
As this type of treatment has shown a disproportion between risk and treatment success in the past, treatment with suction curettage has been increasingly abandoned.
We would be happy to provide you with comprehensive advice on your hyperhidrosis treatment.
Contact us at our Frankfurt practice and make an appointment today to treat excessive sweating effectively.
