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Excessive Sweating
(Hyperhidrosis)
Dr. Mash is able to successfully treat patients with excessive sweating. She has found that although some traditional treatments, like antiperspirants and iontophoresis, have been improved, she has found ways to make them more effective.
Her new treatments, Smartlipo and Vaser LipoSelection have started giving relief to those who never thought they’d find it. Less costly and more permanent than Botox, Smartlipo Vaser LipoSelection are fast becoming the treatment of choice over the traditional treatments that many physicians use (see chart below).
Although many patients still come for treatments with Botox, Dr. Mash uses combinations of treatments for her clients and is getting excellent results. Treatments are based on the patient's needs and medical history.
Due to side effects, oral medications are not recommended as a long-term solution. Similarly, surgical options, although heavily advertised, are reserved for only certain severe cases of hyperhidrosis that have not responded to any of the other treatment options. Before considering surgical treatment, Dr. Mash and her patients fully consider and discuss the risks and any side effects.
For an at-a-glance overview of some common current hyperhidrosis treatments and the parts of the body they may be used to treat, use the chart that was developed by the International Hyperhidrosis Society below.
*NOTE: Liposuction technique for hyperhidrosis treatment differs from traditional liposuction techniques in that only sweat cells are suctioned vs. fat cells. This delicate procedure "selects-out" only the sweat cells.
Understanding Hyperhidrosis
There are two types of hyperhidrosis: primary focal and secondary generalized. Understanding the difference is one of the first steps in understanding hyperhidrosis.
Primary focal hyperhidrosis refers to excessive sweating that is not caused by another medical condition, nor is it a side effect of medications. The excessive sweating is the medical condition. This type of sweating always occurs on very specific areas of the body (described as focal areas) and is usually relatively "symmetric" meaning that both the left and right sides of the body are affected similarly. The most common focal areas are the hands, feet, underarms, and head or face.
Primary focal hyperhidrosis often begins in childhood or adolescence, especially hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet. Interestingly, although people with primary focal hyperhidrosis have episodes of excessive sweating at least once a week, they usually do not experience excessive sweating while sleeping. It’s also been shown that primary focal hyperhidrosis may be inherited and many members of the same family may suffer from this condition - but sadly many never talk about it with each other. If hyperhidrosis seems to "run" in your family, you may be able to help researchers better understand who gets hyperhidrosis and why.
The other main type of hyperhidrosis is referred to as secondary generalized hyperhidrosis. This type of excessive sweating is caused by another medical condition or is a side effect of a medication. That’s why it’s called secondary - it’s secondary to something else. Unlike with primary focal hyperhidrosis, people with secondary hyperhidrosis experience sweating on larger or other areas of the body (described as generalized areas). Another key difference between the two types of hyperhidrosis is that people with secondary generalized hyperhidrosis usually experience their sweating symptoms while sleeping. Finding a potential treatment for such sweating often involves first determining what (if any) underlying medical condition or medication may be the root of the problem.
As with primary focal hyperhidrosis, it is important to talk to a knowledgeable physician about all-over sweating. Dr. Mash can look at your medical history, provide an examination, run any necessary tests, consider any medications you may be taking (remember to tell her about all medications you're using - including over-the-counter and herbal/natural products) and provide other professional insights.
Visit Hyperhidrosis Society for more information
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