Excessive Underarm Sweating: the Untold Truths About Hyperhidrosis and How You Can Beat it

Underarm perspiration, otherwise known by its medical term hyperhidrosis, is a result of an over-activity of sweat glands. The uncontrolled working of the nervous system may also cause profuse underarm sweating.

Besides the underarms, Hyperhidrosis also takes place in different areas of the body such as the face, hands and feet. However, profuse underarm sweating is the most common and most prominent Hyperhidrosis problem. The reasons and treatments of profuse sweaty underarms are discussed below.

The Different Causes of Underarm Sweating

Sudoriferous is the medical term for our sweat glands. There are 2 types of Sudoriferous glands that produce excessive underarm perspiration: the eccrine and the apocrine glands.

The eccrine glands are found all over the body and exist by themselves. They produce a watery solution in unlimited amounts, but they are not commonly the culprits in excess underarm perspiration. The sweat created by eccrine glands is odorless, and they are the glands responsible for excreting the ingested materials contained in onions and garlic.

The apocrine glands, on the other hand, are larger than eccrine glands and they are only found in certain spots in our bodies. The apocrine glands are found only in the armpits and the genital skin. The apocrine glands secrete sweat through the hair follicle (this is why underarm sweat drips).

There are many ways to cure or minimize sweat from the armpits. The perspiration produced by the apocrine glands has its distinct smell. There are different ways to avoid excessive underarm perspiration, such as by wearing loose-fitting clothing, drinking lots of water, and taking medication.

People who often interact with big crowds and give speeches to large audiences tend to experience excessive underarm perspiration.

Excessive underarm perspiration happens to both males and females. This disorder is not confined to any particular age group but it has been observed that most people who have this problem experience it after going through adolescence. Anyone experiencing this problem can be treated.

That being said, more safeguards are required when dealing with elderly patients who experience this particular disorder. Studies show that people who are suffering from anxiety, tension, and fear of facing the public or those who happen to have inferiority complex are predominantly prone to profuse armpit sweating.

Everybody experiences sweating in their underarms, and there are a variety of reasons for this excess underarm perspiration - heredity being one.

Excess Armpit Sweating along with odor

At times underarm sweating is accompanied by unpleasant body odor. There are instances that it does not go away with any amount of deodorant, antiperspirant or perfume applied – the smell tends to overpower the scents of these toiletry items.

Excessive underarm perspiration affects the person's school, work, friendships, romance, sporting activities and sometimes even normal social interaction. This disorder discourages the sufferer and this could lead to a loss of self-confidence.

There are many treatments to cure profuse underarm sweating, and the available treatment for excessive armpit sweating also takes care of the unpleasant underarm odor that is caused by profuse sweating.

Excessive underarm perspiration can be treated with the aid of medications and/or surgery, but the psychological effects that hyperhidrosis may have caused the patient may take a longer time to heal