Sweat: it’s hard to believe something that seems so negative can have so many positives, from hydrating your skin to cooling your body. But not everyone can regulate their sweat effectively. Otherwise known as excessive sweating, hyperhidrosis affects 2 million people in the UK* and in turn, affect many areas of life, from work to inner confidence. Here at Emma J Aesthetics, a skin clinic in Inverness, we share our top tips for managing hyperhidrosis.
Try Botox for Hyperhidrosis
Surprisingly, botox isn’t just a beauty treatment consigned to improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It actually has some medical uses, too, though it is a prescription-only medicine that warrants a consultation first (which helps us decide whether it’s the best choice for you). Injecting botox into the sweat glands can help block the signals between them and your brain, meaning less sweat is produced. Being a non-permanent treatment, you will need repeat sessions of this in the future to prolong the effects. Hyperhidrosis treatment starts to decrease sweat production at week 4, with results lasting up to 6 months and an average 80% reduction in excessive sweating.
Manage Your Sports
The more you exercise, the more likely it is you’ll sweat. Sweat is an essential part of our body’s arsenal – it helps cool us down when we’re too hot. Of course, with excessive sweating, you might not even need to be that active for this to be a problem. All the same, low-intensity sport, or taking regular breaks when exercising, can help stop your glands from going into overdrive.
Check Your Clothing
What you wear can have an effect on how much you sweat. Moisture-wicking clothing is your friend, as it draws moisture (i.e. sweat) away from the body and through the fabric, to help it evaporate it away, rather than soaking through your clothing. While many moisture-wicking fabrics are synthetic, wool also has this property, to a small extent. Those with hyperhidrosis can also looser clothing, as when clothing clings, sweat patches can form.
Switch Up Your Skincare
Swap your deodorant for an antiperspirant. Deodorants are great for improving unpleasant smells, but they won’t target the cause of them – the sweat production. Antiperspirants do just that. They’re most effective when applied to clean, dry skin (e.g. at night-time). Roll-ons are probably slightly better, as they are applied directly to your skin.
Don’t Sweat It
Yes, there is such as thing as ‘stress sweat’. As you feel more stressed, your body temperature rises. In fact, research shows that your sweat glands can be triggered by nerves associated with hormones, emotions and stressors. If you have a stressful work or home life, learning to deal with it effectively can have a knock-on effect to your body’s sweat production.
Booking with Emma J Aesthetics
At Emma J Aesthetics, we think everyone should feel happy and confident in their skin. If you suffer from hyperhidrosis and need treatment for your excessive sweating, book in with our Inverness skin clinic for a consultation and find out how we can help.