Hyperhidrosis

Plastic surgery

Hyperhidrosis denotes excessive sweating, i.e., a generalized or localized increased function of the sweat glands. Hyperhidrosis is classified as physiological, symptomatic, or genuine. Excessive sweating may also be caused by emotional and psychological stress. Genuine hyperhidrosis is a congenital, hereditary susceptibility to an increased function of the sweat glands. This disorder typically affects certain areas: the armpits, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and, more rarely, the face, nose, neck, chest, and back. As a result of the increased skin moisture, secondary complications may arise in the form of secondary bacterial or fungal inflammatory reactions. Excessive sweating of the soles of the feet is often accompanied by an unpleasant odor due not to the sweat itself, but to the bacterial decomposition of sweat on the skin surface. Treatment of hyperhidrosis may comprise numerous pharmacological products, including the more recent use of Botox®.