The spiritual lessons of hyperhidrosis

Thanks to "My Life as a Puddle" for this insightful post about hyperhidrosis and loving life as it is.  This is exactly the kind of conversation we need to be having. I agree that people with hyperhidrosis should seek medical treatment, but at the same time, we need to learn to love ourselves as we are.

Love,
Tiara

Iontophoresis fatigue

Trees are rooted in the ground while reaching for the sky. 

Some rights reserved by @Doug88888

I have not been doing iontophoresis as often as before, and my hands are sweaty once again. Tomorrow, I am giving a speech and will need to shake hands. I wish that I had kept up my iontophoresis regimen. One reason I had stopped was that I had small cracks on my hands from winter dryness. I finally found something that helped: Eucerin's Aquaphor cream in a little tub. Now that the dry skin is healed, I need to begin the treatments again.

I went to a memorial service for a friend who died in her early 50s of breast cancer. The service was beautiful and meaningful. Attending the service made me think about what would happen if I died today? Have I lived the life I want to lead? Have I spent enough time with the people I love? Have I worked hard and enjoyed myself?

While I am sad about my friend's passing, I am glad I had the chance to be inspired by a well-lived life. And I am glad that I had a chance to reflect on the bigger picture, for I am much more than sweaty palms and feet, though they are part of who I am.

Love,
Tiara

T-shirt created to block underarm sweat and odor

Billy Thompson, an entrepreneur with hyperhidrosis, invented and manufactured a T-shirt that he claims "blocks underarm sweat and odor." The "Thompson Tee with Hydro-Shield Sweatproof Technology" is available online.

"I’ve fully embraced this role and stepped up to become a face and voice for those folks dealing with this issue. Many of them are in silence," Thompson said, according to The Daily Athenum Online.

For more information, see:

• The Daily Athenum Online: WVU alum creates innovative t-shirt
• Thompson Tee website
• YouTube video: Demonstration of the Thompson Tee (also embedded below in blog post)

Way to go, Billy!

Love,

Tiara

Start-Up Company Works on Hyperhidrosis Treatment

According to Fierce BioTech, a website that covers the biotech industry, "Miami-based Brickell Biotech grabbed $7 million in a new venture round led by a South Korean cosmetics company to back its work on new chemical entities for dermatology." (View article: Cosmetics group leads $7M round for dermatology upstart Brickell)

Fierce BioTech reports: "Brickell's big idea is pushing the fast-paced development of new treatments for acne, atopic dermatitis and hyperhidrosis, better known as excessive sweating. That may not represent the kind of unmet medical need as, say, advanced cancer, but several developers like Allergan ($AGN) have staked out sizable markets for new products in this field. According to the company's website, the biotech in-licensed BBI-4000 for hyperhidrosis late last year." 

Brickell Biotech describes BBI-4000 as a "topical soft anticholingeric for the treatment of hyperhidrosis." SweatHelp.org has a useful web page on anticholingerics, Hyperhidrosis Treatment Medications.
  

Botox everywhere...but who can afford it?

An NBC News Blog recently published an article about various uses for Botox, including treatment of excessive sweat. A woman interviewed for the article had Botox injected in her fingers and on her palms, and the resulting dryness enabled her to get fingerprinted without smearing the ink. Here is a video of such a procedure. I have to admit that I can barely watch it. It looks VERY painful. Some of the people who commented said that they had palmar Botox but it didn't work. Has anyone tried it? If so, please let us know how much it cost, if it worked (and, if so, for how long), and if it was painful.

Love,
Tiara

Australian Vogue Publishes Detailed Description of Botox Treatment to Prevent Underarm Sweat

Let's all love our armpits, sweat and all. 

Thank you to Mez Love for posting 

this awesome image to Flickr. (Photo 

by Mez Love, Some rights reserved.)

Australia Vogue published an article with a detailed description of Botox treatment for underarm sweat: "Don't  Sweat It: At last, a cosmetic treatment that stops you from perspiring." Interestingly, the author has never been diagnosed with axillary hyperhidrosis but is concerned enough about underarm sweat that she sought this expensive treatment. Must we all be afraid of a little sweat?

Hyperhidrosis and dating: How to know the love is true

Don't let sweaty palms stop you from dating...that is, 

if you want to date someone. I found this beautiful

image by Louis Engival on Flickr. 

Do you let hyperhidrosis stop you from dating? I didn't, but I also used to take the edge off my anxiety by drinking alcohol. As you might guess, that's not a good idea.

It took me a few years, but I finally realized that a true love will love you for who you are. I remember the moment when I "came out" as a person with hyperhidrosis to my most significant others. The disclosure turned out to be anti-climatic...my hyperhidrosis didn't seem to phase anyone but myself. I remember one date who replied "Oh, really? I thought your hands were a little sweaty, but I didn't realize it was a big deal to you...so do you want to order some fries together?"

One of my most popular blog posts ever, published in 2007, covers the important topic of hyperhidrosis and dating. Another hyperhidrosis blog, Just a Little Sweat, just posted a lovely story about dating with hyperhidrosis. The author, a classical flutist from New York City, also found someone who loves her, sweat and all.

Love,
Tiara

Sweaty Girl, Not Interrupted

It's always good to stumble on a fellow sweaty girl with a sense of humor. Check out Sweaty Girl Diaries, a new blog written by an 18-year-old "sweaty but hawt" college student with hyperhidrosis. "You can be sweaty but still be hawt," she writes.

Amen.

Love,

Tiara

Hyperhidrosis: More Questions Than Answers

Hyperhidrosis: More Questions Than Answers

Hyperhidrosis researcher Paul Kamudoni asks in 

his blog post why people with hyperhidrosis 

are denied treatment.

Paul Kamudoni leads a Hyperhidrosis Quality of Life" Research Team at the CSER Welsh School of Pharmacy.  Last year he interviewed more than 70 people with hyperhidrosis. I am eager to see the results of his team's research.


Mr. Kamundoni wrote a poignant blog post last year about the enigma of hyperhidrosis. The condition is common. The condition is treatable. But the condition is often left undiagnosed and untreated. Why? Read Paul Kamundoni's blog post, Hyperhidrosis: "More Questions Than Answers."

Let's get answers to our questions.

Love, 
Tiara

If You Fear, You Can't Hear: Hyperhidrosis and Social Interactions

Try to find one new thing about someone else each day.
(Photo by Nono Fara, some rights reserved.)

It's easy for people with hyperhidrosis to become hyper-aware of themselves during social interactions. This is part of having social anxiety. After all, if you are too busy thinking about the sweat on your hands, how can you focus on the person you are talking to? And if you're not focused on others, social interactions are not likely to turn out well.

I think that people with hyperhidrosis should try to focus more on other people during conversations. Try to find out one new thing about each conversational partner every day. You might be surprised by what you learn!

Love,
Tiara