Hey, it could be worse...

Thanks to Angry Romanian for putting his axillary hyperhidrosis in perspective.

He writes: "While it really sucks sweating through a clean shirt within 4 minutes, it’s definitely not the worst affliction on the planet. I now consider myself lucky after learning about Intractable Pruritis Ani."

Check out his blog post "Fire in the hole below."

Yoga: Yes, it's for people with hyperhidrosis too!

I had an epiphany during a recent yoga class. No, I didn't attain nirvana or a state of total consciousness. And maybe epiphany is too strong a word...here's what happened: I saw an attractive young woman with a happy aura doing yoga in her socks. The teacher suggested that she remove her socks, and she said "No, I need to keep them on...my feet slip around too much." Her statement was matter-of-fact and absent of any shame or self-consciousness. The teacher said something along the lines of "yes, that happens a lot."

After the class, I spoke with the sweaty-footed yogini. We swapped tips on how to prevent skids on the mat. I use a little towel at the top of my mat, and I have one mat in particular that seems to absorb sweat while remaining sticky. There are also yoga towels that have a rubber backing that clings to the mat.

I had avoided yoga for so long because I didn't want to be embarassed by my sweaty feet, but if anything, yoga has improved my hyperhidrosis.

Love,
Tiara

What inspires you? What takes you outside of yourself?

One of the hardest parts about hyperhidrosis, at least for me, is that I find myself in an ultra-self-conscious state of mind. Someone near me could be having a nervous breakdown, choking on a pine nut or something, and I'm wondering if the black marks left by wet shoe leather are showing. So one of my best strategies is to focus on things and people outside of myself. It doesn't always work, but over time, it has helped.

Here are some of the readings that particularly help me:
1) Teachings on Love by Thich Nhat Hanh
2) Tara Brach's Radical Acceptance
3) The Onion (because laughter is medicine)

What inspires you and takes you outside of yourself? Does that help slow down the sweating?

By142's Moisture Absorb--has anyone tried it?

Thanks to Heather for sending me a tip about a new hyperhidrosis product, By142 Moisture Absorb, which is supposed to absorb wetness on your hands or feet. One question...where does the moisture go?

Has anyone heard of this product or tried it? Will I finally be able to wear strappy sandals without sliding out of them, or is it another HH scam? It costs $30 for 1.7 ounces...rather pricey, but if it worked, I would pay.

Here's a link to the product:

http://www.by142.com/products/moisture_ABSORB.html

Looks like you can buy it online but Nordstrom's also sells it.

Please keep the tips coming!

Love,
Tiara

Hyperhidrosis study

Does anyone know anything about an August 2007 study of hyperhidrosis that was published in Dermatologic Surgery Journal? The full study is not available online.

A Comprehensive Approach to the Recognition, Diagnosis, and Severity-Based Treatment of Focal Hyperhidrosis
Solish, N., et al. - The objective was to establish clinical guidelines for the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of primary focal hyperhidrosis...Conclusion: These guidelines offer a rapid method to assess disease severity and to treat primary focal hyperhidrosis according to severity [more...]

Dermatologic Surgery, 08/03/07

Attention Nintendo Wii gamers: Now there is an improved strap that could help sweaty-palmed gamers hold the remote. Visit the stopsweatyhands blog for more information.

Love,
Old-Fashioned Tiara (who doesn't game but stands in solidarity with all sweaty-palmed gamers--and who kicked butt in Ms. PacMan in the 1980s though today she can't beat her husband at the game, though she can beat him at SkiBall)

Back-to-school sweat tips

The International Hyperhidrosis Society just published a great article, Back-to-School Sweat Tips. I remember how I agonized over the start of the school year--is there any way I can hide my sweat? I had lots of strategies: wearing only white shirts, not raising my hand in class, not doing activities that might require me to raise my hand or shake/hold hands with others. Unfortunately, those strategies also meant missing out on joyful experiences. So if you're in school and reading this blog, please check out the sweat tips article--and don't deprive yourself of the joy that we all deserve. I have been so inspired and blessed to hear from many young people with hyperhidrosis who are not letting their sweating get in the way of their life.

Summer sweat tips from the International Hyperhidrosis society. For foot sweat, I tried Summer Soles, and it seems to help a lot. I still haven't graduated to wearing sandals to work. Today it was 95 degrees out and I wore thick socks. According to the IHS article, temperatures inside socks and shoes can reach up to 120 degrees in the summer. I can believe it!


Summersoles web site -- http://www.summersoles.com/

Please send some your best wishes to M., a very thoughtful and intelligent teenager who wrote to me about her axillary hyperhidrosis.

She had four questions:

1) does sage help reduce HH?
2) "Have you ever heard of caldacin powder? Someone posted it in Yahoo Answers as a solution for sweaty armpits but it sounds too good to be true. Apparently if you cover your hand in that powder and dip it in water, it comes out dry. But you can't find it on wikipedia or any search engine."

3) And have you ever heard of 'Stop Sweating and Start Living", which is some ebook with tips on how you can stop axillary hyperhidrosis with some kind of natural herb (I'm thinking sage, maybe?). BUt it costs 30 dollars, so it might be a scam...

4) Do you know if there is any kind of blog like yours for axillary hyperhidrosis? I urgently need someone with AH to talk to.

Wish I knew the answers but I don't...can anyone help?

Medical industry pushes most profitable hyperhidrosis treatments

If deodarant doesn't stop the excess sweat on your hands, feet, or under your arms, then your next best option is iontophoresis. It's a non-invasive, highly effective treatment with an initial investment of approximately $500 and a few doctors office visits to learn how to give yourself treatments with the Fischer Galvanic unit.

Yet, has anyone had any luck finding a dermatologist who will give you iontophoresis treatment and training? You can find dozens of doctors who will inject expensive Botox into your hands and feet, and welcome you back every few months for follow-up injections. This could cost you a few thousand every year. If you were a doctor looking to make money, it's a no-brainer to offer Botox rather than iontophoresis. Huge profit margin and guaranteed repeat business.

I think the International Hyperhidrosis Society is doing great work, but I wish they would encourage more doctors to offer iontophoresis treatment, or publish a directory of doctors who do. Because I have yet to find one in my large city.

"The Secret" may not be Secret deodarant

Interesting discussion on the cool blog notmartha.com about Secret Clinical Strength deodorant.

Antihydral for palmar and plantar HH

Blogger Windy writes about using antihydral for her sweaty hands and feet. I know nothing about antihydral, just passing on the info because she writes it has been helpful.

Dating advice for teens with hyperhidrosis

Hey, how's everyone doing?

I got a wonderful note from a 16 year old girl who has hyperhidrosis. To her credit, she doesn't let the HH hold her back from being social and outgoing. What is especially great is that she is involved with theater, which I would have NEVER tried at that age, though I think I would have enjoyed it.

As is the case for any normal 16-year-old (and, really, most of the human race), dating is one area that causes her some anxiety. She wrote "Sweaty Palm Diaries" to ask for dating advice -- for example, when he wants to hold hands and yours is sweaty, what do you do?

Great question...here's her story. I'll post my response to her, and since I'm no dating guru, please feel free to chime in with any other suggestions you might have.

-----------------
Dear Tiara,
I am a 16 year old girl that deals with a major case of hyperidrosis. Even though i have HH, i still am considered a very outgoing and social person. I'm not very shy or nervous around others, that is until they try to give me a high five, or shake my hand, or touch my hand. Thats when i get weird and hide. I just shake me head no and pull my hand away under my sweatshirt that i always carry around with me. I do this so i can hide my hands under it. Usually, my hands are bright red and swollen from the hyperhidrosis, so it makes it even easier to tell i have it. Its hard to write in class because i dont want people to see my hands, and when i write, i leave my paper wet and gross.

It is very embarassing to guys that i like. I've had some boyfriends, but none that were very serious. I've never actually held hands with a boy before. And when we kiss or go on a date, i hide my hands in my hoodie.. which is awkward. I've tried using medication like Drysol, but its called something else. I've been using it for a year and it doesn't really work, but it helps a little. All my friend's know about my problem, so they help by not making fun or pointing it out.

its just very embarassing and i really want to get surgery, but im scared of the side effects, and i don't think i will be able to because of my parents.

also, i was wondering if you had any advice with guys? Such as, how do you tell them why you can't hold their hand? or how to be NORMAL around them without worrying about your hands? and do you ever "grow out" of it? or do you have for your whole life? i hope not.

Well, im glad you have this site to help us teenagers who suffer from HH.

From Pete: "I may joke around ... but I'm really in pain."

Thanks, Pete, for sharing your story. He is thinking about getting Botox treatments, but at $1,200 every six months, it's really a blow to the wallet -- and for many people, simply not within their means. But the cost of not treating the HH is even higher.

Now my rant: Why are dermatologists not offering iontophoresis, a non-invasive highly effective treatment option when used correctly and with the right equipment? Kudos to the International Hyperhidrosis Society for offering a $25 discount on R.A. Fischer iontophoresis units. You must have a prescription from your doctor, however.

--------------------------

Now, Pete's story:
I dont know where to start. Since 13 I have had hyperhidrosis on the palms. In social situations, you can shake my hand and get drenched. I wore a T-Shirt the other day that said "Bring Soap" on one side. The other side said "FREE SHOWERS". I amused myself in many ways but I try many ways to escape social situations by avoiding meeting people, going to parties and get-togethers. I will only go when I can't help it. The worst is that I'm in sales and run my own business. I'm always wiping my hands. I like meeting people outside when it's cold because palm sweat is less but meetings are held outside, I wish they were.

I may joke around writing this but I'm really in pain, hurt and sadness. I feel like I'm closing up to the world.

Share your story fellow skillful sweaters!

The best cure for hyperhidrosis-related social anxiety is talking about it--sharing your story with others, hearing their stories, disclosing your feelings about the condition to family and friends. Post your story here and let's start talking!

Social anxiety: One day at a time

Let's face it. If you have hyperhidrosis, you probably have social anxiety. I do. Probably it's a mild to moderate case. The anxiety doesn't completely hold me back from enjoying life, but I think I would enjoy life more if I wasn't so anxious about receiving attention from others.

Psychology Today has a great article on how to deal with social anxiety.

Here is an article about meditation for stress reduction.

Has anyone tried these techniques? Share your findings!

Yea! More people are blogging about hyperhidrosis:

• A young woman in the UK blogs about having ETS surgery: http://hyperhydrosisinfo.blogspot.com/
• The hyperhidrosis blog -- A fairly new blog written by someone who has HH: http://hyperhidrosis.wordpress.com/tag/hyperhidrosis-remedies/

Check them out and let us know what you think! And let me know what you would find most useful in my blog.

Love,
Tiara

Sweaty-palmed knitter

An interesting blog post: Sweating and swatching

Alt-med treatments for hyperhidrosis

Google has created some interesting search tools around medical topics. For example, if you search hyperhidrosis, you can get a sub-set of results related to alternative medicine treatments for hyperhidrosis.

I haven't had a chance to read all the results, and a few look suspect to me, but here are a few interesting links -- let me know what you think!

• acupuncture for hyperidrosis
• Sweathelp.org -- " We often hear about people using alternative therapies to treat hyperhidrosis. These therapies may include herbal substances such as sage tea or sage tablets, chamomile, valerian root, and St. John’s Wort. Acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, and relaxation techniques have also been suggested as potential treatments. Currently there is little research to recommend such alternative therapies but this doesn’t discount their potential."
• MSN's Hyperhidrosis community
  

Winner of the second Golden Tiara Award: Samantha

I received an e-mail from a 20-year-old woman named Samantha, who generously shared her story and is interested in learning about treatment options for her hyperhidrosis. In the meantime, she is determined not to let her sweat stop her from living the life she wants. As she said, "We may not have control over our sweat, but we can control what we do about it."

Longtime readers of this blog might recall the first Golden Tiara award winner, Gretchen, a former Microsoft recruiter who offered job interview advice for people with hyperhidrosis. Look in the archives, July 2006, for the post.

Without further ado, here is Samantha's story:

~~~~~~~~~
I'm so glad to have found your blog. I know that there are other
people out there with HH, but I never personally knew anyone or came in contact
with the same problem I have. So, thank you for putting up this blog. It's
just comforting to know that someone does understand.

I'm a 20 year-old female. I've had HH ever since I was about 13 or so. Since then, I've always done the tricks that other people with this condition do: wear black or a sweater. I hate how limited my fashion is!

I sweat most of the day, but it's usually in cases where I'm surrounded by a lot of people, due to nervousness (like a job interview, being in front of the class), being the 'center of attention', being excited about something, or knowing that I'm going to have to shake someone's hand. I attend a Catholic church and at one point in during the mass we have to shake other people's hands and say "Peace be with you." I dread that part because I know the other people feel my sweaty and cold hands. Many times I've heard someone say "oh! You have cold hands!" or I would see them wipe their hand on their pants. It can get so embarrassing.

When it comes to treatment, I've used Drysol on my underarms, but I've read how dangerous Aluminum can be to the body. The other treatments involve a lot of money and I don't want to go through that. What treatments have you done/currently doing?

I guess for me, I'm going to have to deal with my anxiety, which may be the root of my HH. Anyway, as long as I have this HH, I'm not going to let it stop me from doing the things I want to do. For example, going to church. I was tempted to skip church on Sundays so I wouldn't have to shake anyone's hands, but when I thought about it, why should I let something such as
that get in the way of my life?

We may not have control over our sweat, but we can control what we do about it. I've put myself in many situations in which I would get nervous and start sweating profusely. Yes, it was uncomfortable at the time, but it was something I wanted to do (like attending a meeting!). I live in California and plan on studying in Spain this summer for a month. I'm sure it'll be hot and humid by the time I get there, which means a lot of sweat, but I won't let this sweating get in the way.

~~~~~

Tiara here:

Thank you, Samantha, for sharing your story. To answer your question, I found that drysol works for underarm sweat, but I too am concerned about the aluminum. I have yet to find a good option for hands and feet, but am trying to find a doctor who will give me iontophoresis treatment. Thanks again for sharing your story, and keep us posted!

Best wishes,
Tiara

Calling all iontophoresis practitioners!

I called four doctors who were listed on the International Hyperhidrosis Society's physician finder to see if any offered iontophoresis treatment. After all the research I've done, I am beginning to think that this is the most promising treatment for me. Each of the doctors I called had attended an educational event offered by the IHS, so I figured that they'd be able to help me.

Here's how the typical call went:
"Hello. I'm calling to see if Dr. X offers iontophoresis treatments for hyperhidrosis."
"Are you a patient?"
"I might be if s/he offers iontophoresis. Would you tell me if it is available?"

~Pause~

Doctor's office: "Uhh...what are you calling about? Do you want Botox shots?" In other words, the doctor would prefer to perform the more profitable procedure. To prevent the recurrance of sweat, Botox requires new injections every few months. Cha-ching!

On the other hand, iontophoresis requires a $600 investment in a unit and some initial training at the doctor's office. Once you are trained, you can continue treatments at home.

Does anyone know of doctors who perform iontophoresis treatments? If so, share their names with me and I'll compile a list for this blog.

One more thought: Why does it have to be so hard to find a decent treatment option?

To all the people who have e-mailed me in the past few months

Hi, I checked my e-mail for the first time in a while and noticed notes from a few people who kindly shared their stories. I'm so sorry for not getting back to you sooner...I have way too much going on in my life now, and am dealing with the beginnings of a repetitive stress injury because of too much time at the computer. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, if you are looking for advice on how to treat your hyperhidrosis, please visit www.sweathelp.org. I'm not a doctor, so it's best to visit this site or talk to yours.

I would like to include your stories in your blog, but I won't do so unless I have your permission. If you don't want me to publish your name and/or e-mail, I won't. The most important thing is that we talk about our HH.

Hyperhidrosis in the news

The world can be cruel to the very sweaty -- an interview with Dr. Dee Anna Glaser in the St. Louis News. The interviewer did a good job of asking about what it feels like to have hyperhidrosis -- the more people who can understand this, the better. However, the story was so short that there was very little practical information on treatment options for people with HH.

Calling for iontophoresis experiences!

I'm thinking about getting set up for iontophoresis, and would love to hear from others who have used that treatment. Does your skin get dry and prickly? Does it work well? I got to try it once at a medical conference and it seems very doable and effective. Please share your experiences so we can learn more about this highly-recommended treatment option. In the long-term, it's much more affordable than Botox.

My goal: Wear sandals comfortably this summer!

A second look at the Wet Hands Club

Back in October, I criticized a new Malaysian website, the Wet Hands Club, for pushing ETS surgery and not talking enough about nonsurgical options. Someone commented on my post, saying that was unfair. I looked at the Wet Hands website tonight, and I agree--I was a little too harsh in my post last October and the site has really expanded since then. Now I would recommend it as well-worth your while...valuable information that is well-presented. Plus the site does a great job connecting people with HH.

Can I shake your hand, Wet Hands Club?

Are you thinking of having ETS surgery?

I sometimes receive questions from people who ask me: Should I get ETS surgery?

I'm not the one to answer that because I'm not a doctor. But I can tell you what I've learned from my research and from talking to doctors: ETS is a last resort, and the failure rate is higher than what doctors who perform the surgery like to admit.

If you're thinking of getting the surgery, be sure that you've already exhausted all non-surgical options. Talk to a dermatologist who knows about hyperhidrosis but does not perform ETS surgery. Look on www.sweathelp.org for doctors. You want an unbiased opinion.

I would investigate the following with your doctor, or combinations of the following, in this order:

1) Drysol (a very strong prescription topical antiperspirant)

~and if that doesn't work or is not appropriate for you, ask about~

2) iontophoresis
~and if that doesn't work or is not appropriate for you, ask about~

3) Botox injections
~and if that doesn't work or is not appropriate for you, or if you can't afford it, ask about~

4) what other prescription options are there?

Then, as a last resort, if your sweat is unbearable and getting in the way of your life, then you might consider surgery. But be sure to talk to an unbiased dermatologist or primary care physician who has no financial interest in your getting surgery. Don't start by talking to the surgeon who is going to profit from your operation.

Remember, some people who have the ETS surgery wind up getting compensatory sweating all over their bodies, which they say is much worse. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society:

"In a study involving 121 patients at the Medical City Hospital of Dallas, Texas, compensatory sweating occurred in more than 80% of the patients undergoing ETS. Similarly, in a Danish study conducted at the Aarhus University Hospital, 90% of the patients undergoing ETS for underarm sweating, reported compensatory sweating, half of whom were forced to change their clothes during the day because of it. "

Please, please...be careful, everyone!

Why didn't I post for nearly 3 months?

The typical reasons...holiday travel, busy at my job, etc.

But there's more. I wish my hyperhidrosis would just go away on its own. And if I'm writing and thinking about it all the time, then maybe it won't go away? And more people had been starting to respond to my blog and asking me for advice, and since I'm not a doctor or a therapist, I don't want to give advice.

What I'm realizing is that people just want to be heard. They don't want advice. Like when friends advise me to wear sandals that expose most of my feet so the sweat dries off. They mean well, but it doesn't work because the sandals fall off my feet. The only advice I want regarding my hyperhidrosis is (1) medical advice from a doctor who GETS IT and (2) practical tips from those who have hyperhidrosis. Most importantly, I want to hear other people's stories, and help share those stories with others. That's how we're going to heal.

Oddly, my hyperhidrosis got worse during my blogging hiatus.