Most antiperspirants are not strong enough to help someone afflicted with severe sweating, also known hyperhidrosis. The best product to deter severe sweating is Drysol, which is available only by prescription. Drysol is aluminum chloride with ethyl alcohol. Many have found Drysol to be irritating and it can stain clothing. Apply it at bedtime to dry skin and wash it off in the shower. Do not use regular deodorant afterwards. Repeat treatment nightly until the severe sweating is controlled.
If Drysol does not work after a week or two, covering the area affected by severe sweating with plastic wrap overnight may increase the product’s effectiveness. After severe sweating has decreased, use once or twice a week. Use regular deodorant on the other days. The medication is less effective for severe sweating of palms and soles because of their thick skin.
Alternative treatments for severe sweating also exist. Botox injections, known more for wrinkles, can stop severe sweating for six to eight months. Unfortunately, this procedure is expensive. Also, it can cause temporary weakness of handgrip.
Oral Robinul pills are a safe and effective method to decreasing severe sweating with mild side effects. Best results occur when the Robinul is injected directly into the skin with a Drionic electrophoretic machine. This machine can be purchased for home use for about $125. It plugs up sweat pores of hands, armpits or feet, causing a tingling sensation. After several uses, severe sweating will decrease for four to six weeks. It should be used about a half hour every night.
A surgical procedure known as endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy can cure severe sweating of the palms. An experienced surgeon must perform it, and it may cause minimal increased sweating in other body parts.
Some liposuction surgeons use a technique that scrapes out sweat glands
from the armpits. This severe sweating treatment should be discussed in
detail before considered.