Sweating Matters Blog

Keeping You Current with What Matters in Hyperhidrosis

Rate the Sweating Matters blog / More Information

Come Back Soon! We post regularly.

Helping Create Dryer Lifestyles

16 July 2024

Debunking Common Hyperhidrosis Myths

Canada's national statistics agency recently (2023) reported that Canadians who perceive an increasing challenge in separating fact from fiction are more likely to verify the accuracy of news stories they encounter. Among Canadians who reported that it was becoming harder to assess the accuracy of online information, 59% regularly fact-checked. In contrast, about 50% of Canadians who felt that determining the credibility of information has either stayed the same or become easier over time engaged in regular fact-checking. (Concerns with misinformation on line, 2023. Statistics Canada, Released 23-12-20)

As such, there remains a large proportion of people who do not fact-check the information they consume. So we decided to straighten out the score on a number of misperceptions about hyperhidrosis. While there are many, we will focus on just a few here, with more to be covered in a future blog post.

Children do not have excessive sweating conditions

• The average onset is 25 years but depends on the body region affected. Palmar and underarm hyperhidrosis have the earliest average onset, that is, 13 and 19 years respectively - 82% of individuals with palmar hyperhidrosis have reported onset in childhood.

Excessive sweating is predominantly a male condition

• Hyperhidrosis (HH) affects both men and women equally

Hyperhidrosis is associated with a thyroid problem

• Focal or localized HH (facial, axillary, palmar, plantar) is not associated with any other medical condition. The generalized condition (whole body sweating) may indicate an underlying cause such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

Excessive Sweating is not treatable.

• In fact, there are several treatment options, from topical formulations to surgery. Other options include botulinum toxin injections and a procedure called iontophoresis. Topical aluminum salt formulations should be used first-line before other options.

The principle function of sweating is to rid the body of dangerous toxins

• Sweating actually plays a minor role in terms of processing toxins - the kidneys and liver are the primary organ systems responsible for doing so. Sweating is a mechanism involved in regulating body temperature

Things are not always what they seem

People with hyperhidrosis all sweat to the same degree

• Severity can vary significantly from one individual to another. A scale called the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) exists to provide a score to the severity of the condition.

People with hyperhidrosis have bad odor

• Not true. Sweat does not have an odor - sweat is essentially a salty solution. Having said this, excess sweat can predispose individuals to malodor if good hygiene habits are not in place (a condition called bromhidrosis)

People with hyperhidrosis have larger sweat glands

• Their sweat glands actually appear totally normal, both in size and number. Excessive sweat is driven by an overactive nervous system innervating the sweat glands. More recently, sweat glands from individuals with HH are likely to have a greater number of small cellular water channels. These consist of a protein called aquaporin 5, imbedded in the membranes of sweat gland cells.**

Hyperhidrosis can affect your personality

• According to a study examining temperament and character in individuals with focal hyperhidrosis, the latter scored lower in terms of purposefulness, resourcefulness, and self-directedness.***

Can sweat be colored?

• Sounds unimaginable but yes. A rare condition called chromhidrosis is characterized by colored sweat, usually limited to the face, axillae, or the breasts' areolas. The sweat can be colored yellow, green, blue or black.

One more...drinking less will reduce the amount that I sweat

• False, fluid intake has no effect on the sweating process. In fact, excessive sweating may cause dehydration if fluids are not replaced. It is important to maintain proper hydration or fluid intake.

Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is inherited

• A positive family history can be seen in 30-50% of individuals. Inheriting hyperhidrosis is not linked more to the father or mother. A sibling has a 25% chance of inheriting the condition if a parent is affected*

*Ro KM, Cantor RM, Lange KL, Ahn SS. J Vasc Surg. 2002 Feb;35(2):382-6.

**Quan Du et al. Dermatology 2016;232:150–155

***Ak et al. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2013, 11:5