Sweaty palms is an embarrassing problem for many people. Until the concept of shaking hands goes out of fashion, the issue of clammy hands will continue to deter those suffering with sweaty hands to be reclusive in social gatherings. Of the 3 to 4 million sweat glands in the human body, there are 600 sweat glands alone in every square centimeter of the human palm. It is no wonder then that many people often suffer with excessively sweaty hands!
Problems caused by sweaty palms
Besides the fact that sweaty palms can be embarrassing, sweaty hands does affect the everyday life. From something as trivial as smudging ink on a piece of paper to hesitating holding hands or even shaking them for the fear of embarrassment, sweaty palms, whilst not life threatening does impact a person’s life. In most situations, those suffering with sweaty hands tend to disguise it by wiping their sweaty palms over their clothes or on their hair. While this can help momentarily, there are number of people who experience excessive sweating of the palms to the extent that the sweaty noticeably drips off their palms.
Sweaty palms is a lot more difficult to be treated in comparison with say excessive sweating of the armpits. Because the palms cannot be concealed, it often puts the victim in a spot. Besides different people react differently to antiperspirants and there aren’t that many products that can really cure sweaty palms.
It must be understood that sweaty palms is mostly a psychological issue and is often related to stress and even a unhealthy lifestyle. People suffering with sweaty palms find it to be very embarrassing to say the least, as it puts them on the defensive. Even the more social and outgoing people are often stopped from being so, thanks to excessive sweating of the palms.
Is there a cure for sweaty palms?
It must be noted that while there are many products and treatments that claim to have a cure, the truth is that there is no silver bullet to put an end to excessive sweating of the palms. Most of the medicines prescribed tend to stop sweating temporarily, but tend to stop the overall sweating of the human body, which can be dangerous. There is talk that the thoracoscopic sympathectomy surgery might help eliminate the problem of excessive sweating completely, however this is still in its initial stages and the success factor might vary from one person to another.
The thoracoscopic sympathectomy surgery kills parts of the sympathetic nerves and it is said that people can wake up post surgery with warm, dry hands. Sounds too good to be true? Well, as with any surgery there are risks involved. Proper medical advice from your general practitioner who has your medical history is a good place to start for those considering the thoracoscopic sympathectomy surgery.
Besides the surgery, there are a few other ways that can help reduce excessive sweating.
The Lontophoresis Method
A less invasive method to cure sweating of the palms can be found with the lontophoresis treatment. This kind of treatment basically involves the person suffering with excessive sweaty palms to put their hands in running tap water and having a small voltage electric current introduced into the water for about 15 minutes. This treatment can makes the hands irritable and the person uncomfortable. The lontophoresis treatment is a medical process stretched over a period of time, so speedy results are out of question. The initial treatment happens at regular intervals, around 3 or 4 times a week and is gradually pushed to once every 3 or 4 weeks. The lontophoresis treatment is also a bit expensive. It is possible to purchase the equipment and treat yourself at home.
Botox injections
Botulinum Toxin shots, commonly known as botox provides relief for up to six months. Weakening of the muscles are one of the common side effects when using botox injections to prevent sweaty palms and can lead to complications. The botox treatment needs to be repeated every five or six months.
While besides the above there may be many other procedures or treatments available, there are a few simple home made treatments to help reduce sweaty palms. These include:
Washing your hands frequently with a mild soap every few hours Reducing on the intake of alcohol and smoking for those who indulge in these vices Regular yoga or mind relaxing techniques to calm the mind and reduce stress Reducing the intake of spicy foods
Bear in mind that for those suffering with sweaty palms, the issue can be serious and needs to be dealt with a bit of sensitivity. People suffering from sweaty palms and take solace by joining the support forums such as sweaty-palms.org and seek help and share their experiences with others.
Sweaty palms is embarrassing, but not the end of the world!