Do you feel that you’re always sweating? That you sweat excessively compared to everyone else? Heavy sweating can have a physiological cause, and there are ways to cure excessive sweating. If you sweat excessively, read on for everything you need to know about this condition and how to stop excessive sweating.

What Causes Excessive Sweating?

Hyperhidrosis is the most common condition that causes excessive sweating and afflicts between 1% and 3% of the population. Those who have hyperhidrosis will sweat four to five times as much as the average person. This is because people in the general population have two to four million sweat glands, while those suffering from hyperhidrosis have far more. The condition is not perfectly understood, but it does seem to have a genetic component since 30% to 50% of those who sweat excessively have a family member with the same problem.

How Does Excessive Sweating Affect Someone?

It can be embarrassing as well as difficult to live with. When interviewed, 90% of those who have hyperhidrosis say that it does affect them emotionally. Many reports that they do feel less confidence because of their excessive sweating.

Can it Be Treated?

There is a treatment known as iontophoresis that was developed to treat hyperhidrosis. It has been in use for over 50 years and has a good track record of success. Also known as the “no-sweat machine,” iontophoresis uses electricity to shut down some of the body’s sweat glands. Over time and several treatments, it can shut down enough sweat glands that a person has few more sweat glands than the average person. Each treatment takes between 10 and 20 minutes, and it takes six to 10 treatments before the sweat glands are shut down. People with very severe cases of hyperhidrosis sometimes need to two or three treatments each week in the beginning.

How Effective and Safe is This Treatment?

The treatment itself has been around more than 50 years and is both safe and effective. Sometimes there are minor side effects like skin dryness, blistering, or other irritation. Moisturizer is usually enough to eliminate these side effects. Treatments are generally more frequent at the beginning and can be done much less frequently as time goes on and treatment becomes effective. However, if there is too long between treatments the sweating will eventually come back.

Iontophoresis is a safe and effective treatment for relieving the embarrassment and inconvenience that comes with excessive sweating. If you have sweat excessively, ask your doctor about the best way to get iontophoresis treatments.