Treatments I've Tried for Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is not the same for everyone.

It affects me primarily on my hands, feet, and underarms. But depending on the circumstance I will sweat anywhere on my body to excess in places like upper lip and back of thighs.

It has been a long journey trying to find solutions for sweating through testing various treatments, and reading up on others.

This post outlines the pros and cons I have experienced with certain treatment options for hyerhidrosis.

On my Instagram I covered a short 4-part series on this topic if you'd prefer to listen to the highlights.

 

1. Iontophoresis

An iontophoresis machine is a device that runs an electrical current through water to your skin to reduce sweating. The voltage can be increased to achieve a greater level of dryness that lasts longer.

My journey using this machine began in 2013 with a visit to the dermatologist who recommended this process. I had a couple of sessions at their clinic before buying the machine to use at home.

The most notable session was when I got literally shocked because the nurse turned the machine off at the end of the session while the voltage was on '6'. (Usually, the nurse lowered the voltage back to '0' before turning off the machine.) Lesson learned for both of us. 

Iontophoresis can be done using tap water or using a drug solution called Glycopyrrolate. I had been using the glyco solution since the first session at the dermatologist and saw immediate results.

Iontophoresis cons:

• A tingling, mild burning discomfort was experienced whilst using the machine, and
• My ENTIRE body was completely dried out.

But... isn't that the point?

Well, yes, but it can also be a hindrance. Pick your battle here - excessive sweating or extreme dryness.

For the first 2-3 days after doing iontophoresis I would need water as an aid to eat food as I had barely any saliva.

I would do cross country training at 7am in summer (QLD Australia and it was HOT), and I would not sweat AT ALL. Talk about sweat relief!

However, my feet would feel so hot and it felt unnatural to not release any heat from my body through sweat.

Iontophoresis pros:

• Wearing any shoes I wanted.
• Not having to wear socks everywhere.
• I could put hand cream on (!!!) and not experience it dripping off.
• I wouldn't sweat through my clothes.
• Wearing a royal blue dress to my high school formal (I would not dare to do this if not for iontophoresis).
• Not sweating all over my school books when writing and leaving the pages water damaged.

This isn't an exhaustive list but it includes the most significant changes I had in my everyday life.

Buy an iontophoresis machine here.

 

2. Topical Antiperspirants

In high school I also started using a roll-on antiperspirant containing high strength aluminium chloride.

The brand was called Driclor and it was effective at preventing armpit sweat after about 3 uses, and I would apply it about once a week to maintain the results.

It's recommended to apply these types of antiperspirants when your armpit is dry. I would apply this right before bed and wash it off in the morning to avoid any irritation.

Sometimes I would wake up itching my armpit because of it, but I powered through to see results.

Driclor was suddenly discontinued and I found another brand called No More Sweat that is sold in Chemist Warehouse in Australia and also available online. Buy now here.

This was just as effective, and they have a more diverse range that includes roll-on and sprays for different areas of the body.

I did also experience some irritation under my armpit with No More Sweat, but the end result of minimising sweat was worth it to me.

Ultimately, after years of using these products, I decided that I didn't want to rely on them for my comfort. I was also making a lifestyle change to eliminate potential endocrine disruptors so I stopped using the antiperspirant.

Topical antiperspirant cons:

• Can be irritating on your skin and may cause a rash.
• Potential endocrine disruptor.

Topical antiperspirant pros:

• Effective at reducing sweat - it's awesome not having armpit stains!
• Body odour is reduced because you're not sweating.
• Your confidence increases because of the above two points.

Overall, topical antiperspirants are effective and I would use again if I had a specific event on that I didn't want to sweat for.

However, I have come to terms with my sweaty pits and enjoy wearing the Desudo Origin Blouse to cover up any marks instead.

 

3. Carpe Products

Carpe offers some great topical products for sweat management.

I purchased Carpe's hand and foot lotion in preparation to attend a friend's wedding. Get your lotion here.

To have the best chance of preventing any sweat I whipped out my iontophoresis machine and acquired some glycopyrrolate solution to use with it. 

It has been years since I used the machine, and the original dermatologist clinic I went to no longer existed. I had to find a new clinic, and the first dermatologist I visited couldn't give me the glycopyrrolate script because she was unfamiliar with iontophoresis. That was a bummer because she was expensive!! 

She did suggest taking glycopyrrolate pills, but as I had never tried them before I didn't know what dosage would work for me, and I wanted to do what I knew worked in preventing my sweating for this event.

I managed to find another dermatologist who specialised in sweat management and he gave me the script with no drama - yay. 

In the end, because the machine is pretty old, it didn't work as effectively as I'd hoped (it needed a service). It was great to have Carpe as a backup in this instance!

I found the lotion didn't prevent sweat to the extent that I needed it to, particularly if it was the only thing I was relying on.

But I did feel there was some kind of barrier which I was grateful for in my situation. 

Carpe cons:

• Didn't work too well for me personally, as my sweating is on the extreme side.
• Can leave a bit of a white cast, but is honestly not that noticeable (I possibly reapplied too frequently in an attempt to stop sweating completely. So the white cast may have been caused by product buildup).

Carpe pros:

• They offer a vast range of products for different areas.
• The products work! It just depends on the extent of your sweating.

 

4. Desudo Clothes

I created this brand as a solution to my clothing woes, and it's been the best thing I ever did. 

If you're struggling with sweat and have a hard time finding clothes to conceal sweat marks, then Desudo is your solution.

A long time ago I decided not to continue doing iontophoresis or using aluminium chloride antiperspirants, because I have accepted my sweating and come to terms with managing it through clothing choices.

Wearing Desudo makes me feel invincible because I know my sweat won't show.

We create premium dress wear that's made to last. Read more about our fabric and sustainability here.

Desudo clothes cons:

• None! (unless you don't like black...)

Desudo clothes pros:

• Hides sweat.
• Made from natural, breathable and super absorbent fabric.
• Uses sustainable materials.
• Ethically made in Australia.
• Stylish designs that fit well.
• Comfortable.

 

Conclusion

Hyperhidrosis is unique to each person that experiences it, and everyone has their own way of coping with the problems that it causes them. 

You might prefer to use iontophoresis for sweat prevention compared to sweat-concealing clothing.

Each to their own.

Desudo is my best comfort, and it can be yours too.

Stay tuned for future collections, and subscribe to our emails for more content like this.

What treatments have you tried? Leave us a comment and follow us on our socials.

 

Banner image sources: Iontophoresis | No More Sweat | Carpe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.