COMPLICATIONS
Emotional Impact
The negative effects of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) are comparable to other conditions, such as severe psoriasis, end-stage renal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.1
Burden of disease in hyperhidrosis includes:2
- Severe embarrassment associated with soaked clothing and wet palms.
- Change of clothing required 2 or more times per day.
- Handshaking avoided when possible.
- Frustration with activities of daily living.
- Impairment of performance and productivity at work.
- Depression and lack of confidence.
- Skin maceration from constant wetness can lead to bacterial and fungal infections.
Other possible complications
Hyperhidrosis increases infections, particularly on the feet – most commonly fungal nail infections and athlete’s foot.3
Excessive sweat can make you more vulnerable to certain skin conditions
3, such as:
- Warts-small, rough lumps on the skin that are caused by the HPV virus.
- Boils-swollen red- yellow bumps in the skin that can develop when a hair follicle becomes infected.
- Eczema can also be made worse by excessive sweating.
Although people with hyperhidrosis sweat a lot, most don't have problems with body odour.
This is because hyperhidrosis doesn't usually affect the sweat glands responsible for producing unpleasant-smelling sweat-called the aprocrine sweat glands.
However, if bacteria are allowed to break down the sweat, it can start to smell unpleasant.3
