Breaking The Sweat
Spreading Awareness & Inspiring Others
Lindsay’s Story
Lindsay Boyette is a 20-year-old student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lindsay throughout most of her life endured a skin disorder known as Hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis majorly affected her everyday life and caused her to sweat in multiple areas of her body excessively. She had trouble playing sports, taking tests, driving a car, and doing other everyday activities that most kids her age didn’t think twice about. She suffered through many painful procedures and got 50 shots of Botox in each hand to try and take away some of this excessive sweating. These procedures were very painful and not permanent. While getting her nails done for her senior prom Lindsay heard about the option to have surgery through her nail technician. She jumped on this opportunity and was luckily able to get the surgery done for her hands the summer before her freshman year of college. Although the expense of this surgery was some sweating on her back that she did not have before, it is far more bearable for her and does not affect her everyday activities. The summer of her sophomore year she was able to get the surgery done for her feet which has allowed her to now be able to wear sandals, which she is very excited about.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that involves excessive sweating most commonly in the hands, feet, underarms, and face. Many people who have this condition are unaware that they have Hyperhidrosis and it is often neglected and unattended to. Primary Hyperhidrosis can be a result of the over-activity of the sympathetic nerve. It can also be a result of other medical conditions or the use of some prescription drugs known as Secondary Hyperhidrosis. It is important to know that individuals widely range in severity. Likewise, Hyperhidrosis is unlike the typical sweating individuals can experience from exercise, hot environments, and anxiety/stress. It can greatly limit everyday activities, impact social relationships, and affect your mental and physical health. In the United States, the estimated population that Hyperhidrosis affects is 2.8%. Of this percentage, the prevalence is most common around individuals ages 25-64 years old. Healthcare professionals believe that the number 2.8% is underestimated as Hyperhidrosis is often underreported and underdiagnosed.
“I didn’t realize how much it affected me, I just learned to cope with it”
-Lindsay Boyette, 20
Possible Treatments for Hyperhidrosis
Topical: Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (Antiperspirant)
Oral: Anticholinergics (Blocks the Neurotransmitter Acetylcholine)
Injectable: Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox)
Iontophoresis: Mild Electrical Current Through Water
Microwave Thermolysis: miraDry
Surgical: Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy
Lack of Knowledge
51% of individuals who have hyperhidrosis have discussed their condition with a Health Care Professional. But, there is still 49% of individuals who have Hyperhidrosis that have never talked to a health care professional about their skin disorder before. Some individuals are unaware of what Hyperhidrosis is and some believe that there is nothing that can be done to help them. Lindsay is a big advocate for spreading information and awareness about Hyperhidrosis. She wants to be able to help individuals who might not know all of their options get help. Many individuals who experience this type of excessive sweating have common feelings of embarrassment, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and anger. More knowledge about Hyperhidrosis should be available and resources should be more accessible. It is time to make this skin disorder more reported and diagnosed.
The Center for Hyperhidrosis
The Center for Hyperhidrosis in Beverly Hills, CA was the place where Lindsay and her family felt most comfortable having her first surgery in the Summer of 2022. the nerves responsible for Hyperhidrosis is different depending on the area where you are having excessive sweating. The doctors at The Center of Hyperhidrosis separate surgeries only focusing on one area at a time. For the Palmar Hyperhidrosis (sweaty hands) surgery, the nerves are in the upper part of the chest. While the nerves for the Plantar Hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet) surgery are in the lower back region. Lindsay’s first surgery for her hands consisted of putting a titanium clamp on the nerve around the T3 and T4 levels. Targeting these lower nerves results in less compensatory sweating in other areas. The surgery on average is 1-2 hours long and has a 99.2% success rate! Furthermore, most patients are on their feet performing everyday activities in about 1 week after surgery. The Center of Hyperhidrosis uses titanium clamps instead of procedures that involve burning or cutting the nerve because it allows for the surgery to be reversed. This surgery may not be for everyone so the option for reversing it is there if wanted. Click below to learn more about this surgery and what The Center of Hyperhidrosis can do to help!
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperhidrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20367152
