Would You Microwave Your Sweat Glands?
by QuickieChick Laurel House
-Are you a serious sweater? I mean SERIOUS sweater?
-Do you soak through shirts, creating gigantic armpit circles… even when it isn't hot out?
-Have you ever sweat through a jacket… even when you're cold?
-Have you tried EVERY antiperspirant and NONE of them work?
If you have said yes to all or most of the above, you could have hyperhidrosis. But that's ok… you can cheat it.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Most "normal" people don't sweat enough for it to be an issue. But then there are those who suffer from an embarrassing, rarely talked about, but pretty common problem called Hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is excessive and unnatural sweating that can result in sweating through and ruining clothes- even saturating leather jackets. Because it can result in visible circles of sweat, sufferers can experience extreme social anxiety, making them less likely to raise their hands, keeping their arms pinned close against their bodies, constantly cognizant of the embarrassing underarm deluge, which just promotes the problem even more- a major confidence killer. For these people (like me), not even antiperspirants help.
The Latest and Greatest Technology: MiraDry
The newest treatment is called miraDry. This non-invasive, FDA-approved procedure works long-term, reducing sweat by about 86% through the use of microwave technology. The deep heat effectively disables and destroys overactive sweat glands in one to two treatments. If you're concerned about how you'll sweat out the toxins in your body, not to worry- your armpits only hold about 2% of your body's sweat glands.
WATCH me getting the miraDry procedure on E! News
The Last Generation of Anti-Sweating Technology: Botox
Botox injections (which was FDA approved for use in armpits in 2004) in the armpits (about 40 per armpit) can harness the problem, staving away sweat for about 6 months. Different than antiperspirants, botox prevents the mini muscle surrounding the sweat gland from contracting, thereby minimizing (not stopping) the amount of sweat released from that particular area for an average of 6 months. This short-term solution turns an excessive sweater into a normal sweater.
If you suffer from hyperhidrosis, you're not alone, there are remedies that you can look into, and they don't all involve injections. Ask your doctor about prescription antiperspirants. If you prefer the all natural route, there are underarm pads that you can affix to your clothes, soaking up the sweat before it deluges your shirt.
Laurel House is a Dating and Healthy Living Expert, 4x published Lifestyle Author, Personal Trainer, and nationally recognized Print and Online Magazine Writer covering travel, relationships, healthy food and fitness (New You, Women's Health, First for Women, Men's Journal, Yahoo! Shine, Elegant Bride, Fit, Spa, Fit Yoga, Playboy, etc). Beyond writing, she has appeared as an expert on television morning shows including E! News, Weekend TODAY, The Daily Buzz, Better.TV, Good DayLA, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC Morning News shows both locally and nationally, and her YouTube videos have received over 10 million views. Her 4th book "QuickieChick's Cheat Sheet to Life, Love, Food, Fitness, Fashion and Finance on a Less than Fabulous Budget" was published by St. Martin's in May 2012.
