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When patients with excessive sweating or Hyperhidrosis (Hand, Armpit, Face) are queried about the functional, psychological, and local impact of their condition, studies reveal a devastating effect on the quality of life. This impact is equivalent to other chronic conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

 

Three main areas of impact:

• Functional consequences

 

Patients with hand (Palmar) hyperhidrosis state they cannot hold glass or metal objects and complain of wetting paper at school or work. In extreme cases, keyboards have been ruined by the continuous dripping of sweat.

 

Patients with Facial hyperhidrosis struggle with make-up as this smudges minutes after application. They dread traveling to tropical holiday destinations popular with Western Australians such as Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Patients in the business world find facial sweating implies nervousness or an untrustworthy nature and interferes with their success and career progression.

 

Armpit (axillary) hyperhidrosis patients have to change clothes and shower frequently. They are often absent from the workplace and criticized for being lazy or not motivated. They are financially disadvantaged spending more on ruined shirts and washing clothes frequently.

 

• Psychological consequences

Patients with severe hyperhidrosis suffer from anxiety and depression. A large part of their day is consumed with concealing this embarrassing disorder. Avoiding handshaking or delivering presentations is often interpreted as laziness or incompetence by employers.

Patients often choose jobs below their potential to avoid interactions that could trigger sweating. Take back office jobs rather than sales as an example.

 

During nights patients constantly think and plan to conceal or manage their condition.

 

• Dermatological consequences

 

Constant wetness in the face, hands, and armpits leads to maceration of the skin. The skin can then become secondarily infected with bacteria, a medical condition called Bromhidrosis.

Constant application of Aluminium Chloride products can lead to inflammation and cracking of the skin leading to a chronic eczema-like condition.

As reflected above, hyperhidrosis greatly impacts the quality of patients’ lives. It can affect patients during day-to-day tasks, psychologically and dermatologically. At Perth Sweat Clinic we understand the devastating impact of this condition and understand this is far more serious than a “bit of sweating”. We aim to find permanent solutions for patients to improve their quality of life.