Hyperhidrosis means that the body produces more sweat than is necessary to regulate temperature. A distinction is made between

• Primary (focal) hyperhidrosis: Usually affects individual areas of the body (e.g. armpits, hands, feet, forehead/face). Often begins in childhood or adolescence. A clear cause can often not be determined.

• Secondary (generalised) hyperhidrosis: Tends to affect the whole body or is new/unusual. It can be caused by other factors, e.g. hormonal changes, medication or certain illnesses.

Typical symptoms of excessive sweating are

• heavy sweating for no apparent reason

• recurring, visible patches of sweat (e.g. under the armpits)

• wet hands (e.g. problems with writing, typing, shaking hands)

• Damp feet, possibly with odour or frequent athlete's foot

• Sweat on the head/face (forehead, upper lip), sometimes with droplet formation

• Skin irritation or eczema due to constant dampness

• Psychological stress: shame, withdrawal, stress at work or in private life

Note for clarification: Heavy sweating at night, sudden onset or accompanied by symptoms such as weight loss, fever, palpitations or trembling should be medically assessed.

The injections usually take effect within 2 to 7 days. Experience shows that the sweat reduction of up to 90 % lasts between 6 and 9 months. The treatment can then be repeated to maintain the dry skin feeling permanently.

The treatment is painless. We use extremely fine needles. For particularly sensitive areas, such as the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, an anaesthetic cream can be applied beforehand or local cooling can be used to maximise comfort.

Minimally invasive injections are considered safe. Occasionally, slight swelling or small bruises may occur at the injection site, which subside quickly.

No. When treating the armpits, hands or feet, only a very small part of the body's total sweat glands (approx. 1-2%) is inactivated. The heat regulation of the rest of the body remains unaffected and continues to function normally.

The appropriate therapy depends on where and how much sweating occurs - and whether it is a primary or secondary cause. A step-by-step approach is often used, from simple to targeted.

There are a number of simple measures that can help to make the symptoms of sweating less noticeable. These include breathable clothing, functional materials, more frequent changes of underwear, insoles/sweat pads, antibacterial socks, foot powder. You may also recognise triggers that increase sweating, e.g. very spicy food, alcohol, stress. If so, these things should be avoided.

Solutions/roll-ons containing aluminium chloride can help against excessive sweating. They should also be used in the evening or more frequently during the day. Certain tablets can reduce sweating, but are weighed up individually due to possible side effects (e.g. dry mouth, constipation, palpitations). They are useful if local measures are not sufficient or if several areas are affected.

In the case of very pronounced, treatment-resistant hyperhidrosis, surgery may be considered (e.g. surgery on the sympathetic nervous system or suction of the sweat glands).