Does Hyperhidrosis Affect Sex?
Hyperhidrosis is a chronic skin disorder characterized by the over-reactivity of the sweat glands. Hyperhidrosis patients may sweat profusely in situations and times when other people won’t sweat as much. This condition has varied effects on a patient’s daily life, including the quality of their sex life. The condition can lower a patient’s self-esteem, negatively affect their mental health, and cause physical discomfort.
The leading cause of primary hyperhidrosis is faulty nerve signals that unexpectedly activate the eccrine sweat glands, causing over-reactivity. Body parts prone to excessive sweating include underarms, palms, face, and soles. Primary hyperhidrosis has no-known medical cause, so it’s mainly a hereditary disease.
Secondary hyperhidrosis often occurs due to an underlying medical condition. It could also happen when taking antidepressants, pain relievers, or medications for hormones and diabetes. This type of hyperhidrosis causes whole-body sweating and can be pretty embarrassing for some people.
Hyperhidrosis and Sex
Does hyperhidrosis affect sex? Yes, it does, for most people. Sex is in itself a physically-arousing activity with a reputation for causing extreme sweating. Hyperhidrosis sex is where the already overactive sweat glands experience an excessive external push to generate sweat. You’ll have wild sweating experiences, disrupting your focus and potentially hurting your sex life.
Sweatiness can be a joy killer, as it may embarrass you during romance. Your partner might mistake excessive sweating for normal body responses. However, you know what it is, how it feels, and its effect on your mental and emotional health.
Hyperhidrosis can shrink your self-esteem and make you absent-minded during romance and intimacy. That complicates the whole process, from start to finish. Hyperhidrosis sex effects include but are not limited to:
● Reduced morale and poor concentration during intimacy
● Disrupted focus, making you unable to perform in bed the way you’d like
● Embarrassment that could cause you to feel shy
● Low esteem, causing fear of the unknown during your sexual experiences
How to Manage Hyperhidrosis and Improve Sex Performance
Hyperhidrosis and sex are serious topics searched fairly frequently, but surprisingly, there is little to no help online. Although hyperhidrosis can be mentally disturbing and may affect your sex life, it is most definitely manageable. The following are great ways to manage this condition and improve your sex life.
Schedule an Appointment with a Board-Certified Dermatologist
Excessive sweating can become unbearable if not diagnosed and treated on time. If you feel like you have become too sweaty to live comfortably and enjoy your sexual life, schedule an appointment with one of the board-certified dermatologists at The Center for Hyperhidrosis. We have a team of well-trained and fully equipped specialists who will take you through the process of understanding your body while enabling you to know the type of hyperhidrosis you have. Our team understands the challenges and pains hyperhidrosis patients go through and will recommend the most suitable treatment. The medications a dermatologist might recommend for you to manage your condition include:
● Analgesics in the categories of hydrocodone and acetaminophen
● Tricyclic antidepressants such as Norpramin
● Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including Lexapro and Prozac
● Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as Effexor XR and Cymbalta
● Blood pressure and heart disease medicines such as Lopressor
● Antipsychotics such as Buspar and Risperdal
Treatments For Hyperhidrosis
Our dermatologists will recommend more advanced and efficient treatments if the suggested medications fail to treat and soothe your condition. Our CHH team will likely recommend one of these effective and reliable treatments listed below.
Antiperspirant
The primary treatment for addressing excessive sweating is the use of antiperspirants. These are primarily over-the-counter medications with active ingredients such as aluminum chloride.
The concentration levels of aluminum chloride have the capacity to immediately block the ducts in the sweat glands, preventing the sweat from reaching the top surface of your skin. The results often occur after several weeks of intake.
MIRADRY®
This is one of the most advanced treatments for axillary hyperhidrosis. MIRADRY® treatment has had US FDA approval since 2011. Over the years, this treatment has proven its superiority over other treatments. It guarantees long-lasting results with minimal and short-lived side effects.
The procedure involves using a non-invasive handheld device to deliver accurate electromagnetic energy underneath the underarm skin targeted at the sweat glands. This triggers thermolysis, which eliminates the sweat glands using electromagnetic technology. The best thing about this technology is its ability to preserve and protect the top layers of your skin during and after the treatment.
Botox®
Another treatment solution for hyperhidrosis that our team at CHH will often recommend is Botox®. Botox® therapy blocks your neurotransmitter acetylcholine and binds with the sweat gland receptors, preventing the triggering of the sweat glands by acetylcholine. A potential challenge with Botox® is that the results are not always long-lasting, and may degrade after several months. When that happens, the sweat glands will once again generate the unwanted sweat. Botox® is a solution that may have to be kept up with and maintained over time.
Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis is one of the oldest and most effective methods of treating excessive sweat on your feet and your hands. Its recently overhauled technology versions have made the technology more effective. When you’re struggling to establish a healthy sex life due to plantar or palmar hyperhidrosis, your dermatologist will likely recommend this procedure.
The treatment involves passing electrical current via water and into your skin. That effect triggers a tingling sensation to alter the normal functioning of your sweat glands. Your dermatologist can adjust the current levels to reduce pain and increase patient satisfaction. The challange with Iontophoresis is that it targets patients with mild or moderate sweating problems. It may not work for people with several sweating issues or in different areas of the body.
CHH Can Help Your Hyperhidrosis and Sex Troubles
At the end of the day, the answer to “does hyperhidrosis affect sex?” is yes. If you are experiencing hyperhidrosis sex problems due to extreme sweating, consider talking to a certified dermatologist. The Center for Hyperhidrosis has board-certified and knowledgeable specialists to attend to your health needs. We have been in the industry for years, offering high-quality and customized solutions to our clients.
We diagnose and treat most types of hyperhidrosis conditions while offering our clients the emotional support they need to achieve optimal healing. We will also recommend the best diets to help you in your recovery journey. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with our dermatologist and start your journey to soothing hyperhidrosis and a healthier sexual life.
