“I accept that my sweating is an additional part of me, perhaps it’s even my own way of self-love that is radical and body-positive thinking.”
Do you like wearing light-colored shirts without having to worry about sweaty pits? Do you effortlessly shake hands knowing that your palms are dry? You’re fortunate to have answered yes to both of these questions. I am proud of you. It’s because I have hyperhidrosis, an illness that causes me to sweat more than the average person.
The excessive sweating phenomenon is known as hyperhidrosis. It’s most frequently seen beneath the palms of the arms as well as the soles of your feet, on the face, and other body areas that people sweat. It’s known by the term “focal” hyperhidrosis in the eyes of doctors because it can affect one or more places on the body, as opposed to another kind of hyperhidrosis.
What it’s like to be diagnosed with hyperhidrosis, and how living with it
Simply said simply, I’m constantly sweating. When it’s 20 ° outside or 95 degrees inside when I’m anxious and calm I sweat immediately after showering, during sexual activities, when I work out, while I’m sleeping, and when I sit in my car. I’ve suffered from hyperhidrosis all my life and I remember visiting a dermatologist when I was in middle school. I was hoping that the doctor could help me understand the reason I sweated more than other children.
If I am holding hands, sleeping with the side of someone I’m interested in or a potential love my hands, feet, and armpits remain sweaty and clammy. Which isn’t exactly romantic. It’s not uncommon for me to reach someone’s hand and then be confronted with, “Eww, why are your hands so sticky?” The moment it occurs, I begin to sweat more.
Excessive sweating doesn’t pose a threat to your life however it could be detrimental to your health, says the doctor Dr. Cook-Bolden. “About three-quarters of people with focal hyperhidrosis feel their symptoms have a significant impact on their lives,” she says. It is easy to understand why excessive sweating is uncomfortable and unpleasing.
My personal experience is similar to those complaints made by most patients. I cannot tell you what number of times I’ve needed to change into my beautiful outfits. Within 10 minutes of dressing for an evening out, everything I’m wearing is completely saturated. It’s quite uncomfortable, but I cover myself in black coats or cardigans to ensure that nobody will be able to see the sweat marks. When I get to where I’m headed, I wipe my armpits with napkins several times.
Even the most routine business tasks could be affected by sweaty hands. Have you ever tried to write your name by hand so wet that your pen disappears or the ink spills all over the place? As I’ve said, it can cause problems with regard to romance.
Excessive sweating can cause other skin issues like macerations (similar to a pruney finger that has been spent excessively in the bathtub) as well as athlete’s foot, warts, or bacterial infections resulting from sweaty skin. Due to the retained moisture, I would develop eczema under my arms and on my knees. However, now I apply steroidal ointments to prevent flare-ups.
I’m also more vulnerable to developing vaginal infections as a result of my hyperhidrosis. In the event that I’m not careful, I could get an infection with yeast or bacterial vaginosis, if I do not change my workout clothes immediately afterward. The majority of women with vaginas are susceptible to developing a yeast infection from hanging in wet leggings.
What I’ve done is try everything I could to stop sweating.
As a young person, I sought the help of a dermatologist. it appears that the treatments for hyperhidrosis are the same as they were in the past. I’ve tried prescription antiperspirants which left a weird pink marking on the armpits of my body, and an array of antiperspirants made of aluminum that claim to reduce sweat. I’m not able to utilize any of these. The idea of surgery and lasers sounds too drastic and I’m not sure if I should try Botox however I’ve heard about the most advanced options for reducing sweating.
Happily, I’ve discovered the best way to combat hyperhidrosis by myself. If I attempt to grasp or shake hands with someone I inform my hand is sweaty. I don’t buy bright clothes that aren’t comfortable enough. To prevent pit stains, I’ve created black clothes the mainstay of my wardrobe. I’ve made it part of the personal style.
I like to sit with a cushion or towels in the car during the summer because my legs sweat a lot on the seat. I’m aware of the material of the chair I am sitting on in public places when I wear shorts so that my legs don’t get soaked or adhere against the chair. I’m using an aluminum charcoal deodorant, which appears to work well, but I do sweat when using it.
The way I manage my hyperhidrosis is mainly an issue of mindset. After having to battle it my entire life, I mostly just accept that my excessive sweating is part of my personality and it helps decrease my anxiety over it. The experience of living with this disorder was more difficult as a teenager and was unsure of how to handle it. It’s the way it is. I’m constantly sweaty. I’m yours to love or leave.
I often made fun of my sweaty body for being too hot. Today, I accept my sweaty hands and pits as an integral part of me–and maybe as my own distinct kind of extreme self-love and acceptance of my body. What if I expect another person to accept me when I’m sweaty? The constant sweating could irritate the body’s elasticity, however, it can keep it from happening then it shouldn’t be a problem for my life (and I could).