How To Treat Excessive Sweating In Teenagers?

Have you noticed your teen sweating profusely in the last few days? Are you worried that your teen has been sweating more than he did earlier, or that he is sweating more than his physical exertion should cause?

If you have noticed an increase in your teens sweating of late, it is time to read up about a very common condition known as hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.

What Is Excessive Sweating In Teenagers?

While sweating a lot is surely a messy affair, it can sometimes also point to a medical condition. Hyperhidrosis or Excessive Sweating is the medical name for the condition of excessive sweating. The term hyper means in excess while the term hidrosis means sweating. Other names for the condition include polyhidrosis and sudorrhea. [1]

Your teen could either experience hyperhidrosis in a specific part or parts of the body or experience it all over the body. In most cases, hyperhidrosis first occurs during your child’s teenage years. Your teen may suffer from congenital hyperhidrosis, in which the condition will be present from birth but may be more noticeable in the teen years. On the other hand, your teen may suffer from acquired hyperhidrosis, in which case the condition first appears during the teenage years.

[ Read: Hygiene Tips For Teens ]

If your teen is suffering from hyperhidrosis, some of the most common areas that seem to be prone to excessive sweating will be the hands and feet, the armpits and the area around the groin. All of these areas have a high concentration of sweat glands, and hence the sweating may be excessive here.

Hyperhidrosis can be of two types:

1. Focal Hyperhidrosis:

It refers to the condition where excessive sweating takes place in only certain parts of the body. For example, excessive sweating in the hands or feet is palmoplantar hyperhidrosis or acrohyperhidrosis.

2. Generalized Hyperhidrosis:

It refers to the condition where excessive sweating takes place all over your teen’s body.

[ Read: Symptoms Of Dehydration In Teens ]

Can Hyperhidrosis Signal Any Health Complications?

Hyperhidrosis can sometimes be a warning sign of an underlying health issue, like thyroid, obesity, diabetes or even some kind of an infection.

Diagnosing And Treating Teenage Excessive Sweating:

If you suspect your teen is suffering from hyperhidrosis, make sure you schedule an appointment with the doctor.

Here are a few ways in which the doctor may diagnose the condition:

A Physical Exam: The doctor may perform a physical exam to check for the type of hyperhidrosis condition your teen may be suffering from. Also, you may also need to get some medical tests done for your teen to evaluate if some other medical condition is causing the same.

Additional Tests: In addition to a physical exam, your doctor may suggest some further tests like:

1. Starch Iodine Test: In In this particular test, an iodine solution will be applied to the sweaty part of your teen’s body, and starch will be sprinkled on the area. If your teen does suffer from excessive sweating, the area will turn a dark blue or purple color.

2. Paper Test: In this particular test, a special type of paper will be applied on the area where your teen experiences excessive sweating most commonly. The paper will absorb the sweat, after which it will be weighed. Weighing the same will give an inclination of whether your teen sweats excessively or within normal limits.

[ Read: Measures To Get Rid Of Body Odor Problems In Teens ]

Here are a few treatment options that the doctor may suggest:

• Medications:

Surgery to remove excess sweat glands or to cut a nerve in the chest that may be causing teenage night sweats.

• Iontophoresis:

The doctor will use low-level electrical impulses to disable the sweat glands temporarily.

• Antiperspirants:

The doctor may suggest some prescription roll ons, sprays or lotions to minimize night sweats in teens.

Excessive sweating in your teen can cause a lot of emotional upheaval. Make sure you have a word with the doctor to see how you can best take care of the situation.

Did your teen face a similar situation? What did the doctors advise?

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