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Hyperhydrosis&Bromohydrosis: Treatment for Severe Problems

by Kathie Fry

If you have a very serious sweating problem (called hyperhydrosis) or a very serious foot odor problem (called bromohydrosis) your doctor may suggest that you try one of these treatments:

Aluminum Chloride with Ethyl Alcohol
This medication is more commonly known by the brand name Drysol®. It is very effective, but it can cause skin irritation. Most doctors will tell you to apply it at night and wash it off completely the following morning.

Prescription Antibiotics
If you have a very difficult foot odor problem, your doctor may want to prescribe an antibiotic like 2% Erythromycin or 1% Clindamycin, applied each morning and at at bedtime. These medications will be effective in killing most odor-causing bacteria. (IMPORTANT NOTE: Using antibiotics should be avoided whenever possible. Frequent use can make them ineffective, because the bacteria will develop a resistance to that particular antibiotic).

Gluataraldehyde
This is the main ingredient in many sun-free tanning products. It will stain your feet brown, but it can be effective in reducing excessive perspiration, when applied to the bottom of the feet in a 2% to 10% solution.

Acetic Acid Foot Baths
Acetic acid foot baths can be effective in drying up sweat glands, if treatments are given 3 times per day.

Electrode Therapy
This treatment is called iontophoresis. The feet are immersed in a pan of water and 15 or 20 mA of electric current is applied. Iontophoresis is not a cure for excessive sweating, but it usually provides temporary relief, if applied frequently. It works by "injecting" electronically charged ions into the skin, causing the sweat glands to shut down temporarily.

Botulism Injections
Injecting tiny amounts of botulism toxin into the sweat glands under the skin can sometimes dry up those glands for several months. Up to 20 injections may be needed, but the treatment will work for up to nine months. This treatment is similar to the botulism injections used by cosmetic surgeons to decrease the appearance of wrinkles on the skin.

Surgical Solutions
Surgery is the solution of last resort, but for a very small minority, it is the only thing that works. The two most common procedures are (1) blocking the nerve that causes sweating, and (2) complete removal of the sweat glands. IMPORTANT NOTE: The nerves related to foot sweating are not all located near the feet, and nerve blocking surgery for excessive foot perspiration can have unexpected side effects. Ask your doctor about these!

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