Treatments for Palmar, Foot, and Genital Hyperhidrosis and Bromidrosis

Abstract

Body odors are not related to palmar hyperhidrosis, but hyperhidrosis caused by bromidrosis is closely related to it. Overconsciousness of body odors is likely to cause palmar hyperhidrosis. Referral to a dermatologic clinic has usually been followed by treatment with topical antiperspirant preparations and anticholinergic drugs. The side effects of the latter are undesirable, however, and it is unusual to find that such agents have brought about even a temporary amelioration of symptoms (Hartfall and Jochimsen 1972). Among all tested remedies for palmar hyperhidrosis; iontophoresis seems to be the most recommendable (Levit 1980). Some studies have shown that adding an ionizable material to the water is not requisite to obtain a therapeutic effect. Simple tap water is sufficient (Shrivastava and Singh 1977; Levit 1980; Stolman 1987). Good results are obtained if treatment is performed two or three times a week over a period of 3 weeks, followed by maintenance treatment once a month. A radio frequency technique used to destroy sympathetic ganglia seems to be effective in treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis (Wilkinson 1984).