Teenage is considered to be the age group of 12 to 18 years. This is the time when the human body takes massive physical, mental, and hormonal changes.
This is the most confusing time of a child’s life as they don’t know what they are going through. They are expected to behave like adults and maintain discipline like children.
The hardest time is faced by the young teen girls. Their body goes through a storm of hormonal changes.
These hormonal changes might cause a lot of problems in their young bodies if not taken care of their proper nutrition and health.
One of the very common problems they face is Hyperhidrosis which can be very embarrassing.
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Teenage Hyperhidrosis
The medical term for excessive sweating is known as hyperhidrosis. Sweating is normal as it happens to every individual while performing a tremendous physical activity in a humid atmosphere or sleeping with thick clothes on in a warm room.
When there is an occurrence of excessive sweating without any known reason then it can lead to severe sweating disorder which known as excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. For example sitting in a room with air condition and still sweating (even when the AC is working!).
Excessive sweating in teenage girls is pretty common as it usually occurs at the time of puberty, also known as the adolescence period. During this period, the hormone level increases which directly results in an increase of sweat output from the body.
Symptoms Of Teenage Hyperhidrosis
- Excessive sweating of hands, especially palms and underarms.
- Sweating in the forehead region and cringes beside the nose resulting in acne breakouts.
- Sweaty and smelly feet.
- Sweat soaking through our clothes even in a cool environment.
- Excessive sweat in hair follicles making hair sticky even after washing.
There are various treatments for hyperhidrosis but before opting any of the treatments for excessive sweating in teenage girls, it is very crucial to know the main causes behind it.
Causes Of Hyperhidrosis In Teenage Girls
There can be several causes of teenage hyperhidrosis:
1. Idiopathic Form
Sometimes the reason of hyperhidrosis is not known and it happens for no real reason. This is known as an idiopathic form of hyperhidrosis.
2. Medications
Some medications can lead to excessive sweating in teenage girls. The medicines like aspirin, antidepressants, niacin, insulin for diabetes, cortisone, nitroglycerine, prednisone, hydralazine, and thyroxine for thyroid and medications for fever are some of them.
3. Infections
Teenage girls who are suffering from various diseases like tuberculosis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, hepatitis and AIDS can cause excessive sweating.
4. Hormonal Disorder
Few hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism which is the hyperactivity of thyroid glands and pheochromocytoma which is a rare tumour in the adrenal gland located above the kidney can lead to excessive sweating teen girls.
5. Cancer
Teenage girls who are suffering from cancer like leukaemia and lymphoma can undergo excessive sweating. Acute lymphocytic leukaemia and acute myelogenous are two of the most common cancers that are found in teenage girls.
These cancers target the white blood cells. The symptoms of this type of cancer are, bruising, fever, fatigue, excessive loss of weight and excessive sweating at night.
6. Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia happens to those teens those are under medication of insulin or oral medication for diabetes. Teenage girls who are suffering from low blood sugar level. This results in excessive sweating.
7. Neurological Conditions
Some neurological conditions in a teenage girl can lead to excessive sweating. These disorders include autonomic neuropathy that affects the nerves of the digestive system and bladders, muscles.
Syringomyelia is also caused, which is a spinal cord disorder and sleeping disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus can also cause excessive sweating in teenage girls.
The best way to get rid of this disease is to visit a nearby doctor and get consulted for a treatment that is suitable to you. Let us see some of the common treatments below:
Treatments For Teen Age Hyperhidrosis
1. Bring About An Immediate Change In Your Diet
Teenagers are crazy about fast food, cold drinks, and sodas and experimenting new things. You have to bring about a total change in your diet if this is what you do.
- Avoid spicy foods.
- Drink a lot of water. This will flush out all the excess salt and toxins through urination and not sweat.
- Try to eat a more vegetable diet and less protein diet.
- Reduce intake of junk food and carbonated drinks. They make your body temperature rise.
- Eat a lot of fruits. It is the best thing for your body right now.
2. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an old method for preventing excessive sweating. This method helps you to balance your energy and to relax your mind.
It controls the hypothalamus which is mainly responsible for producing sweat and maintaining the body temperature.
3. Antiperspirants
This is a very cheap and common method used by various dermatologists. It is very effective in controlling localised sweating. The doctor might prescribe a normal, or if the condition is severe then a clinical antiperspirant.
The clinical antiperspirant contains aluminium hydroxide which is effective in hyperhidrosis.
4. Iontophoresis
If hyperhidrosis affects your hands, feet, or both areas, this may be a great option. You can use this treatment at home.
You have to immerse your hands or feet in a shallow pan of tap water and as you do this, a medical device will send a low-voltage current through the water into your body.
5. Botulin Toxin Injection
This injection is generally given in your underarms by dermatologists. It is commonly known as botox.
It works by suppressing the chemical secretion which is responsible for creating sweat. You can notice good result in one week.
This will stay for 4-6 months depending upon your daily routine. You can take another dose when you get the symptoms back.
Axillary and Palmer Hyperhidrosis Botox treatments are widely used today. But, it has other side effects too. So, do proper checkup before going for any such treatments.
6. Alterations In Clothing Habits
a. Armpit Shields
These are pads which soak sweat and worn in the armpit to protect garments from perspiration.
b. Clothing
Don’t wear certain synthetic fibres, such as nylon, which may worsen your symptoms. Try to wear loose clothing.
c. Shoes
Do not wear shoes that are made of synthetic materials and are more likely to worsen the symptoms. Use only natural material, such as leather.
d. Socks
There are some socks are better at absorbing moisture, such as thick, soft ones made of natural fibres. Some sports socks are only designed to absorb sweat.
Change your socks regularly, twice or three times a day if you have to. Avoid synthetic fibres and always allow your foot to breathe.
e. Bra
Wear bra lining underneath your bra so that it can soak up all the excess sweat.
7. Prescribed Pills
When you visit a doctor they will give you anticholinergic pills like Robinul or Oxybutynin.
Sometimes doctors might also prescribe Oral antiperspirant pills such as DeodoRite which are the best pills for hyperhidrosis.
Some Additional Tips For Hyperhidrosis
- Wear loose clothes.
- Avoid hard exercising. Always prefer yoga.
- Avoid spicy and oily food.
- Go green! Eat your veggies and fruits.
- There should be a lot of water intake.
- Wear cotton inners underneath your clothes to prevent the public embarrassment of sweat soaked clothes.
- Always stay in touch with your doctor.
- Take care of your health.
Follow everything I told you and save yourself from the conspicuous disease.
You can also try herbal remedies to reduce the excessive sweating. These will give your body a cooling effect and prevents sweat glands from producing more sweat.
Don’t worry about it too much and enjoy your teenage years as these are the best of your life and won’t ever come back!