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Treatments for excess sweating palms and soles

Sweating of the palms can be an embarrassment and for some, affect their work.

Treatment options include:

  1. Antiperspirants which can be purchased from pharmacies. It should be applied to dry clean skin at night and are not the same as deodorants.
  2. Tablets can help some patients with excessive sweating
  3. Sympathectomy with a surgeon
  4. Iontophoresis is a treatment for hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating, most commonly used on the palms and soles. The hands and feet are submerged in a solution and a weak current used. It is less effective for the axilla or underarms sweating. The solutions are commonly glycopyrollate (most effective), salt water or tap water (least effective).

How does Iontophoresis feel?

Some patients describe the sensation like pins and needles. After treatment, the skin feels drier and maybe slightly red.

Recommended iontophoresis machines

There are a few available and they range in cost from $400 to over $1000. At Skinplus dermatology we have experience with  3 machines Hidrex PSP 1000 and Idromed 5PS, and Dermdry.

If you are trying to decide which to purchase, we have compared the devices for you. The image below compares the size of the 2 units.

Hidrex PSP 1000

HIDREX PSP1000

Advantages

Treat yourself at home without assistance even when treating both hands! The Hidrex unit recognizes the start of the therapy automatically increases the current after you place your hands or feet in the treatment trays. After the treatment, the device will automatically decrease the current to zero.

Disadvantages

More expensive unit. Can only treat one area at a time ie. both feet or both hands.

Idromed

sweating-palms-and-soles

Idromed 5

Advantages

Simple dial up design, single dial controls.

Double treatment at one time - hands and feet simultaneously. Time saving and slightly larger, able to treat both hands and feet simultaneously.

Disadvantages -

Assistance required to dial the device up and down ie not an automatic dial up/dial down design.

Dermdry

Advantages similar to Hidrex unit

No need for assistance to dial up machine
Very simple to use
Can also treat underarms

Disadvantanges

Can only treat one location at a time, either hands or feet or axilla – plates narrow

sweating-palms-and-soles   sweating-palms-and-soles

I would suggest trying a unit first even with tap water to ensure there is improvement before purchasing a unit. Please contact our friendly staff if you would like to purchase a unit or have questions regarding the treatment. contact us here.