Sweating is the body’s natural cooling system, which responds to warm temperatures, physical activity or emotional stimulation such as nerves; however, for some, non-triggered and excessive sweating that interrupts normal routines may be a sign of hyperhidrosis. Dr. Cameron Rokhsar, M.D., medical director of NY Cosmetic Skin, & Laser Surgery Center, has created an index for those suffering from hyperhidrosis to determine the severity of their condition, which was recently published in a clinical study.

Hyperhidrosis is a relatively common problem that leaves many wondering at one point should they seek treatment beyond deodorants. Excessive sweating can create embarrassing and inconveniently difficult social and professional situations. There has never before been a scale created for hyperhidrosis sufferers to use at home in order to determine their severity, until Dr. Cameron Rokhsar’s new “Sweating Lifestyle Index.”

The scale is based on a point system that ranges from one to ten. Each point denotes an issue the person has as a direct cause of sweating. The index points are as follows: unable to wear a white top, ruined clothing, self-conscious of odor, episodes of severity (ex. Constant), episodic sweating, which occurs more than 10 times per week, embarrassment in your romantic life, embarrassment at work, and if patients have had undergone prior procedures such as prescribed deodorants, Botox injections, and surgery. Each one of these parameters receives 1 point on this 10 point scale. If one receives more than 3 points, then he or she officially suffers from clinical hyperhidrosis.

Fortunately, there is a long-term solution. In a clinical study conducted by Dr. Rokhsar, the treatment of underarm sweating with miraDry decreased excessive sweating by over 50 percent the first time, with over 60 percent decrease in odor. After the second treatment, patients reported over 95 percent decrease in the severity of their hyperhidrosis. The study entitled “A Retrospective Analysis of the Treatment of Axillary Hyperhidrosis with Novel Microwave Technology” was presented at the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery annual meeting in Boston earlier this month.

“Those who suffer from hyperhidrosis can now determine the severity of their condition at home using the miraDry Lifestyle Index,” Dr. Rokhsar says. “If a patient has more than 3 points, the miraDry procedure can be an effective treatment option.”

Many patients who have reported years of underarm anguish can find relief with miraDry’s hour-long treatment. A temporary tattoo is placed on the underarm to serve as a guide for the physician and a numbing injection is administered. Then the miraDry system non-invasively emits precisely controlled electromagnetic energy into the region where the sweat glands reside. The energy dissipates through the sweat glands that are destroyed by the heat. A cooling system is simultaneously emitted to protect the skin and maintain the energy’s temperature to match the sweat glands. Because these glands are non-regenerative, meaning they will not grow back after treatment, the results provide a dramatic and long-lasting reduction of underarm sweat.

It is a common misconception that if the sweat glands are destroyed the body will lose its ability to cool itself down, when in fact the underarm sweat glands being treated only account for only two percent of the body’s total sweat glands. Since the FDA-approval of miraDry last year, over 80 percent of people report that their hyperhidrosis is either tolerable or completely under control and no longer an issue. Sweating is a normal, natural bodily function necessary to cool off and get rid of excess heat, but one not meant to frustrate an individual’s life.

The human body contains over four million sweat glands, which can be found virtually anywhere on the body except the lips. When the body’s temperature regulator fails to operate correctly, it disproportionately excretes and distributes sweat. Many suffer from stained clothes and complications in social and professional interactions.

Emotional stressors, metabolism fluctuations such as irregular sleep schedules and eating habits, and other systemic diseases can cause hyperhidrosis; however it has also been known to affect those who are otherwise in good health. Many people sweat around the clock, regardless of exercise or anxiety.

MiraDry is only FDA-approved for treating axillary sweat glands (the glands located in the underarm). Axillary hyperhidrosis causes unnecessary overproduction of underarm sweat more than is needed to cool down the body. For those that have excessive sweating problems in the feet or hands, there is another option. Botox, a purified neurotoxin commonly used to treat wrinkles by blocking the muscle from getting a contraction signal, can also block the sweat glands’ signals. Although an effective treatment option, it is only temporary, but can last 6 to 9 months.

– Courtesy of PRWeb