Hyperhidrosis is defined as excessive sweating. The profusion of sweat may be in the axillae, the palms, the feet, the face, on the trunk, or a combination of any or all of the above body parts. The excessive sweat is beyond the person’s physiological requirement to regulate the body’s temperature and is largely under emotional control (12).
In a culture where the personal hygiene and social standards are established to not emit unpleasant odors and/or exhibit underarm wetness, clammy skin, etc., a hyperhidrodic condition can be devastating in social environments. The condition can adversely affect the person’s ability to attain a normal and healthy quality of life. Persons suffering with hyperhidrosis have reported both physical and emotional impairment and difficulty in their professional and social lives. Approximately 0.5% of the U. S. population suffers from axillary hyperhidrosis and report that their excessive sweating is barely tolerable to intolerable and interferes in some way with their daily activity (12,13).