American scientists are testing a new device to deal with excessive sweating. It uses microwave energy to destroy the sweat glands.
15% of all people are faced with the problem of hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. Sweating is a natural process of body temperature regulation, but hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating irrespective of the objective factors, such as physical activity, overheating, the quantity of water drunk, the ambient temperature and others.
Most often, hyperhidrosis causes discomfort and the feeling of awkwardness, and those subjected to it are willing to take pains to get rid of this condition. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US tested a miniature device for controlling excessive sweating. Preliminary studies have shown that the device can reduce sweating by 82%.
The device uses microwave energy for heating the sweat glands and their subsequent destruction. The procedure itself is performed under local anesthesia and takes only one hour. During the new clinical studies, patients will go through two procedures with an interval of three months in between.
Modern methods for hyperhidrosis treatment involve antiperspirants to temporarily block the sweat glands, as well as surgery. This is the most radical way to fight excessive sweating, but the surgical removal of the sweat glands increases the risk of nerve damage. The new technique eliminates this risk.
