Excess sweating, a medical condition called Hyperhidrosis, occurs when parts of the body, such as the armpits, face, feet and hands, release an excess of perspiration beyond what the body needs. Hyperhidrosis treatment can help control this condition that is caused by a malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system controlling the body's ability to perspire or sweat.

For quite a few years, surgery called Sympathectomy was the last resort in treating this condition, but it was considered major surgery and required extensive recovery time. Thankfully, the advancement of fiber-optics within the past decade have minimized the incision size necessary for this type of operation as well as considerably shortened the recovery period needed.

Today's endoscopic Sympathectomy successfully destroys that segment of the sympathetic ganglia located within the chest cavity controlling sweating. The Sympathectomy is extremely successful in treating hand sweating, with a high success rate of 98%.

Another treatment used for excessive sweating of either hands or feet is the Drionic machine. This device passes electrical current through the skin of the hands and the feet in order to prevent the sweat glands from functioning.

For excessive armpit sweating, many patients have received relief by submitting to injections of the toxin commercially called Botox produced from botulism toxin. Botox injections into the armpit last an average of 3 to 6 months but must be reapplied again to help block the chemical transmitter causing excessive sweating.

Both over the counter medicated drying agents as well as prescription medications have also proven helpful in the treatment of excessive armpit sweating. Topical antiperspirants are typically applied using plastic gloves in the evening before sleep, and this procedure must be repeated nightly.

A relatively new procedure called Axillary Suction Currettage has been getting an 85% success rate at curing excessive armpit sweating. Small suction tubes are inserted into the skin layer surrounding the armpit in an effort to reduce the number of sweat glands producing perspiration.

Doctors are also prescribing specific medications taken orally to help block the body's production of sweat. The success rate of these, however, have been very variable, with side effects such as blurry vision and dry mouth a definite downside to this form of treatment.