Hyperhidrosis: Axillary (Underarm)

It is a disease characterized by excessive uncontrolled local sweating in the area of armpits. It is worth mentioning that we deal with primary groundless hyperhidrosis, since there is secondary one which is the result of some underlying disease. It mostly is insular diabetes, hypoglycaemia, tumour or neurological disease, thyrotoxicosis, tuberculosis, etc.

Patients suffering from primary axillary hyperhidrosis complain of constant groundless sweating in the area of armpits. Bacterial and fungous floras often go along with it causing objectionable odour (osmidrosis).

— Axillary Hyperhidrosis

There is one more important problem of increased sweating in the area of armpits. Sweat has the properties of weak acids, therefore while contacting with skin, it leads to irritation and dermatitis, and while wetting clothes, the latter quickly deteriorates. It results in extra financial expenses.

According to the data presented in the American Academy of Dermatology (link), about 3% of people suffer from marked hyperhidrosis, and the majority of these patients (50.8%) suffer from axillary (underarm) hyperhidrosis. There is no exact information in Ukraine but it seems that the analogical proportion holds true for us as well. In terms of Ukraine, about 700 000 people suffer from marked axillary hyperhidrosis.

Diagnosis is made after obtaining case history and thorough patient examination. It is important to eliminate any possible underlying disease which would provoke increased sweating (secondary hyperhidrosis).
Minor’s test and gravimetric method can be used additionally. Chromatographic method to investigate the fatty acid composition of sweat lipids is used as well.