Summary

• An excess sweating condition beyond physiological need.
• Classified as primary and of unknown cause (idiopathic), or secondary due to an underlying condition (usually an infectious, endocrine, or neurological disorder).
• Primary hyperhidrosis may also be described as palmar, plantar, axillary, and craniofacial, each of which has its own clinical characteristics. Patients may have a combination of anatomical areas affected.
• Primary hyperhidrosis occurs in both adults and children, commonly starting in early childhood or at puberty.
• Treatment options for primary hyperhidrosis include medical and surgical treatments. Medical treatments include topical aluminium chloride, oral anticholinergic agents, iontophoresis, and botulinum type A injections. Surgical treatments include direct axillary sweat gland removal and thoracoscopic sympathectomy.