Excessive foot sweating may be seen in a condition known as hyperhidrosis. There are surgical and non-surgical treatments that may stop sweaty feet. If you suffer from sweaty feet, you should consult your doctor before starting any treatment plan. It is important to speak with your doctor because sweaty feet may be caused by some other disease process, known as "secondary" hyperhidrosis. (Please see Primary versus Secondary Hyperhidrosis). This section is focused on the treatment to stop sweaty feet that is caused by primary hyperhidrosis.
Overall, patients with sweaty feet should try to treat symptoms with non-surgical treatments before considering surgery for excessive sweating. There are many non-surgical approaches that may be used to stop sweaty feet.
Medications to Stop Sweaty Feet
There are three general groups of medications used to stop excessive foot sweating. These include sedatives, beta-blockers, and anticholinergics medications.
Anticholinergic medications may be helpful for sweaty feet, but carry many side effects including dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention. These side effects often significant and not well tolerated by patients. Benzodiazepines (like Valium) are useful in treating sweaty feet that are caused by stress, but carry the risk of dependence.
Antiperspirant Treatment for Sweaty Feet
Antiperspirants and deodorants may be used to stop sweaty feet. In people with excessively sweaty feet, special antiperspirants containing aluminum chloride hexahydrate (Drysol ®) are often the first therapeutic measure recommended. They work by blocking the opening of sweat glands. Side effects include skin irritation, and the results are often not sufficient to stop sweaty feet.
Iontophoresis for Sweaty Feet
Iontophoresis uses low-intensity electrical current to disrupt the function of the sweat glands. During inotophoresis, each hand or foot is rested on a wet pad in a tray that is connected to an electrical current that passes through the pads. Iontophoresis is a safe, non-invasive treatment and causes only minor discomfort for the patient. The biggest drawback to iontophoresis is that the process is time consuming, and must be repeated at regular intervals. Each iontophoresis treatment may take 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Iontophoresis has been shown to stop excessive sweating in around 85% of patients with sweaty armpits. (1)(2)
Botox® treatment for Sweaty Feet
Botox ® (botulinum toxin type A) is a medication that is used to stop sweaty feet. Botox is a toxin that blocks the function of nerves. Botox injection leads to decreased sweating in the feet when it is injected. One of the primary side effects is pain at the site of injection. Injections to stop sweaty feet to be more painful than when used to stop hand sweating or to stop palm sweating. Please see our section on botox treatment to stop sweating for more information.
Endoscopic Sympathectomy Surgery for Excessive Armpit Sweating
The creation of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy to stop armpit sweating has lowered the complication rate of surgery for sweaty feet. Surgical treatment is a good option for patients who cannot control symptoms on medication alone. The most common side effect is compensatory sweating, where the patient may experience increased sweating in other areas that previously were not a problem. Please visit our section on surgical treatment for excessive sweating.
Overall, the surgery is safe and effective for the treatment of hyperhidrosis, though most reports do not focus on sweaty feet.
Studies on endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy to stop sweating have shown the procedure to reduce increased sweating in the majority of patients. In one study of 850 patients, 98% of the patients said that the results of the surgery were satisfactory, (3) while another study of 233 patients showed satisfactory results in 95% of patients. (4)
The main side effects of sympathectomy for excessive sweating include hemothorax (blood in the thoracic cavity, behind the lungs) in 1% to 2%, recurrence of symptoms in around 2% of patients, and compensatory sweating (increased sweating in other areas of the body) in 55% to 67% of patients.
References
Useful Links on Excessive Sweating
