Underarm Perspiration in Menopause

Menopausal women sweat. Hormonal fluctuations occur and cause excessive sweating under your arms and elsewhere. Stress, hormone-induced sensitivity to temperature and underlying medical conditions can trigger a condition called hyperhidrosis, or extreme sweating. Hyperhidrosis can occur in just one spot-like the underarms-or involve most of your body.

Hyperhidrosis

• If you are sweating profusely under your arms, this is called auxiliary hyperhidrosis. Sweat is the way the body regulates temperature. However, if you are sweating excessively, this means that your glands are producing more sweat than needed to cool your body.

Hormones Plummet

• When sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decline, sweating occurs, according to Dr. Gale Mirkin of Johns Hopkins Medical School. Your body temperature rises and blood flows to your brain. This signals the brain to increase the flow of blood to your skin, which makes you sweat.

Avoid Contributing Factors

• Since menopausal women already are apt to sweat it's wise to avoid other factors that may exacerbate the problem. These include smoking, foods that are hot and spicy, stress and alcohol.

Treatment

• Some women find relief from excessive underarm perspiration by using products that contain aluminum chloride hexahydrate, including Drysol and Xerac AC. Iontophoresis treatment is also an option. This thickens the skin with mild electrical shocks, which reduces sweat flow.

Watch the Weather

• You can be highly susceptible to the weather and its fluctuations. Take that into consideration when you venture out. Ignore those who laugh at you for bringing your hand-held fan on a temperate April day. You know your body better than anyone else does.