Palmer hyperhidrosis – When to expect results?

I purchased a Hidrex PSP 1000 machine from you for my (Palmer hyperhidrosis) sweating palms about two weeks ago, to use on my hands and feet as I suffer from what I would consider to be quite severe hyperhidrosis. I have now completed 10 treatments for hands, as suggested in the guide which was sent with the order, but as I have yet to see any significant positive effects I was hoping to receive some further support. I received Iontophoresis treatment under the NHS a couple of years ago, and I recall having 7 treatments over 4 weeks (3 the first week, then 2, then 1 per week), and I remember noticing some positive effects – by the last treatment only fingertips were sweating. Because of this I was expecting some success quite quickly.

Response times vary and it can take several weeks of continuous treatment before results are seen. Response rates for palmer hyperhdrosis are very high. Please remain positive and stick with it. If you do not see result in a couple of weeks please contact us for further guidance.

Should you increase treatment times?

I have been keeping a diary of my treatments, so I can provide more information on request. However, to summarise I have now completed 10 treatments for hands and 5 for feet. On hands I am up to 16 mins, 28 volts, 90 Pulse, rising the voltage generally by 1 or 2V each time. For feet I have got up to 22 mins; 36 Volts; 90 pulse. I have been adding 3 tsp bicarb to the water as we have very soft water in Sheffield where I live (only 4-17 mg/l calcium).

We suggest for palmer hyperhidrosis, keeping within the 15 minute treatment time recommended by Hidrex. You do not need to increase the time at this stage and we generally only recommend doing so where responses are poor after several weeks. As you are running in pulsed you can increase the treatment time by approx. 10%, to offset the reduction in dosage due to pulsed / direct current variation, so set machine to 17 minutes. Bicarbonate of soda is fine if your water is soft. Ideally you want to run without it so still mineral water could be a good alternative. Do you feel the current?
P90 is a good program to use. Very mild yet quite strong in terms of current dosage. My suggestion is to concentrate on treating one area for the time being. Most people are more concerned about their hands so that may be the best start point. Once the hands are dry and in maintenance you can switch over the treating the feet. The PSP has the power to do dual treatments but singular application is often more manageable. Stay in P90 and increase power to the maximum comfortable setting. Remain at that level for the full 17 minutes. Continue with this daily.

Sweating has increased?

So far I have noticed some effects – mainly a combination of very excessive sweating either soon after treatment (particularly if performed in the morning), or the morning after an evening treatment. Some areas do feel drier, but not all the time, so effects seem to be inconsistent. For example, after some treatments palms have felt significantly drier than fingers, but today hands and feet were sweating excessively all over.

Initial increased sweating is both a common reported affect and an encouraging one. This is the case with both palmer hyperhdrosis and plantar hyperhidrosis.

Does water quality matter?

I have tried out different variables such as time of day for treatment, water temperature, whether hands have been sweaty or dry before treatment, but after the treatments I’ve performed so far, generally I wouldn’t say hands or feet seem to be getting drier overall, other than perhaps the heel of the hand (which is the only area to feel slightly but not excessively tender after treatment). I am wondering if the water hardness is having a major impact on the success of the treatment, as I have read to suggest in online forums. Do you think that 3 tsp bicarb is sufficient? Or could I try other minerals, such as salt or calcium carbonate? I have read that some mineral waters can be effective due to their higher mineral content, and one suggested is Badoit. However this is sparkling and I’ve been reluctant to try this in case the sparkling nature affects the function of the machine.

Water quality will affect the response so do try a mineral water for a few treatments. You do not say how deep the water in the trays is? If only the heel of the hand is becoming dry that may indicate that it is only that areas receiving the dosage. Water levels should be around half way up the side of your finger when treating palmer hyperhidrosis and warm water is best as this lowers the bodies resistance to current.