Sweating It Out: The Psychological Aspects of Hyperhidrosis

There is a very close association between the mind and the skin, and several disorders in both these specialties are interlinked in their presentations and etiologies. Hyperhidrosis is a common condition that rarely comes to clinical attention and is a classic example of psychological factors and stress leading to dermatological symptoms. While sweating is essential to maintain body temperature, the excess perspiration seen in hyperhidrosis leads to multiple problems. These patients often suffer in silence, avoiding social situations, using multiple strategies to cope with the symptoms, and going through intense anxiety and depressive symptoms. This review aims to provide an overview of hyperhidrosis with a predominant focus on the psychological aspects. English articles were chosen from PubMed and Google Scholar databases using the keywords hyperhidrosis, sweating, depression, anxiety, and palmo-plantar. Patients with hyperhidrosis were found to have higher rates of social anxiety symptoms, depression, and poor quality of life, often leading to a vicious cycle that worsens the sweating. Hence, along with treatments prescribed by the dermatologists, assessment and intervention by mental health specialists also become important in the management of hyperhidrosis. A good therapeutic liaison between the dermatologist and the mental health specialists is vital to the correct management of hyperhidrosis. The prognosis of the condition is guarded, but the quality of life of patients with hyperhidrosis can be significantly improved with appropriate dermatological and psychological treatment.