Capillary hyperhidrosis: what is it, symptoms, causes and treatment

Sweating or perspiration is the mechanism through which our body maintains our constant temperature, around 37 degrees.

When it is hot, we do physical exercise or in situations that cause us stress, our body temperature increases. Thanks to sweating and cooling of the skin, our body is able to release heat.

Some people sweat excessively compared to others. This condition when considered pathological is called hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a common disease, it can affect all areas of the body or only some specific parts.

Typically, the most affected areas are the armpits, the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the face and chest, and the groin. Hyperhidrosis is a bilateral disease, which affects both parts of the body equally, for example, both hands or feet.

Excessive sweating, although it does not pose a serious threat to the patient's health, can be a source of stress and embarrassment. These negative feelings can lead to more serious conditions, such as depression and anxiety in some patients. In this article

we will see what capillary hyperhidrosis is, excessive sweating that affects the scalp.

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What is capillary hyperhidrosis?

Capillary hyperhidrosis is the pathological condition that refers to excessive sweating of the scalp. Like other hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating appears when physical exercise is performed, copes with specific situations of stress or when certain foods are eaten (normally spicy).

Capillary hyperhidrosis is also known by the name of craniofacial hyperhidrosis, since it refers to the precise area where excess sweat is produced. Craniofacial hyperhidrosis occurs on the scalp, forehead, face, neck, and chest. It can occur in all regions or only in some, but its origin is the same: it is caused by the secretion of hyperactive sweat glands.

Sweat is composed mainly of water, mineral salts and other chemical substances, it is expelled to the outside through the small holes that make up our skin system (pores). Upon reaching the surface and evaporating, sweat releases excess heat and keeps our body temperature constant.

Yes ok sweat is a natural mechanism of our body and helps us maintain temperature, excessive sweating can be counterproductive and lead to a series of physical problems, beyond the psychological derived from the shame and stress produced by sweating profusely, in front of other people.

The most common external factor causing capillary hyperhidrosis is high temperatures. Excessive sweating of the hair increases strongly with heat. Although the sweat secreted on the scalp has neither odor nor color, it does produce other consequences that are unpleasant and uncomfortable for those affected, especially in social situations or when performing in front of a public.

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Causes of Capillary Hyperhidrosis

capillary hyperhidrosis It is caused by the excessive secretion of sweat from the sweat glands.. Most of the sweat glands are eccrine and are distributed throughout the skin. Apocrine glands are found mainly in the scalp, armpits and groin, where there are more hair follicles. Apocrine glands in the skin release essences and open into hair follicles.

capillary hyperhidrosis It is caused by overactivity of the two types of glands.. This excessive function derives from external factors, mainly, heat is the cause of excessive sweating of the glands of the scalp, but it also responds to emotional factors and the side effects of some medications (which act as stimulants).

The scientific literature describes two types of hyperhidrosis. A hyperhidrosis described as primary, which could be the result of a genetic component, which affects the stress response of the nervous system, causing excessive sweating. And a secondary hyperhidrosis derived from other types of pathological conditions such as diabetes, obesity or hormonal alterations, which include excessive sweating in their symptoms.

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Associated effects and symptoms of capillary hyperhidrosis

Sweat is mostly water, plus 1% mineral salts and other chemicals like ammonia, urea, and sugars. Hair is part of the natural barriers that our body has to protect itself from external aggressions. But it also makes it difficult to eliminate sweat and the chemical components that form it.

An excessive accumulation of chemical components in the scalp can favor the appearance of skin diseases such as irritative or seborrheic dermatitis, in addition to affecting the hair follicles and in the most serious cases causing hair loss. hair. Let's see the main consequences of excessive sweating for the hair and scalp.

1. Hair loss

Severe cases of capillary hyperhidrosis may present hair loss among its most serious symptoms. This damage occurs in the front of the head. A recent study pointed to excessive scalp sweating as the main responsible for the disorder frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA), a condition that affects the front part of the hair of both men and women.

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2. Frizz and dull hair

An excess of hair sweat increases the number of washes and the amount of shampoo used in each of them. Specialists suggest washing hair every three or four days approximately. An excess in the frequency of washing can cause the hair to frizz and end up drying out, due to the chemicals that shampoos contain. If you need to wash your hair frequently, the use of natural shampoos with a neutral pH is recommended.

3. oily hair

People with capillary hyperhidrosis sweat when the temperature rises. The humidity that occurs during the shower also causes sweating, as does the dryer. That is why, even if they have just washed their hair correctly and with shampoo, many times after a few hours they already have roots full of sweat and oily hair.

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4. itchy scalp

Accumulated sweat on the head attracts dust particles. The powder is responsible for the itching of the scalp that manifests itself in capillary hyperhidrosis. Also, sweat can clog skin pores; the skin continues to produce sebum, but sebum and other products such as dead skin and sweat, which would normally escape through the holes, get trapped and cause itchiness. Also, compulsive scratching to relieve pain can lead to rashes and hair loss.

5. Scalp odor

Sweat has a rather unpleasant characteristic odor. In fact, This smell is the product of the microorganisms that inhabit our skin.. Bacteria feed on our sweat and produce products that have an unpleasant smell, these excretions are the origin of the bad smell.

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Treatment of capillary hyperhidrosis

If you suffer from capillary hyperhidrosis, the first thing is to consult a dermatologist, who is the specialist doctor in charge of treating skin, nail and hair conditions. Although there are a number of strategies that can help you treat excessive sweating.

1. Follow a healthy diet

There are foods more susceptible than others that cause excessive sweating. For example, spicy or very hot foods increase body temperature and cause a subsequent increase in the amount of sweat that is derived.

Low-fat, high-fiber foods, like fruits and vegetables, are easily digestible and help maintain homeostasis in our body, including temperature.

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2. Cold water

You can use strategies to reduce body temperature, to avoid excessive activation of the sweat glands. Drinking cold water is one of the main strategies to combat heat and excess sweat.

Water is also a great thermal conductor., that is, it allows the exchange of heat from one environment to another, in this case it facilitates the transport from the interior of the organism to the skin, allowing a faster cooling of the body.

3. correct hygiene

Excessive sweating of the scalp requires paying special attention to washing the hair. Excess sweat requires more frequent washing to remove bacteria and their excretions. However, it is not recommended to wash your hair too frequently due to the chemicals in some hair products.

It's very important use a neutral pH shampoo for sensitive hair that do not contain harmful chemicals. There are also products that help with hydration and strengthening of the scalp, such as hair loss masks and anti-dandruff products, which also help to combat the problems derived from hyperhidrosis.

When finished, it is important to rinse with plenty of water and ensure that there are no residues of shampoo. It is recommended to wash with cold or warm water, not hot, as it would activate the glands that produce sweat.

4. Protect the scalp

On sunny days it is important protect the scalp from heat. To prevent the sun and its effects, you can apply sunscreen or wear hats or scarves.

5. Medical treatment

Currently, there are different effective therapies and treatments to combat hyperhidrosis, including:

• Botulinum toxin (botox)
• Iontophoresis (weak electrical current through the skin)
• systemic drugs
• Anticholinergics (acetylcholine inhibition)
• Surgery