Humans perspire as it is a natural process that keeps our body temperatures in tune with the environment. Biologically, that is a good thing, but unfortunately for some of us, sweat and body odour come as a package deal.

Dr. Eric Teh Chin Huat, Specialist in General Surgery at Raffles Surgery Centre clarifies, “Actually, sweat does not smell on its own, but the bacteria that lives on our skin breaks down sweat into aromatic fatty acids that emanate the unpleasant odour.”

To keep odour at bay, the aim should be to reduce the amount of sweat or tackle the bacteria producing the odour. Anti-perspirants help with the former and deodorants do a decent job of masking the smell of sweat. Over-the-counter products and medications are available, while electrical treatments have also been known to assist. However, for severe cases (hyperhidrosis) involving excessive sweating and breath-stopping body odour, these solutions may not prevent the problem.

“Hyperhidrosis affects one in five Asians, and one in twenty five Caucasians. It commonly starts during childhood or adolescence and is a life-long condition. The problem is aggravated by hot and humid climates, as well as stress. This condition may affect a person’s self-confidence, social life and even their employment,” advises Dr. Teh.

Depending on a patient’s needs, Raffles Hospital offers the two main forms of treatment, keyhole surgery and BOTOX, as they have both been proven effective.

Known as Needlescopic Transthoracic Sympathetomy, the first option is a minimally invasive keyhole procedure that cuts the nerves to the sweat glands. This painless procedure under general anaesthesia involves making small holes (5 to 10 mm) near the armpits to minimise scarring, and requires only a day’s stay in hospital. Depending on the areas to be covered, the operation only takes between 20 and 45 minutes.

Shares Dr. Teh, “This used to be a fairly major surgery, but with the advent of modern keyhole surgery techniques, through very small incisions we are able to do this procedure much faster. This also allows for a quicker recovery and minimal downtime. It offers a permanent solution to a very difficult social problem, and has dramatically changed the lives of many young people.”

The other method to treat hyperhidrosis involves the injecting of BOTOX to block the nerves that trigger the sweat glands. Taking less than an hour, this is done as an outpatient procedure. Patients will only feel weakness in the treated parts for a few hours, and each treatment lasts for about six months.

Specialist in Dermatology at Raffles Aesthetics Centre, Dr Wong Soon Tee, who is one of only a few doctors who can perform this procedure comments, “My patients prefer this procedure as they do not need to go under the knife. Although the effects are not permanent, a number of my patients have claimed that their sweating problems have been significantly reduced.”