There seems to be little knowledge on what causes Primary Hyperhidrosis.

This is what I have. I sweat excessively not because of a medical condition or medications.

The causes for Secondary Hyperhidrosis are many: Heart Disease, Hyperthyroidism, Menopause, and many more.

 

Primary Hyperhidrosis is a little more tricky.

It involves our genes. Genes that get passed down generation to generation.

As of right now, there is no cause for Primary Hyperhidoris, just as there is no cure.

However, it seems to run in families.

 

As far as I know, the first person in my family to have HH is my mom’s sister, my Aunt.

Growing up knowing that my Aunt has what I have made it easier to deal with. I wasn’t so alone.

She had tried teaching me visualization techniques to help the sweating, but nothing really caught on with me.

But at the very least, I knew I had someone in my life who understood what I was dealing with.

 

HH is a funny thing…

My grandparents didn’t have it, my Mom and Dad don’t have it.

My Aunt’s children have it, my sister has it a little bit.

I don’t know why this gene keeps skipping around like this.

 

Interestingly enough, I recently found out that my cousin may have a little bit of HH.

I learned this when I was talking to her about starting this blog.

People are so ‘hush hush’ with HH, it was never a conversation growing up.

But I was dealing with a lot of emotional anger at the time due to HH, a large reason why this blog exists today.

I needed to talk.

 

So, I told her about it one day. Told her everything.

She was surprised that I had HH.

But what was more,

was the overwhelming realization that she shared some of these traits.

 

I recently participated in a genetics study for Hyperhidrosis.

The goal for this study is to “identify those genes that are responsible for excessive sweating and ultimately to use this knowledge to find a way to control or cure the excessive sweating in affected individuals.”

Pretty great goal, isn’t it?

So, I sent the kit to my Aunt and my sister too. The doctors involved even wanted my parent’s input, even though they weren’t directly affected.

 

It’s really easy. You just answer a bunch of questions related to your experience with HH. Then you provide buccal cells by spitting mouthwash in a cup and mailing it out.

I want and need everyone with HH to complete this study! You can find the information here: http://www.sweathelp.org/en/taking-action/participate-in-research-2/participate-in-a-trial.html

And it’s FREE!

 

The study does explain that people suffering with HH will not have immediate relief. This is a long term study. Hopefully, after some time, they will have isolated the gene(s) that cause HH.

But they need people to participate in order for the study to go anywhere.

Isn’t it worth it?

After seeing the heredity of the condition, our own kids or grandkids could be born with HH. I want to help my future children and grandchildren to have a better life.

 

Thanks for listening, as always,

 

Caryn Joan