VerySweatyBetty.com

Forum link

As you know, school is back in swing for many children, with some just finishing their Summer break shortly. Many of our younger members are in a silent panic over this and how their HH will continue to control them during school hours. As a parent of 3 (one step daughter) 2 of my children both have HH. I am lucky that I am educated in this field and can show them how to cope and disguise their HH.

We often oversee how they are coping emotionally and physically. This is so important to address with your teen, child and young adult. They may seem OK on the outside but I know from experience and life suffering as a teen in the 80′s when HH was unheard of, it is hard to handle and with all that goes on in our daily life’s they are probably suffering in silence. Children and teens can be so cruel. I faced this a lot and was called Sweaty Betty.

If your child, teen, young adult has been diagnosed with HH or is showing signs of excessive sweating I encourage you to talk about this often and get in touch with their inner beings, how they feel, if they show signs of depression. We all suffer from this from time to time with living with HH, it emotionally drains us and the physical side of it also.

Your child, teen or young adult may feel different or even a freak! I know I did and know many others who feel the same way. Make sure they are not hiding away in their room dwelling on this…We have the tools and great people who can help you and your child.

We know which products work, can help with clothing and have many Hyperhidrosis product manufacturing companies (all of whom all suffer personally) who can give them advice on using their products effectively and many forum members who can help with hints and tricks on living with HH.

We encourage everyone to they find a good Dermatologist that knows about HH and can help them with treatment. If you are not able to do this, there are some fantastic products on the market now that really work and treat HH. We also have discount rates on some products, thanks to some very kind product manufacturers and companies.

Here at VSB we offer a safe place and friendly forum for your child, teen or young adult to get together and chat among themselves with great monitors who are teen sufferers themselves, (AmyLouise, Hannah, Milly), The adult administration are Beverly, Sally, Lisa, Kimberley and myself. We monitor who joins and what is posted. We also have a counselor, hyperhidrosis nurse, dermatologist who specialises in hyperhidrosis all on hand to help answer your questions.

We pride ourselves on this free facility and have reached our dreams as the world’s largest online (and probably offline!) privately owned Hyperhidrosis Support website. We are – and always will be – unpaid volunteers. Some things are far more important than money. Raising awareness while helping people come to terms with – and take control of their sweating – is exactly what we are all about. Thankfully, we have some fabulous sponsors who enable us to keep this website up and running and funding all sorts of projects to bring awareness of this miserable disease.

I went though many years of not being understood and hiding away under layers of clothing and battling this alone, I feel into depression and sunk inside. Please don’t let this happen to your child, we are just a click away, our Facebook page, either search for /betty.sweaty or click HERE) is active daily. We encourage parents to talk to each other for mutual support and discuss how your child is coping. We are also on Twitter @verysweatybetty and YouTube (/verysweatybetty) where we have our two tv documentaries (one in the UK for Channel 4, the other in the US for TLC channel) and even a couple of videos from one of our lovely members (Alan) who uses iontophoresis to successfully treat his hands. Alan is a multi-talented street magician and uses his hands all the time.

You have all the tools you need right here at VSB, WE are here for advice, support and most importantly friendship with others who all suffer from Hyperhidrosis.

Hugs,

Anne x

Back in June we were very kindly given a number of Perspirex antiperspirants to give away in a free prize draw. Blog link

How many of you have tried Persirex? It’s really simple to use and works for a great many people. Here’s some more information about it.

- With a unique, patented, refined formulation, Perspirex demonstrates 65% sweat reduction for 3-5 days, offering the best protection on the market from excessive sweat and odour. Perspirex means an end to uncomfortable sweating and embarrassing sweat patches. Simple to

Perspirex Antiperspirant

- How do I use Perspirex? Apply at night, when sweat glands are least active, before going to bed to completely dry, unbroken skin and allow to dry before dressing. Wash as normal in the morning, there is no need to reapply. One application will keep you protected for 3-5 days, so you only need to apply 2-3 times a week.

- How does Perspirex work? Perspirex reacts with water in the sweat glands to form a keratin plug to seal the gland, temporarily causing it to go dormant so you simply sweat significantly less. The process is completely safe and the plug will naturally dispel with the natural shedding of your skin. The refined formulation minimises irritation, suitable for even the most delicate skin.

Perspirex

- Why should I trust Perspirex? Perspirex is highly effective thanks to it’s alcohol-based, aluminum chloride and lactate solution.

- Where can I find Perspirex? Perspirex (25ml) is normally priced at £7.69 and available from Boots, Superdrug, leading supermarkets and chemists nationwide. For more information and stockists visit www.perspirex.co.uk.

Forum link for Part 1
Forum link for Part 2

Blog link for part 2

Ok, so you think I’d be happy that Winter is on it’s way, wouldn’t you! I’ve spent all Summer ticking off the days on the calendar. I even blogged about wishing Summer would hurry up and end!

But no. I’m hot happy. In one way it’s great – I can take the childish plaits out of my hair (well, a bit more often than I can at the moment) and I can enjoy the cooler weather without having to wear something that looks like it’s made for Winter – ie covering every square inch and in varying shades of either black or white. Maybe my face won’t be quite so red? Two months ago we went to meet with my sister-in-law and her adorable children for the day. I didn’t realise it until we were in the ladies’ just before we left – I caught sight of my face and almost died on the spot. I looked like I’d been the victim of a drive-by spray-painting. In heart-attack red, obviously.

This has got me thinking about Winter. THE Winter I couldn’t wait for a couple of months back. I’ve changed my mind, now, thank you very much. I want to keep Spring. Summer exacerbates my internal boiling up and overheating – and resultant sweating. Autumn – now my second favourite season. If it was less humid than it can be, then I’d be happy to keep it a joint favourite. Winter, though – that’s another blog all on it’s own.

Tomorrow I’ll explain more, but right now, I need to get a shower and an early night.

Two of our three free giveaway competitions are ending this week and we really don’t want anyone to miss out. If you haven’t already done so, PLEASE enter the competitions. It’s free and easy to do – it’s as simple as writing three words in an email and hitting ‘send’! It’s a fabulous way of trying out products relevant to your sweating. All three of these products cost over $16.99 each so it’s worth spending two minutes to join in.

Good luck!

Wrapps – FREE giveaway
Wrapps – www.coolwrapps.com have given us ten free Wrapps to send out to ten lucky entrants. These are invaluable if you suffer any sweating in your groin area. They can also help if you sweat down your back. This is a fantastic opportunity to hopefully try one out to see if it works for you. Every Wrapp is handmade with the utmost care by Denise Bartell – Denise has suffered with Hyperhidrosis for many, many years.

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Send an email to wrapps@verysweatybetty.com
2. You MUST include ‘wrapps giveaway’ in the subject line
3. You MUST include your verysweatybetty forum member name in the body of the email
4. You can enter as many times as you like – although that doesn’t mean you can win more than once!
5. The winners will be chosen entirely at random and notified once the competition has closed on 1st September 2011

____________________________________

Klima Antiperspirant – FREE giveaway
The other free giveaway is for Klima Antiperspirant. This product is a market leader and this is your chance to hopefully give it a try. This is for our US members only I’m afraid.

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Send an email to klima@verysweatybetty.com and enter ‘Klima giveaway’ in the subject line.
2. You must include your VerySweatyBetty forum name in the body of the email.
3. You can enter as many times as you like but you can’t win more than once!
4. This giveaway is valid until 1st September.
5. Successful applicants will be chosen at random and notified accordingly.
6. Please be aware this particular promotional giveaway is only valid if you live in the USA.

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Kleinerts Sweat Shield Wipes – FREE giveaway (NEW)
These Once-a-Week wipes come in a convenient sachet and afford you safe and effective protection from sweat – and better still, you can use them just about everywhere!

- Clinically tested
- No irritation with extra aoles added
- Waterproof through showering
- Easy to apply
- Safe for underarms, face, hands, chest, back and feet (please keep this away from your eyes).

We have TEN free boxes of their Sweat Shield Wipes to give away to ten lucky recipients. Each box is enough for up to two whole months of protection against sweat. Each box is worth $16.99 so it’s a prize that’s well worth having.

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Send an email to kleinerts@verysweatybetty.com
2. You MUST include ‘kleinerts giveaway’ in the subject line
3. You MUST include your verysweatybetty forum member name in the body of the email
4. You can enter as many times as you like – although that doesn’t mean you can win more than once!
5. The winners will be chosen entirely at random and notified once the competition has closed on 15th September 2011
6. Please note, Kleinerts Sweat Shield Wipes free giveaway is open to North America residents only.

A note about spam – don’t worry, we keep all your information 100% PRIVATE. You have our word that you won’t receive spam because of us.

Thank you for reading – and please remember to enter these three Hyperhidrosis must-have competitions!

Right.  This is a particular bugbear for me.  Because I sweat from my scalp to my toes, it’s a battle trying to find products that don’t slide off when I get a sweat on, and lots of other nuances.

What products have you found that work with you rather than against you?  Do you have a beauty regime that works?  If so, please share it with the rest of us because we all need help on the best products and methods of use!  The challenge is, the cheaper the better!  If there’s one thing that us lot have an abundance of, it’s tried and dumped-in-the-cupboard products that have set us back a lot of money!

My product agony…
I’ll start on my scalp!  Because my scalp rarely dries for three or four months in the Summer, it gets particularly flaky.  I’ve tried every type of shampoo you can think of and 99% of them make my scalp sore, extra flaky and brings me out in blisters/dermatitis.  I’m currently using DHC Scalp Moisturising shampoo, I’m dreading the day it stops working for me, or they discontinue it.  I have no idea what I’ll do then.  Hair styling products often only help make me hotter and sweat more as it’s just another layer between my skin and the air.
Face.  Moisturisers often make matters worse.  Some of them sit on your skin rather than absorb fully.  The worst ones are the thick creamy ones, not only do they slide off and stop the air getting to your skin, they mix with the sweat and get slimy.  Many times I’ve started sweating heavily and put my hand up to wipe my face and been covered in slimy moisturising cream.  Lotions are slightly better but these days I tend to stick to using a serum at night and moisturise with a drop of oil morning and night time.  Jojoba oil is good, extra virgin olive oil etc.  You can also clean your face with these oils, mad as it sounds.  Because our skin loses it’s valuable oils where we sweat and wipe so much, oil is probably the best thing to clean it with.  Always use an astringent – I use witch hazel and tea tree oil (I mix them myself, so much cheaper) which helps to minimise pores and therefore the sweating.
Underarms – again I find I sweat off antiperspirants and deodorants.  The best way of making sure they stick to the skin is making sure you’re thoroughly dry and even use a little talc to make sure there’s no little damp patches before applying the product.  I find sticks work best for me as they don’t need time to dry.
Body.  There’s no way on this planet I can ever use a body lotion or butter ever again.  I’ve tried everything.  The time I used aqueous cream was by far the worst.  I showered and slapped it on in the morning and by the time I’d walked to work, my clothes were soaked through (the cream made me hotter and sweat more) and stained and sticky.  I didn’t stop sweating.  It was a nightmare.  I ended up going home with a migraine because I’d fretted so badly.  I cried all the way home, showered and slept the rest of the day away.  Now I use oil, same as on my face.  I can’t use baby oil because it’s so thick but jojoba or ev olive oil is fine.  The dry oil body sprays are great too.
Feet.  I use nothing on the soles of my feet, unless I’m putting heel cream on at bedtime.  My heels are badly cracked so I use the Avon pedi-wipes and then just slap on cracked heel balm.  I rub it in all over my feet because I know I’ll be getting a shower in the morning.  Do be careful if you’re a fellow wearer of Crocs, Crocs and just moisturised slippy feet aren’t the best combination!

We have featured Wrapps many times in the past and now we have very kindly been given TEN free Wrapps to give away to ten lucky entrants! This is a fantastic opportunity to try out a Wrapp for your sweating. Wrapps are carefully designed and handmade by Denise Bartell, who has suffered with Hyperhidrosis for many years. FORUM LINK

This is what www.coolwrapps.com has to say about Hyperhidrosis…
Do you suffer with excessive sweating, down there? You are not alone. Millions of men and women suffer from this, year in, year out. Anybody who has suffered from heavy sweating will know that there are all sorts of other problems that constant moisture causes, chafing, itching, soreness, irritation, rashes, infection etc.

The Wrapp is unisex, it fits both women’s and men’s briefs comfortably, no more chafing elastic to cut into your delicate, sore skin.

The Wrapp has been tested by both men and women. Once they’re in place, you forget they’re there, leaving you fresh and confident. It doesn’t matter how much you sweat or what triggers it, the Wrapp can be worn by anyone with any level of sweating.

Testimonials and feedback received from Wrapps users: LINK

“You are a genius! These work like a charm for me. I so glad I found Very Sweaty Betty and your link to the Wrapps. I will share my excitement with my PCP and others I know suffering like me. I may just order more!!!!!!
Thanks Denise you made my day!”
Rachel L******e
Portland, Maine

When we contacted Rachel to ask if we could use her feedback in our website, she replied:
“ABSOLUTELY!!!!! Go for it!! I want the world to know you have helped me. Let me know when the Bra pad has been developed. I want to be one of he first customers!!!!!”
Thank you Rachel! Your feedback has made us happier than you can imagine, it’s worth all the hard work Wrapps have taken to develop to hear something so lovely!

“Thank you very much for the wrapps. I’ve wanted them for a long time now since I saw them on VSB and I’m very happy with them.”
Pushpa S**********n
Denmark

“I thought my wife was having me on with this at first but wow! I play a couple of different sports and can’t do with out these now. Impressive, you can come and work for me anytime!”
Jon D*****n
Wells Branch, Texas

“Thank you so much Denise, your wrapps work perfectly. They have given me my confidence back, I can’t praise you or them highly enough and have just ordered a second pack.”
Kara M**s
Knightsbridge, London, UK

“Simple and effective.”
JJ B*****n
Thousand Oaks, California

“I was recommended Wrapps by a close friend and colleague – I wish I’d known about them before now but better late than never! I am excited about Summer for probably the first time since I was a teenager, I have a lump in my throat (a happy one!). Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Mrs G L***d
Maesteg, Wales

“I ordered a sample pack and the day after I received them, I reordered a large pack. I can wear pants in all colors instead of just black, and skirts and dresses for the first time. I can’t wait for my wedding now!”
Kirsti B***w-K******m
NYC

This was posted on Very Sweaty Betty by forum member, FoxyBlue: LINK

“I got my Wrapps last week, and have used them most days since – it’s been as hot as 36 here this week – and I am VERY impressed!

Was at a friend’s wedding all day and evening last weekend and was dry all day. I’ve been amazed, it’s not only me that stays dry but the Wrapp itself; in terms of moisture you’d never know you had another layer on, and it also keeps things completely odour-free.

Denise, you are a genius Certainly money well spent and one less thing for me to worry about every summer, which is a huge relief. Thanks so much ladies for introducing me to this marvellous product.”

HOW TO ENTER:

This free-to-enter giveaway competition couldn’t be simpler to enter.

1. Send an email to wrapps@verysweatybetty.com
2. You MUST include ‘wrapps giveaway’ in the subject line
3. You MUST include your verysweatybetty forum member name in the body of the email
4. You can enter as many times as you like – although that doesn’t mean you can win more than once!
5. The winners will be chosen entirely at random and notified once the competition has closed on 25th August 2011

How many of you have tried Denise Bartell’s Wrapps?  Since we posted this blog 11 months ago, Wrapps has gone from strength to strength.  They’re now being sold all over the world and have given hundreds (if not thousands) of people enormous relief from groin sweat.  Denise is always looking at ways to improve the Wrapps but unlike corporations, the quality of the fabric or fastenings will never be compromised.  Each Wrapp is handcrafted by Denise who worked for many years as a professional seamstress.  If you suffer from sweating in your ‘area’ and you’re either a) male or b) female, then Wrapps are perfect for you.

For me, Wrapps means I can wear a skirt or dress for the first time since I can remember.  It also means that I can wear any colour of trousers – I’m not restricted to black linen cropped trousers.

Denise’s testimonials page is great reading, you can tell just how much these have changed people’s lives LINK (opens in new window).

This is our original blog, it explains how Wrapps came about.

Hello, my name is Denise and I designed the Wrapp.

The Wrapp literally wraps around the crotch of one’s briefs. The name just seemed to fit perfectly, like the Wrapp itself. The idea of the Wrapp came out of years of sheer desperation and utter frustration. The extra P stands for Perspiration.

Having taught myself to sew at 7, I have always kept decent size scraps from previous projects, tucked away…so I found my stash of muslin scraps, and got to sewing. I had some towels that were old, but not quite ready to be “dog towels” yet. So, I started drawing, freehand right on the fabric, using a commercial pad as a guide using a soft lead art pencil. My first attempt fitted great, however much to my disappointment, the Velcro closure added heat, and frankly did not work too well. Unless scratching ones inner thigh with the teeth of the Velcro was the goal…and it was not. So I took the seam ripper to all the Velcro, and tried a sew-on snap.

The snap looks great on paper, but the snap just could not take the tension. The snaps just popped open with the slightest movement. So, back to the drawing board…a simple hook and eye, they are still used on bras today. These work great admittedly, occasionally I have to either apply pressure to the hook to bend it in or get out the fine adjusting tool (known in some circles as a hammer,) and give the hook portion a tap to take it down a bit. So, that is what I went with…the hook and eye. Although very tedious to sew on, this works the best and does not add any heat, and doesn’t pop open. Initially there was no top stitching on the Wrapp, but was added later as the insert had a tendency to shift, hence I stitched it down to keep it from shifting…

I later switched from terry cloth to waffle muslin, for the (inside) liner – thus named because it looks like a waffle, when looking down on it. I also experimented with muslin fabrics as I had some difficulty with quality that I had never encountered with muslin before, some muslin had a tendency to pill and stretch. It was very disappointing to spend so much time on the construction of a garment to have it the fabric pill and stretch. So I finally went with a finer weave, more expensive, unbleached muslin that has a luxurious 200 thread count, and is always consistent.

I was just trying to solve an extremely difficult problem, for myself, to enable me to find a job. Never knowing, much less believing anyone else ever suffered from soggy elastic cutting into ones inner thighs to the point of wanting to literally rip my hair out of my head as I staggered around screaming. This excessive sweating started when I turned 14 and I suffered with it for well over 4 decades. It was only in the last few years that I even learned there was a name for this condition, moreover, I learned that it was not “just me.” For years I tried just about everything, baby powder, deodorants, antiperspirants, bladder control pads, yet nothing seemed to help. The talc turned to a gray sludge and only served to further aggravate skin eruptions. Deodorants and antiperspirants caused blisters, different soaps caused a variety of problems. The smaller sanitary pads did not work, they shredded into thousands of soggy pieces. The bladder control pads were bulky, hot, expensive and not always easy to dispose of. But as there was nothing else available, that is what I went with. But, with virtually no money, what to do, what to do…

What one frequently does is look within to solve a problem. So, I sat down and sewed until I made my Wrapps perfect. I wore my Wrapps for a few months, before I even found the Very Sweaty Betty web site. I was absolutely astounded to discover I was not alone. I am not the only person alive who sweats enough to float a battleship. It was such a relief to know it had a name. By then I had experienced a dry, comfortable crotch for a few months and I could not believe it. No skin eruptions, no yeast infections, no overheated, soggy clothing. After all those years that I did everything humanly possible to hide my soggy, miserable, painful secret were suddenly reversed, and now I was ready to take out billboard space over it.

The commercially produced incontinent pads I had been using cost approximately $15.00 for a pack of 60, so even using 2 pads a day that was still about $180.00 a year. They were bulky, uncomfortable, hot, added to the landfill, and were expensive. The Wrapp encapsulates the elastic on one’s briefs, holding the elastic away from the skin, allowing the moisture in the bend of the leg to evaporate instead of being absorbed into the (elastic and) underwear. And my Wrapps are completely washable, hundreds and hundreds of times, they get softer with each wash and there’s no need to iron! No more standing in line at the grocery store with a bulky package of incontinence pads (Wrapps work for more than ‘just’ perspiration)…all that and they still catch a laugh too! I now wish I had discovered these when I was going through menopause, but I didn’t, oh well…

Wrapps were initially just for myself. However, for men, there’s more good news, the Wrapp work just as well for you, holding the elastic of your briefs up off your skin, no more chaffing in that oh so delicate area, and no one will ever know unless you tell them. This too, came about quite organically (and later went on to be tested by various men and women to wear whilst playing sports). I was at the kitchen table, cutting out a batch ofWrapps, and my sisters boyfriend (a musician) walked by, and asked what I was making. I explained theWrapps and he wanted to know if he could try them. A few days later, he asked if I had any more of them, he had an outdoor gig he had to play and the Wrapp worked great for his outdoor gig…Now, all of our Wrapps have been marked with an indelible pen, with our names, so we all know his from mine and my sisters Wrapps as virtually every batch of clean clothes has dry, clean, cool Wrapps, ready to go…

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me. I will respond as soon as humanly possible.

Denise x

www.coolwrapps.com

Sun, Sea….and Sweat!

Forum link

Most of us can’t wait for summer to arrive, but for many, the rising temperatures exacerbate an embarrassing problem.

39% of the UK population perspire weekly to an extent that it’s of discomfort to them.* And with sweat stains rated ‘most embarrassing personal problem’ in a study by Perspirex, it’s no wonder sufferers go to extreme lengths to cover up their problem.

Perspirex

Top 5 Most Embarrassing Personal Problems

1. Sweat stains

2. Bad acne

3. Dandruff

4. Overweight

5. Cold sores

Thank goodness Perspirex is on hand to provide best-in-class protection from sweat and odour. Its patented clinically proven formula reduces sweat by up to 65% – this is 3 x as effective as ordinary antiperspirants!

Simple to use, one application will work for up to 5 days and its perfume-free, non-staining formulation is gentler on the skin than other aluminium chloride-based products.

What’s more, Perspirex are so confident about their product, that they have just launched a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Either you are 100% satisfied or you can get your money back!

Usage: Use once to twice weekly on-going or before special/stressful occasions.

Perspirex 25ml costs £7.69 and is available from leading supermarkets and chemists nationwide.

The patented clinically proven formula of Perspirex demonstrates 65% sweat reduction for at least 72 hours after each application. Tests performed by the institute Dr. Schrader International GmbH, Germany.

Internationally recognised classification for antiperspirants (the American FDA) states that for a product to be categorised as an ‘antiperspirant’, it must achieve a 20% sweat reduction.

If an antiperspirant demonstrates a 30% sweat reduction it may be classified as ‘Extra effective’.

*Perspirex Sweat Study – conducted online by MyResearch on behalf of Riemann & Co among 2,043 persons aged 15-60 years.

How does it work?

Caused by hyperactivity in sweat glands, excessive perspiration can be experienced by anyone, at any time. Perspirex works so effectively thanks to its alcohol-based, aluminium chloride and lactate solution. This reacts with the water in the sweat gland to form a temporary plug to halt sweat production. Unlike water-based antiperspirants that quickly cease to be effective, the Perspirex formulation keeps on working until the plug is naturally dispelled over the course of a few days with the natural shedding of dead skin cells.

Do you want the chance to try Perspirex absolutely free?

Very Sweaty Betty have teamed up with Perspirex and have ten full sized packs to give away free!

Here’s how you can win your Perspirex:

Send an email to perspirex@verysweatybetty.com and enter ‘giveaway’ in the subject line.

You must include your VSB forum name in the body of the email.

You can enter as many times as you like!

Successful applicants will be chosen at random and notified accordingly.  This giveaway is valid until 31st July 2011.

Good luck to all who enter this competition!

Please be aware this promotional giveaway is only valid if you live in the UK.

We thought it was about time we added an FAQ section with just some of the questions we are asked on a regular basis.

Q: Who is Very Sweaty Betty?

A: All of us. We all are. If you sweat excessively, that entitles you to become one of the elite who can call themselves Sweaty Betty. It’s true!

Q: What do you do?

A: We help. Or we try to. The two founders have over 70 years personal experience of Hyperhidrosis between them. They know what adversities people have to face every day of their lives. We provide a friendly ear – or shoulder – and do our best to advise you on building your own personal strategy for dealing with your sweat.

Q: Is that all?

A: No! That’s just the tip of the iceberg! We have a private forum for people of all ages to get together and share tips and help prop each other up during the hard times. We even have a ranting section that we use when we want to let rip about something. The great thing is, you can talk about anything and everything on our forum, nobody will judge you for being who you are.

Q: What advantages are there for me?

A: For a start, it’s free. You get all the help and support we can possibly give you. We have enough love to go around all our lovely members. We are really lucky to have specialists aboard too – we have a highly qualified Dermatologist (skin specialist) whose specific interest is in Hyperhidrosis. He regularly uses Botox for people who sweat excessively. We have a qualified Nurse who suffers from Hyperhidrosis herself and we also have an almost-qualified Counselor – who also suffers personally. Coming soon is a What Not to Wear section – where our specialist shopper (with Hyperhidrosis) scours the High Street to help you find sweat-friendly clothing wherever you are!

Q: Anything else?

A: Since you ask, yes. We are really lucky to have sponsors who help pay our website’s running costs. They are all really good reputable companies who we have got to know personally over the years. They are all dedicated in helping the often miserable world of Hyperhidrosis to become a happier place by developing and selling a multitude of products specifically for this disease. We try a lot of products on VSB, and we blog about them. If they work, we tell you. If they don’t work, we tell you that, too. Having Hyperhidrosis can be an expensive business, our blogs help you to decide for yourself the products that will best suit you personally. We regularly have special offers on all kinds of products so you can even save yourself some money, too!

Q: What do you want from me?

A: Besides your friendship?  Just the one thing, please. It’s not much but it will help make an awful lot of difference to our ongoing Awareness Campaign – please link to www.verysweatybetty.com from your home pages, blogs, wherever you can. If you like, you could use www.hyperhidrosisawarenesscampaign.com or www.hyperhidrosissupport.instead. It’s all the same to us. Each time you add a link to us, you’re helping us to achieve our aims of bringing the knowledge of this miserable disease to everyone.  It means that one day, you will be able to step outside your front door without the stigma attached to sweating.  Comments like ‘buy some deodorant’ or ‘get a shower’ is what we aim to eradicate.  We also want to remind the medical world that Hyperhidrosis IS a big deal and that we all need their help.

Hello all,
I have been feeling so frustrated since last week thinking I was going to receive my Facial, Cranial Botox as a Hyperhidrosis treatment.

We drove 50 miles round trip and waited almost 45 minutes to be seen by my lovely Dermatologist, when she took me back  I placed my bag on the window sill next to the procedure bed thinking this is where I would have my treatment done.  I could see her looking and she told me to sit in the chair near her.  (I thought she prob wants to go over the side effects and make sure all meds were the same?!)

I sat and waited and she smiled weakly and said, “The are not allowing you to have the Botox treatment as they see if as a cosmetic procedure rather than a medical treatment!”

She apologized and I know in my heart if she could have made it happen she would.

I was gob smacked and told her I thought I was having it done? I said the her nurse had called telling me so?!  She said she was sorry for this and that it was a miss communication.  She thought it best to have her deliver the news in person rather than over the phone.  I told her thank you and asked why!  All I wanted to do was burst into tears and scream.

She said they saw it as a cosmetic thing rather than a medical treatment and I challenged her and said big organizations claim that most insurance companies are now seeing Botox as the big treatment for this and why wont mine?  She said they don’t understand, they don’t get it!  Even though it stated all the other tried treatments failed.

I then proceeded on and said, “do they think I want a wrinkle free scalp and hair line?” I’m not asking to have this done any where else!  I could see if I was having it done around my eyes and other areas.  She replied they just dont get it.  I them told her how this affects me on a daily basics.  She gets it, she really does but her hands were tied.

How are they EVER GOING TO GET HOW IT EFFECTS US ON A DAILY BASICS???  Can anyone answer this?  Until they walk in our sweaty bodies, they never will or if they have a close family or friend who suffers to really see the draining impact of life and hyperhidrosis.  They will never know how we turn down social events and fear ones we have to attend because they don’t understand or get it!

They will never know how we hide behind closed doors or wear dark clothing to disguise the sweating.  How we feel dirty and what it feels like to have to live in wet clothing.  To suffer yeast infections on our skin and chaff from the sweating.   How afraid we are of having to shake a hand or hold something.  How we have to change clothing often and ruin our clothing because of the smell and sweat stains that wont come out.  How we slip and slide in shoes or make them so wet and funky we have to replace them often.   How normal activities for everyone else turn into a sweaty night mare for us.  The fear of hot weather and humidity.

How would they feel, if they walked in our bodies for a week?

Do you think Hyperhidrosis would be more accepted and treated better?

I have a member in the forum the same way as I was a week ago!!   Crushed and in tears as she was told she could not have the oral medication they prescribe for this (even though it is not for Hyperhidoris) but used as one of the side effects is less sweating!  We take them because of this, regardless of their horrid side effects and dangers of being in prolonged daylight.  We take them because they give us some relief and peace of mind from the endless sweating.  Just like we do with hundreds of needles if WE  ARE GRANTED, Botox or Dysport as a treatment for this.  The only treatment currently to give us a few months break and less of the horrible side effects but it is like liquid gold, hard to get!   Do we blame the manufacturer or maybe Doctors or even the public for making it this way?  It is seen as a cosmetic procedure for vanity but what can give SUFFERERS OF HYPERHIDROSIS relief we are denied!

What can I tell her?!

I can give her the support and comfort she deserves as she is a beautiful human being who suffers and has become a dear friend.  She suffers daily not only physically but emotionally as they go hand in hand.  The emotional round about we are on daily would swing your head!  The thought and preparation of a day in a sufferers life if there is an social event would have you a basket case too!

How do I tell her that everything is going to be OK?  How do I tell myself?  With not having professionals understanding this skin disease, WHO IS?

I have a big event coming up in two weeks and had to pay for my own treatment, most are not cheap.

I have to give a big shout out to my wonderful Dermatologist in Austin, Dr Daniel Carrasco who does understand and did help at a discounted price.

We need more understanding on this and compassion from professionals.  More awareness need to be raised and if your with me let me know and we can fight against this together.  There needs to be more cheaper treatments available for us that don’t burn our skin, dry us out or can even cause heat stroke.

I hope you understand and I pray to God that one day we will all get the treatment we deserve while living with this social killer, self confidence drainer and self esteem robber sore,  they call HYPERHIDROSIS.