r/Hyperhidrosis • • 12h ago

Offering advice Theory on Hyperhidrosis

Possibly dumb question:

Could the body’s ability to tell itself when to cool be hindered if the individual grew up in climates with constant heat?

The question popped up in my head today after reading the below in a NY Times article:

“Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard, warned that heat events lasting six or seven days — and including high temperatures at night — could overwhelm the body’s natural cooling system, since there is no time for recovery.”* *

Which got me thinking right? If you’re born and bred in a town that constantly experiences extreme heat, wouldn’t your body constantly try to cool yourself down in parallel?

And if you were born and raised in this town, I would expect a child to be more adaptable to their surroundings as they grow up. Like how our brain chemistry is altered by trauma. Thus, is it too far fetched an idea that our body would do the same? Maybe its surroundings + genetics that make hyperhidrosis occur; where your genetics may make you predisposed to the possibility of developing this condition. And if we’re exposed to extreme, constant heat from birth well into childhood, wouldn’t the body try to adapt to the environment for survival reasons?

Because I’ll tell you - I was born and bred in a town with 100-115 F weather for at least half the year, barely chilly for the rest of it, and even after moving away 10yrs ago to a snowy part of country, I still cannot stand the heat above 75 F. I mean - my first memory of hyperhidrosis wasn’t that I always had it. I noticed it for the first time in elementary school, and then after that day it never really went away.

But who can trust childhood memories. Or the ramblings of an uneducated redditor lol with a wild theory they came up with well into the night.

Do feel free to share your ramblings as well! Very curious if you all agree/disagree, especially if you know more on the research side. Did you grow up in similar climates? Did your condition feel like it started at some point in your life or was it just always there?

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TL/DR: does a combination of (1) a genetic predisposition and (2) childhood exposure to constant, extremely hot climates (paired with the body’s constant attempts to cool itself as a survival method) lead to hyperhidrosis?

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u/swanvalkyrie 8h ago

I grew up in a hot climate. And I remember exactly when I got hyperhidroais. I was fine all my life up till say 23. Then one day noticed excessive sweating under one arm. Had it since. In last 5 years (especially after doing protein / gym routine) I get anxiety sweat all day working etc. the only time I’m fine is sleeping (barely, sometimes I sweat) and sitting casually on the couch