Cure for Sweaty Feet:
(New News!) Fortunately, a new specific surgical solution for Plantar Hyperhidrosis was fine tuned over the last few years. The anatomical relation of the sympathetic chain responsible for excessive foot sweating (plantar hyperhidrosis) was better defined and now doing endoscopically assisted Lumbar Sympathectomy can help with plantar hyperhidrosis.

Over the last several years Lumbar Sympathectomy for the treatment of sweaty feet was perfected and is now practiced at The Center For Hyperhidrosis by Dr. Reisfeld. Excessive foot sweating can pose the same social and functional problems excessive hand sweating. The success rate obtained with Lumbar Sympathectomy is about 95% which is huge improvement compared to those patients in whom ETS did not improve their excessive foot sweating. This means that some patients will have to undergo another surgical procedure to correct their excessive plantar hyperhidrosis (foot sweating).

More Options For Excessive Foot Sweating
Performing upper Thoracic Sympathectomy for excessive hand sweating was helping patients partially with excessive foot sweating. Until recently no specific operation was offered to those patients who continued to have problems with their excessive foot sweating. Surgeons in other countries developed Lumbar Sympathectomy which is used to help with excessive foot sweating. In this approach a specific segment of the sympathetic chain within the lumbar region is cut or clamped to relieve excessive foot sweating. The important difference between Thoracic Sympathectomy and Lumbar Sympathectomy is that the Thoracic Sympathectomy helps with excessive hand sweating and Lumbar Sympathectomy helps with excessive foot sweating. It should be understood that even though patients who suffer from hand sweating also suffer from excessive foot sweating the Thoracic Sympathectomy will help mainly with excessive hand sweating. For those patients that the upper Thoracic Sympathectomy did not help with their foot sweating they now have the possibility of Lumbar Sympathectomy to cure their excessive foot sweating.

Historically an operation to help with excessive sweaty feet was not offered widely to patients with primary foot sweating or to those patients that Thoracic Sympathectomy did not help them well with their foot sweating. There was a fear that performing sympathectomy in the thoracic region as well as in the lumbar region would cause some sympathetic dysfunction. For males there were some fears about causing retrograde ejaculation problems. Over the last few years Lumbar Sympathectomy was performed to help those patients with severe excessive foot sweating and the aforementioned problems of sympathetic dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation were proven not to be problems.

Background on Lumbar Sympathectomy:
Since about 2005 much more information was obtained with regard to the performance to lumbar sympathectomy for those patients who suffer from plantar hyperhidrosis as a primary problem or for those patients on whom their excessive sweaty feet did not improve after endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. This information about lumbar sympathectomy was gathered initially in countries such as Brazil, France and Austria. Lumbar sympathectomy became the operation of choice for those patients. It is done equally on female and male patients. The question of whether or not the operation will affect retrograde ejaculation in the male patients was proven not to be a problem as long as the level of the lumbar sympathectomy is below lumbar vertebrae #2. This particular question should be discussed at length with the surgeon before any male patients proceed with lumbar sympathectomy.

Percutaneous chemical denervation of the lumbar sympathetic chain is tried in some places but depending on the material used the effect can be temporary or run the risk of associated injuries to nearby organs such as ureters or blood vessels. The reason for that risk is that when the chemical component is injected it can progress to nearby structures without any ability to limit the spread of this chemical. The benefit of lumbar sympathectomy is that those organs nearby are recognized and protected throughout the procedure.

Pain after the operation is typically minimal and temporary. So far the pain after lumbar sympathectomy is described as less than the pain experienced after ETS. A decision to go forward with this operation should be considered only after a detailed discussion with the surgeon to perform the procedure occurs. To learn more about the details of lumbar sympathectomy click here. Most of the patients had a one night stay and occasionally some patients go home the same day.

In summary, as excessive hand and foot sweating becomes better understood in the medical field we can now say that those problems are best helped with surgical approaches once the conservative measures have been tried with no success. Excessive hand sweating (palmar hyperhidrosis) can be helped in about 98% of the cases with upper Thoracic Sympathectomy but with this procedure excessive foot sweating can be helped only partially. Now thanks to extensive clinical work done in other countries such as Brazil and Europe, as well as with the United States, excessive foot sweating can be helped with lumbar sympathectomy. For patients on whom Thoracic Sympathectomy did not help with their excessive foot sweating Lumbar Sympathectomy is a valuable and available procedure.

Learn more about Lumbar Sympathectomy

Hyperhidrosis Testimonials:

"I am able to wear whatever shoes I want. I can buy a beautiful dress, a beautiful pair of shoes and not the shoes that are "ok" just because my feet will sweat."
Florijana    Read More From Florijana

"I not only love my dry hands, but I love my dry feet and armpits as well. In the summer I was able to wear sandals and even flip-flops.! I just can't believe how well my body has responded to the procedure."
Susana    Read More From Susana

"I believe the surgery took place sometime in 2001, I am happy to say that everything is going well. I contribute the ETS procedures as a major part of my success." (7 Years Later)
Paul    Read More From Paul

"I admire your impeccable professionalism and your utmost skill in the performance of this highly technical and precise surgical procedure. I have waited many years since I was a young girl to properly get rid of this problem. My knowledge as a dermatologist led me to the best procedure and to the best doctor."
Ligaya.B, M.D.    Read More From Doctor Ligaya

"I had the ETS surgery for palmar hyperhidrosis in 2003 and wanted to thank you and your staff for all of help. Taking a standardized test in the past was nearly impossible without handing in a sopping wet ScanTron sheet. Since my surgery date, I was able to take the paper and pencil medical school entrance exams. I applied to medical school and now I am a second year medical student in Ohio! This surgery changed my life."
Sarah    Read More From Sarah

"I would also like to thank all of your staff for such a pleasant experience. They were very friendly and helpful from the first time that I made a phone call to your office up to the time in the recovery room. Everyone made me feel very comfortable and well taken care of."
Peggy.P    Read More From Peggy

  Read from several touching thank you letters Dr. Reisfeld has received over the years since 1996.

Frequently Asked Sweaty Feet Questions:

• What is Lumbar Sympathectomy?
• Will I get more hand sweating after doing the lumbar sympathectomy procedure for my sweaty feet?
• What is the best procedure for my excessive foot sweating?
• What if my insurance says they do not cover this particular procedure?
• Why should I travel to Los Angeles to see Dr. Reisfeld?
• Please see our hyperhidrosis frequently asked questions section for additional questions.

Other topics of interest:

• Sweaty Hands
• Facial Blushing / Sweating
• Armpit Sweating
• What is ETS - Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy
• Details of the surgery
• Hyperhidrosis Testimonials
• Younger Age Hyperhidrosis
• Frequently asked hyperhidrosis questions
• Ask Dr. Reisfeld a question
• Request an information packet and evaluation

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