inMotion Magazine

Strong 19 P R O S T H E T I C S ™ ROBUST. FUNCTIONAL. CUSTOM SOLUTIONS. For more information: (888) 977-6693 | (360) 915-9724 | fax (360) 918-8619 info@npdevices.com or visit npdevices.com © 2020 Naked Prosthetics. All rights reserved. Jacquelinewear the PIP Driver. CUSTOM-DESIGNED FINGER PROSTHESES We o‰er three durable, functional solutions. The PIP Driver, MCP Driver, and Thumb Driver. Each device is custom-designed to within millimeters of a patient’s unique amputation and hand structure. ™ ™ ™ the socket, simply don’t allow for the skin to breathe as easily, and consequently leads to a production of sweat. To further complicate matters, the sweat doesn’t have anywhere to go in this environment except to accumulate at the skin/liner interface. How does it affect patients? Excessive sweat can affect patients in a variety of ways. We have had patients whose prostheses simply don’t stay on as well or even slip off if there is too much sweat buildup. This has obvious negative consequences. Perhaps less obvious are those patients who sometimes are prone to rashes or yeast infections on their skin. These types of infections are often caused by, or at least worsened by, excessive sweat. How can someone manage residual limb sweat, and how  can they discuss it with a healthcare provider? There are a variety of strategies someone can use to try and manage it. For some, a single strategy is effective. For others, multiple strategies need to be used in combination. Some people will use an absorbent sheath underneath their liner to help absorb sweat. Antiperspirants are certainly appropriate and a good first treatment to pursue. Both over-the-counter and prescription-strength antiperspirants may be helpful. If you prefer the over-the-counter route, look for antiperspirants that are unscented and have aluminum chloride as the active ingredient. If you have tried these but found them ineffective, talk to your doctor about prescription-strength antiperspirants. One note about using antiperspirants: many antiperspirants are delivered in an alcohol base. For amputees, this may cause skin irritation. We recommend patients put on the antiperspirant in the evening, leave the limb uncovered, and wash the limb in the morning before putting on the prosthesis. This will wash off any alcohol residue but allow the aluminum chloride medication to get in the pores of the sweat glands to do its job. If these steps are not helpful, then combining strategies may be helpful, such as using an antiperspirant in combination with a sheath underneath your liner. Last of all, other treatments exist which may be helpful, such as botulinum toxin injections. Talk to your doctor about it. If your doctor is unsure, talk to a rehabilitation specialist or a dermatologist about your concerns.