Q: I have excessive sweating on my palms and want a cure for it as it is becoming an occupational hazard? I read about 20% alcoholic solution of aluminum chloride hexahydrate (Drysol) but I think this is not available in India as I have checked with some 5 chemists. Can you please give me an Indian equivalent to it? If you have any other remedy too, it will be valuable. Please help.

A:We were trying to find any manufacturer of 2% aluminium chloride but could not locate one. Drysol is the brand name used in the United States and is marketed there. It is not sold even in England. You can get it from USA through a friend who may be travelling from US to your place. You can enquire if any dermatologist is trained to undertake iontophoresis in your area because this therapy does not have much side effects and hence can be used for long-term treatment. One can also use anticholinergic drugs. Oxybutinin (sold in India under the brand name of Oxyspas by Cipla) is effective but its general side effects limit its use since the drug is taken orally and has effect on the entire body. Actually it is approved for use in urinary incontinence and noctural (night) involuntary voiding of urine in children. There are surgical options also: T-2 ganglionectomy (on the upper back spinal column) and surgical resection of sweat glands (confined to small, localised areas of sweating). I doubt if any doctor in your area offers this type of surgical treatment.