Raynaud's (cold fingers) improved after Micro ETS (now warm).

Life has changed after ETS: "I no longer worry about my sweating hands or avoid certain situations because of them. I am much more confident at work, and social outings and when meeting new people. This surgery has improved my life 100%! Thank you so much, Dr. Nielson!"

"No more blushing" & hands are even warm after Micro ETS

Six months after Micro ETS this patient shares this:
"I am so much more comfortable because I don't blush anymore. I can go out in public, and attend meetings at work, without having a blushing meltdown. To me it is a miracle that a medical procedure was able to completely cure my extreme case of idiopathic craniofacial erythema. Before the surgery, I also had Raynaud's phenomenon (although that is not why I decided to go forward with the surgery), and that condition has been completed cured as well. My hands are no longer cold, and I feel much more confident shaking people's hands."

"My Hands are warmer than everyone in the office"

Very satisfied 6 months after Micro ETS: "I used to avoid shaking hands but sometimes it was inevitable and was embarrassing. Now, I shake hands without the stress of shaking wet hands. Am more confident and have no stress about it. My hands are warmer than everyone in the office and since I don't sweat in my underarms and my palms and just a little in my feet, my body is able to have more control over my body temperature."

6 Months later--> Sweating of Hands and Feet improved after Micro ETS

My hands are no longer cold while exercising. Holding cold objects is no longer painful. The procedure was for my hands but it also helped my feet. I had to wear orthoditcs because my arches weren't strong enough and I couldn't gain strength in them. Ive started to be able to do many activities without orthoditcs and am working to keep that up. I still have hyperhydrosis in my feet, but they also do not change color or swell in the shower.

One Year after Micro ETS

Blushing is improved, hands remain warm and are no longer cold. Not experiencing cs (compensatory sweating).
Micro ETS has allowed me to join committees and expand my role in my career beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I am SO grateful I did this procedure!!!!!! The facial blushing was so bad that my Raynaud's was a secondary problem. Having good circulation to my hands throughout the cold winters has been amazing. I have been very happy with the results!!!

Six Months later -->

How life changed since having ETS: "As time goes by I am slowly starting to forget that I ever had the condition. I am immensely satisfied with the results. The sweating in my hands is stopped 100%. I still have nightmares, though, that the condition has returned. It was two or three times a week at first, but now it's maybe once a week or less. I am far more confident in social and professional situations. I'm no longer the shy or reticent one, hanging back and dreading to be noticed or approached. I can wear nice clothes without having to wonder if the fabric will withstand the sweating. I can attend trade shows and conferences where I meet many people at a time. My church experience is greatly enhanced, not having to make apologies for the wet hands and such. I can go on and on. Others have mentioned the change in me, which continues to manifest over time. I am grateful for the procedure and I cannot overstate the benefits of having gone through with it."

IMPROVED --> Blushing - Face/scalp Sweating - Raynaud’s of the hands

61 year old man from Tennessee reports how his life changed after Micro ETS.

"I am much less worried about facial blushing and sweating when I perform as a singer or public speaker.  

Compensatory sweating occurs on my lower legs & lower back. Not serious at all.

 It has been a wonderful blessing! Thank you."

18 Months after Micro ETS --> Life has been more enjoyable without sweaty hands!

My whole life has been more enjoyable without the trauma and anxiety due to sweating hands. I can shake hands and meet people and interact without worrying about my sweaty hands. I lived with it affecting daily living until I was 60 years old. Compensatory sweating on the lower chest and back occurs. Very satisfied, even with the degree of compensatory sweating.

6 Months after Micro ETS --> Life has been more enjoyable without sweaty hands!

60 year old woman from TN shares:  "My whole life has been more enjoyable without the trauma and anxiety due to sweating hands. I can shake hands and meet people and interact without worrying about my sweaty hands. I lived with it affecting daily living until I was 60 years old. Compensatory sweating on the lower chest and back occurs."
Very satisfied, even with the degree of compensatory sweating.

7 years of suffering with wet hands GONE --> Dry after Micro ETS

21 yr old woman tried "everything" (Drysol, Botox injections, Iontophoresis and oral medications) for 7 years to stop her wet hands, but nothing worked for her. She decided to have Micro ETS and her hands became dry immediately. She shares the following as to how her life has changed since having Micro ETS: "It has affected me in everything I do on a daily basis from driving to writing. I can hold hands for a long period of time and no worry about them sweating, and I feel more confident talking with my hands to other people now that I have had the surgery. It was changed my life in a very positive way!" She also reports that she doesn't experience any compensatory sweating at all.
(an example of wet hands changing to dry hands is below)

How a woman's life changed after Micro ETS.

"I am able to perform my job functions with almost no blushing. I can have tough conversations with my leaders and present information to my team members with more confidence. Dr Nielson is great at what he does and took time to be by my side during recovery."

#warmcoldhands

#stophandsweat

#stopfacesweat

#stopblushing

13 yr old girl enjoys DRY & warm hands for 5 years following Micro ETS at age 8.

An 8 year old girl with severe sweating of her hands, becoming quite cold during sweating episodes, had tried Drysol (topical) —> cracking and peeling of the skin on her fingertips occurring every 3 to 4 weeks, Talc-anti Monkey Butt, and several different Clinical Strength Antiperspirants without any improvement in excess sweating and cold hands.  Activities of daily living were a burden, very frustrating and even quite stressful.  

Micro ETS immediately stopped the sweating and her hands became dry and warm.  She has been able to enjoy activities of daily living now for the past 5 years.

Here is a photo of her wet hands before Micro ETS

Couldn't be happier after Micro ETS (Dry and Warm Hands, Dry Underarms)

recuperated super fast and is having minimal cs.  She couldn't be happier.

Larissa's Story

Here is Larissa's compelling story. Told in her own words.

For anyone contemplating whether or not ETS (Micro-endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy) surgery is for you, here is a little of my history.  

Many days I just wished my hands were invisible.  My middle school and high school years were miserable.  It was a struggle that few even knew about because, for the most part, I kept my palmar hyperhidrosis hidden (as best I could).  If you're contemplating this surgery, then one or more of these scenarios will probably sound familiar.

The first memory of my super sweaty hands was having to quit piano lessons at an early age because my fingers left the keys soaking wet.  Yuck for me, the teacher, and the piano.

Something as simple as taking handwritten notes created dread.  I always had to fold up an extra piece of paper and put under the bottom of my hand where it touched the page.  If not, the ink or pencil would blur or you wouldn't be able to write on the wet lower portion of the page at all.

I played on the high school tennis team for four years.  I loved tennis BUT there was no way I could hold onto a racket without wearing a leather glove to absorb the hand sweat, having my racket grip wrapped in an absorbent material, and/or keeping a towel court side to dry my grip between points.

Dating, who wants to hold a cold sweaty hand?  Terrible again.  Whenever, I rode in a car, I always held my hands in front of the air vents to try and keep them dry. 

Ever been to a golf driving range, and the club just flies out of your wet hands and lands 30 feet in front of you?  Yep, me too. 

Imagine if having pockets was a necessity.  I always wore a dress or pants with pockets so I could stick my hands in and dry them off.

When bowling, I always stood right over the fan at the ball return so I could keep my hands as dry as possible and not fling the ball backwards.

When shooting a game of pool, I loved those big chalk blocks!  That's the only way I could play, by coating my hands in chalk powder.

My mom took me to a physician in high school who said it was just nerves.  I knew better, because I could be home watching TV and eating snacks with sweaty palms.  Why would I be nervous about that?

As life goes on...

I got married with a washcloth wrapped around my bouquet of flowers as I walked down the aisle so my hands wouldn't drip water and my wedding gown would stay dry.

At any type of party or social gathering, I always walked around with a beverage full of ice AND a napkin wrapped around it.  This way I could try to dry my hands, and if I had to shake hands maybe they would appear cold because of the ice on the sweaty glass.

Ever tried to hold a friend's baby or even your own with sweaty hands and then hand them to someone who says "oh, I think they have wet their clothes and need a diaper change".  No, sorry, that was from my sweaty hands.

Going to church, I kept a paper towel in my bible so I could dry my hands during the service.  The worse part of all, when the pastor would ask us to stand up and shake hands with someone near us and welcome them. Ugh!  If you didn't it was rude, if you did it was embarrassing.

I made it through radiology school by constantly drying my hands.  Do you know what happens to x-ray film when you touch it with wet hands.  Not good.  Films stick together and it leaves a mark that could interfere with interpretation by a radiologist.  Once my instructor told me, you can't have wet hands.  Well duh, I get it. Luckily today, most film based departments are digital.

Afterwards, I got a job in healthcare and had to wear latex gloves often (to give injections or sterile situations, etc).  I tried to use medical gloves that had kind of a tight wrist or even had a powder in them because if I ever held my hand up above my head - a stream of water would just run down my arm.  I wish I had a photo or a video because I could literally take off these latex gloves and pour the water out of them.

Even if I was able to keep my hands dry, they were usually freezing cold.  Do you know how many times I've been told, "Wow, your hands are ice cold"?  I would just smile and say "That means I have a really warm heart".

Well, today I have warm hands AND a warm heart.  Ironically, on Valentines Day, February 14 of 2000 I flew to Houston, TX and had ETS Surgery performed by Dr. David Nielson.  

I ran across this procedure on the internet after following several forums and doing a lot of research.  At that time, there weren't but a handful of physicians in the US even performing this surgery.  I remember my mom asking that I please not do this because it was so new but I was ready for a change.  I was put to sleep with wet hands and when I woke up they were dry and have been dry ever since.  Life changing!  I became a different person, more confident, more outgoing, less stress, less anxiety, my career grew, and my relationships grew.  Dr. Nielson's office was great, the same day surgery was quick and you show up the next morning for a follow-up visit before boarding a flight and heading back home.  My chest was a little sore and I couldn't laugh but that certainly didn't keep me from smiling.  

It's not just me, ETS has been a miracle for others as well.  As I was looking through my notes before writing this, I ran across an email that I received in July of 2000. I have no idea who these folks are but the wife (not named for privacy reasons) had written me a thank you letter. She writes "I hold you responsible for us finding Dr. Nielson.  I hold you responsible for my new husband, I could go on and on about the ways he has changed, the ways his life has changed, but I won't because I'm sure you feel the exact same way.  What I'm trying to say is thank you, thank you for my new husband".

In full disclosure, I do have slight compensatory sweating but I'll take that any day.  My feet sweat some (not bad), but who shakes feet?  And I'll occasionally have some sweating on my chest or abdomen, not bad at all.  Knowing what I know now, would I do it again?  Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.  Life is great!

Larissa Green 

28 yr old man enjoys dry face and warm/dry hands after Micro ETS

Imagine having Cold/wet hands --> becoming Warm and dry

14 yr old girl now has warm and dry hands following Micro ETS.  Everything she touches feels so different now, quite pleasing to her.  She had wet-cold hands all of her life until Micro ETS.