Medically reviewed by Dr. A.M. van Coevorden, dermatologist
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)More sweat than your body needs.
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating: the body produces more sweat than it needs to cool down. It usually stays limited to the armpits, hands, feet or face. The cause is usually unknown; the symptoms often start in puberty and can last for years. Hyperhidrosis is harmless, but it can strongly affect daily life, and more can be done about it than many people think.
What is hyperhidrosis?
Sweating is a normal bodily function: it cools you down during heat, exertion or tension. With hyperhidrosis the body produces far more sweat than that requires. It usually concerns specific areas, especially the armpits, palms, soles and face, equally on both sides. Sometimes the whole body sweats too much. The impact is often greater than outsiders think: wet hands when shaking hands, visible sweat patches or soaked socks can cause a lot of insecurity.
How does hyperhidrosis develop?
In most people there is no underlying cause; doctors then speak of primary hyperhidrosis. The sweat glands themselves are normal, but are driven too strongly. This form often starts in puberty, runs in some families and is usually absent at night. Sometimes excessive sweating is the result of something else, such as a thyroid condition, the menopause or certain medicines; that is called secondary hyperhidrosis. That form often affects the whole body and can also occur at night.
What can you do yourself?
Wash the areas that sweat heavily regularly with little soap and dry them well. Use an antiperspirant with aluminium salts rather than just a deodorant. A stronger aluminium chloride solution, available at the pharmacy, is applied in the evening to clean, dry skin and washed off in the morning; once it works well, less frequent use is enough. The solution can irritate the skin. Wear airy clothing made of natural materials and change clothes and socks regularly.
A deodorant only masks odour; an antiperspirant reduces the sweating itself because aluminium salts temporarily close off the ducts of the sweat glands.
When to see a dermatologist or doctor?
Have your symptoms assessed if antiperspirants don't help enough and the sweating affects your daily life. The dermatologist has several options: prescription aluminium chloride, iontophoresis for hands and feet (a treatment with a weak electric current through a water bath, which can often be continued at home after a starting period), botulinum injections for the armpits, and in some cases tablets. Surgery is a last resort with drawbacks of its own; the dermatologist will discuss honestly what suits your situation.
Please note
Does the excessive sweating start suddenly later in life, do you also sweat heavily at night, or are you losing weight without reason? Then see your GP: an underlying cause needs to be ruled out first.
Frequently asked questions
Is heavy sweating always hyperhidrosis?
No. Sweating with heat, sport, tension or spicy food is normal, and the amount differs per person. Doctors speak of hyperhidrosis when you structurally sweat more than needed to cool down and it bothers you in daily life.
What is the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant?
A deodorant only masks the smell of sweat. An antiperspirant contains aluminium salts that temporarily close off the ducts of the sweat glands, so you genuinely sweat less in that area. With hyperhidrosis, an antiperspirant is therefore the first step.
What can a dermatologist do about excessive sweating?
More than many people think: a stronger aluminium chloride solution on prescription, iontophoresis for hands and feet, botulinum injections for the armpits and in some cases tablets. The treatment is tailored to the area and the severity of the sweating.
Does hyperhidrosis go away by itself?
Primary hyperhidrosis usually lasts for years, sometimes for life. The symptoms can be reduced considerably with the right treatment, from antiperspirants to iontophoresis and injections.
When should you see a doctor about excessive sweating?
If self-care doesn't help enough and the sweating limits you, the dermatologist can treat it. See your GP if the sweating starts suddenly later in life, affects the whole body, also occurs at night or comes with weight loss or fever: an underlying cause needs to be ruled out first.
Sources and more information
- Hyperhidrosis (nvdv.nl)
- Behandelrichtlijn Hyperhidrose (richtlijnen.nhg.org)