Conquer Hyperhidrosis: Effective Home Remedies and Advanced Treatments for Excessive Sweating

If you sweat excessively, you might have a condition called hyperhidrosis, which means more sweating than usual. This condition can be localized, affecting just one area of the body, or it can affect your whole face and body. While sweating is a normal response to a rise in body temperature or feeling anxious, excessive sweating can make you feel embarrassed and can impact your work and relationships. But don't worry, because if this is affecting you, you've come to the right place.

In this blog post, I'm going to take you through two different options for treating and managing excessive sweating. First, we'll look at ways you can help yourself at home, and then we'll explore some more specialist treatment options you might want to consider if home treatments don't seem to be working for you.

There are several ways you can help yourself at home. The first option is using antiperspirants, which reduce sweat production. Antiperspirants are slightly different from deodorants. While deodorants are designed to remove and mask unpleasant smells, they don't actually reduce sweating. So, it's important to look for antiperspirants when you're buying something from the store, not just deodorants.

If regular antiperspirants don't control your excessive sweating, a strong antiperspirant containing aluminum chloride is usually the first line of treatment. Anhydro Forte and Dryclor, which are roll-ons, and Odaban, which is a spray, are typically sold in most chemists or online and are usually available on prescription from your GP in the UK. To get the best result from an antiperspirant, you should apply it at night to clean, dry skin so that it can work overnight when sweating is at its least. If your skin is wet when you're applying the antiperspirant, it might cause burning and discomfort, so make sure your skin is dry. Apply the antiperspirant every evening for the first week or two, then it usually only needs to be applied every few days to keep your sweating under control.

It's important to know that antiperspirants may cause irritation. To reduce the chances of this happening, use it for the shortest amount of time possible. If you're finding it too irritating or troublesome to your skin under the armpits, stop using it and speak to a pharmacist about some potential alternative options.

Next, think about the clothes you wear. Absorbent underlayers like cotton t-shirts or wicking fabrics can help with excess sweating, and sometimes you can purchase adhesive absorbent underarm pads for clothing from your pharmacist. Loose-fitting clothes made of natural fibers also help. Consider the colors of clothes you wear, as some colors show sweat more than others. White and black are better than blue, for example, so you might want to think about this when choosing your wardrobe.

If sweaty feet are your main problem, you might need to change your socks and shoes during the day. Try to avoid tight-fitting shoes such as boots or sports shoes, and natural leather shoes are generally better. Try to have a few different pairs of shoes so you can rotate them, allowing each pair to dry out. Absorbent insoles can help reduce the smell caused by excess sweating, and you should change these every few months.

Anxiety can play a role in excessive sweating. If this is the case, relaxation techniques and counseling can help. I've included some links in the description box of this video to some great resources, such as meditation apps and yoga videos, that you might find helpful.

If you've tried many of these self-help measures and they don't seem to work, and sweating is still bothering you, don't worry. There are still options available, but you might need to see your doctor. The doctor will assess whether there might be an underlying cause for your excessive sweating and may start treatment or refer you to a skin specialist, called a dermatologist.

In terms of more specialist treatments, the first option they may recommend is aluminum chloride, which is an antiperspirant. The doctor can prescribe stronger preparations of aluminum chloride than you get over the counter. Apply it at night only to dry skin. Sore, red skin is a common problem, especially if used on wet skin when you first start using it. Avoid shaving the area shortly before or after to reduce the risk of sore skin.

Another medicine called glycopyrrolate, which you rub into your skin, can reduce sweating in areas such as the scalp, forehead, and armpits. New treatments are being developed in the US, including wet wipes with a type of anti-sweat drug, although these are currently not available on the NHS.

Other specialized treatment options include passing a small electric current through areas of skin immersed in water, used for the armpits, palms, and soles. I've included a link to a patient information source with more information on this in the description box of the video if you'd like to read more about it.

Anti-cholinergic drugs are another potential option. These block the nerves that set off sweating and come as tablets. A dose is taken that is sufficient to reduce sweating without causing too many side effects, such as dry mouth, blurred vision, tummy cramps, constipation, and sometimes difficulty in passing urine. Small doses are typically used first and gradually increased. If this is the treatment option you go for, it's important to weigh up the risks and benefits because it does come with side effects.

Botulinum toxin, derived from bacteria, which you may know as Botox, can be injected into the skin to block sweating. This treatment usually works very well and is widely available privately but is rarely available on the NHS in the UK. The effect usually lasts 2 to 6 months, although some patients may continue to benefit for 12 months, and the treatment can be repeated. However, it's not commonly used in the palms and soles because it can cause temporary weakness of the hand and foot muscles and is also painful.

Miradry is a new treatment that uses controlled microwave technology to destroy sweat glands without surgery. However, it is not usually available on the NHS in the UK.

As a last resort, there is an operation to cut the sympathetic nerves that trigger sweating. This may be considered for localized sweating when other treatments have failed. It's most useful for severe sweating of the palms and face but is a major operation performed under general anesthetic and carries several risks, including nerve and lung damage during surgery and risks associated with general anesthetic. Additionally, many individuals develop compensatory sweating, where you sweat at other body sites, sometimes more severely than the original problem, and it's very difficult to treat. It's crucial to be fully aware of all potential risks and side effects before going through with this surgery, and you'll likely need counseling both before and after the surgery.

Other medication options, such as beta-blockers and medicines to control anxiety, may also be useful in some patients.

Finally, I must point out that this post has been created as a general educational resource only and should never replace individual medical advice from your own doctor. If you'd like to share any tips that you've personally found useful to help others, please do so in the comments section. And if you're looking to scale your medical brand on YouTube or are interested in sponsoring our videos with your products, feel free to book a consultation with us.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, take care!