IamA Sufferer of Hyperhidrosis (I sweat too much!) Looking to spread some awareness of this 'silent disability.' Ask Me Anything!

Would an air conditioned suit help?

Holy cow. WHAT IS THAT MADNESS. I want it. Of course it would probably help with the sweating, but in summer is would give me some awesome bragging rights.

10 brownie points to the guy or gal who finds where I may buy this masterpiece.

The company that makes them is Kuchofuku in Japan. They cost $138 plus shipping. If you've got some DIY skills, try making your own with this guide: http://www.instructables.com/id/air-conditioned-shirt/

Edit: The guy in the guide says his batteries last a week!

10 BROWNIE POINTS TO THIS GUY/GAL (Delete as Appropriate)

Who'd have known that starting an AMA might improve quality of life

Well, that makes me feel all the better! :P

(sweating intensifies)

HA!

CoolShirt does this.

AAaaaaand 10 brownie points to you too! :D Thanks!

I'd like to know more about the brownie points!

They are a whole lot more valuable than reddit gold, except you can't see them, or use them in any way, making them invaluable.

Here, have 50, because I said so.

If it's summer wouldn't you be sweating non stop anyway? and adding running air over the sweat on your body I assume would make you cold in a bad wet/cold way

True... I may have to rethink this haha!

I tend to sweat a lot myself, specifically my armpits. Summers are brutal for me. Do you have a recommended deodorant that has worked best?

I don't suffer hyperhydrosis, but I AM a very sweaty man - I've found odaban works a treat (though it did mean trimming my armpit hair for a pit).

You apply a little once every dew days and while it can be a little uncomfortable I'll be damned if that stuff didn't stop me freaking out about summer/clubbing while I was at uni!

I regret not having a bookcase to PM you, but getting back on topic, Odaban has always rated highly with hyperhidrosis sufferers. :D

I did some reading around before I bought it and the hyperhydrosis sufferers' reports were what swung it!

I'd been using Mitchum roll on, but frankly it wasn't cutting it (hairy pits means less got to my skin), and some days it got so bad I took to wearing underarmour with socks shoved in the pits underneath a loose shirt. It worked, but when the socks fell out during a 'meeting' with my then SO it was utterly mortifying...I thought I'd look into more practical solutions after that!

Ah, experiences with a SO, god I have had plenty of them! Still, 6 years on, we just make light of it all now!

Well, to be honest I am still trawling through the many different companies, trying to find which one suits me best. In the past I have always tended to 'Right Guard' but lately that hasn't been doing me any favours. After this current can is finished I am going to try 'Vaseline's Active Dry' and see if that works haha!

I know it's been said, but CertainDri is the ultimate fix. I wear a bulletproof vest and multiple cotton shirts year-round on the job, and that stuff straight-up ended my embarrassing pit sweats. Lasts for weeks after the first few applications. I can not stress enough how well it worked for me. I wear deodorant now (Axe Phoenix) just because it smells so damn good.

I must admit, it is what most of you Americans are suggesting over on our subreddit. I myself use Driclor at the moment, which works in the same way. However, I think once it runs out I shall give CertainDri a go. :)

Ya right guard is what I am using now and it has worked pretty well. I made a huge mistake one day and got an Unscented off rand deodorant. Didn't work at all. Idk what I was even thinking get an unscented one anyways.

Oh, I know how you feel on that one! I am just glad it wasn't such a warm summer last year. I have managed to stay on top of things for the most part, but there are odd awkward days.

Go to your doctor. They can give you a prescription one that you use once a month, then use regular. It's the only thing that works and I wish I didn't wait so long to do it.

Yup, that's exactly what I do. I use Driclor myself, which one do you use?

Have you explored the option of surgery? Your form seems to be more broad than mine so I'm not sure if there's the same option but my story is below for anyone interested.

Tl/dr – I suffered from pedal hyperhidrosis, had ETS surgery with great success and highly recommend it.

I had this same condition except mine was more specifically Pedal Hyperhidrosis, meaning it was localized to me hands and feet. It was really socially crippling growing up with this condition and was always and is always hard to explain to other people. Imagine hands so sweaty that you literally can’t turn a doorknob, can’t write on paper without it curling up, having your hands swell to twice their normal size during activity, always having to use the Madcatz controllers at friend’s houses so you don’t ruin the good ones, etc… etc….  Any event where I knew a handshake was necessary I would dread for days, in general avoiding any activity where contact would be necessary.

At some point during my freshman year at college I thought enough was enough, there has to be some sort of solution. After some research I discovered Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, “a surgical procedure in which a portion of the sympathetic nerve trunk in the thoracic region is destroyed”. I contacted my parents health insurance to see if it was something that was covered, it was 2008 at the time, I was told it would be covered under insurance until the end of that year at which point it would be considered cosmetic and no longer covered. Contacted a surgeon in Indianapolis, Indiana who was one of the few doctors I could find at the time performing this type of surgery and immediately set up an appointment. It took all of one minute with the doctor for him to diagnose that I indeed had the condition and scheduled the surgery for later that month. It was honestly just nice to finally talk with someone who fully understood the condition and the impact it can have on everyday life. Wow, instant and complete relief from sweaty hands and a reduction in my feet. There is most definitely what they call compensatory sweating and I can definitely go into more detail if there’s a desire. Most importantly none of the compensatory sweating comes anywhere close to the discomfort that the sweaty hands brought me. This turned into much more of a wall of text then I intended, I would love to answer any questions or expand on anything further if there’s any desire.

I must admit, I know very little about the procedure. However, I know the guys & gals over on /r/hyperhidrosis would probably love to know more, if you ever have the time to visit us! :)

I myself have thought about having the treatment, but for now I am happy as I am. Perhaps, if I get too irritated by it all, I may look into something more serious.

I was unaware of the sub until today. I will definitely stop by and share my story!

That would be awesome! See you there! :D

My family has this. I don't know the exact genetics of it, but both my cousin and sister had injections in their wrists to seal off the sweat that would cause their hands to be slimy like an eel.

It was very localized to their hands, in this case, and it made it almost impossible to open doors, caps, you name it.

Have you heard of or considered something like this? I believe the injections were Botox... Strange as it sounds.

I have heard of the botox before, and I have spoken to quite a few people who have done the same. Personally, I am not very keen on the idea of injections into my hands every so often.

I know that it is probably better than what I am using, but I am happy with life as it is, so I'll stick to what I know for now haha! :D

Created an account just to post on here and help you guys out. I have hyperhidrosis and have been affected by underarm sweat for years. I have tried everything from otc products to drysol to glycopyrrolate [anticholinergic/works same way as clonidine (source: pharmacy student)]. Nothing was good enough. I didnt wanna try ETS cause it can cause some severe side effects. Botox can be painful and expensive. I heard about MiraDry. Its a non-invasive procedure that burns away sweat glands in the armpits using electromagnetic energy. The only side effects are swelling or hair loss. It is not covered by ins so it was $3000 for 2 procedures (which results in a permanent solution for hyperhidrosis). It has changed my life. Have you guys heard about it?

I have heard about it once or twice, though I do not know if it is available in the UK. I shall have to see what I can find out.

Also thanks for creating an account just to post here! Makes me feel special! :P

Is it worse in stressful situations or is it just the same all the time?

It gets a lot worse in stressful situations. This is why so many people struggle to live with the condition. I myself try to maintain a happy attitude. However, for many others it is a very tough thing to do.

I tend to look upon it as living 'the game of life' on a harder difficulty setting to everyday folk. That way, I can feel proud of getting this far without too much trouble. It just makes life easier to live. :D

I can imagine a really horrible cycle of stress=sweat=more stress=even more sweat.. and so on and so on. I think your attitude to this is amazing but I really feel for others that aren't as positive as you!

You nailed it. That's why I try to be as positive as possible over on the subreddit. I try to maintain weekly posts highlighting the more light-sided aspect of things, so that hopefully, though maybe not for a large amount of time, I can make others feel a little better about themselves!

i had it bad in my armpits. I had a few botox injections (insurance!) and it helped IMMENSELY. My confidence increased exponentially, which cut down on sweating after i stopped getting treatments. I also went on an anti-anxiety medication, which has also helped. I'd recommend looking in to that as well.

Well, you certainly aren't the first to suggest it! Perhaps I shall give it a go!

Have you tried Botox for the underarm sweating? Worked well for me, lasted about 12 months before starting to fade back to normal. The first time I was able to get insurance to pay, but the past couple of treatments I had to pay out of pocket - $600.

I have thought about it, however I feel that currently I am happy with just the topical treatments. While they aren't 100% effective, it's enough to put it at the back of my mind.

Out of interest, after the botox treatment, did you suffer from any 'compensatory sweating?' I have heard from others who have found this to be an issue.

I didn't notice any. I noticed the sweating in other areas more, like the lower back and crotch, since I wasn't constantly aware of my underarm moisture. But those areas are probably just on the high end of normal.

By the way, what clothes have you found to help conceal? I turned to sport boxer briefs and never looked back after 2 brutal weeks of a business trip to Manaus, Brazil in the Amazon rainforest with cotton boxers.

Boxer briefs, can confirm, I use these. I usually tend to wear a lot of jumpers, though in the summer it is more darker clothing, mainly a lot of black. I know that is one of the worst colours (or shade, whatever the heck it is) to choose in hot weather, but it does the job for when I am out an about.

That in the the South West of England, summer doesn't really exist except for maybe a week or two!

I'm in Texas and I also do a lot of black and white polyester polos, mostly. Colors or cotton are just an invitation for big pit sweat marks.

I quite agree. Still, it makes clothes shopping a whole lot easier!

Cup half-full.

I suppose now I think about it, that's quite true.

Begin the reddit debate on black being good or bad for hot weather, all over again!

Oh god no! I have enough people to answer as it is! :P

Hello! I myself have hyperhidrosis as well (hands, armpits, feet). I can say it is not fun at all to have. I found that the topical treatments do not work for me, although Drysol helps a bit. I have now gone through my second round of Botox injections which last around 3-4 months. I have thought about doing the sympathectomy for my upper body, but decided not to in fear of compensatory sweating. I'm hoping something more effective with less risk will come out in the future. What are your opinions on the current treatment available today?

In regards to most treatments I have tried, they have been for the most part very helpful. However, as you say, I hope for a treatment with less risk involved with show it's face. While I am currently happy re-applying medical antiperspirants, it'd be nice to have on singular treatment to stop it altogether without much risk.

Do you enjoy the comedian Lee Evans?

I can see where you are going with this, I am pretty sure the guy suffers from the same condition. Also yes, I do very much enjoy his humour. :D

Hi! Do you suffer or have suffered from bouts of dehydration due to all the sweating?

Sometimes, mainly when I am doing a lot of physical activity. Though I guess compared to everyday folks I drink quite a lot of water. To me it seems normal, but maybe that is not the case!

Have you seen Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog and if so what are your impressions of Moist?

Oh yes! He is my hero. :P

On a serious note though, I guess would say it is a bit of an unfair interpretation, however, you look at all the recent news from Paris, and honestly I really can't complain. Any publicity is good publicity right? :D

Do you have any issues with your feet at all due to the sweating?

I suppose the only issue I really have is that I find it very difficult to wear flip-flops. I just slip out of them after a few minutes. So you can imagine how hard it is to go on holiday to a hot country and have to walk to the local shops!

I sympathize. I used to wear Birkenstock sandals which had sort of a cupped heel, not flat, like flip-flops. In some situations where I was nervous and sweating, I would involuntarily fill those heel-cups with just enough perspiration that when I took a step my heel would lift up and set down in the resulting heel-puddle, squirting out little jets of sweat to the side. Not a tsunami but sometimes noticeable and always embarrassing. Now if I ever do wear sandals, I wear socks (to soak up the sweat), which opens you up to even more ridicule and shame...

To be honest, I mostly just steer away from flip-flops and sandals altogether when I can!

Have you considered transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy?

I had hyperhydrosis of my palms for my entire life. At 33 (two years ago) I had TES surgery after trying lots of other stuff. I never did botox because its painful, expensive, and is not permanent. I did try topical antiperspirants and I took Robinol in pill form for years, which made a slight difference but left me constipated, with hemorrhoids and intestinal bleeding.

I also bought a rather expensive Iontophoresis machine. You submerge your hands or feet into pools of water daily for 15 to 30 minutes and it sends and electrical shock through your body. I had to crank it up to the point where it was slightly painful where the surface of the water met my skin, but it improved my condition slightly. It was not fun to do every single day. You are supposed to eventually be able to only do it once a week but my case was too severe and I never got there.

For the TES surgery, they go in under your armpits, blow your lungs out of the way and clip your sympathetic nerve next to your spine. It instantly stops the palm sweat. There are some side effects though. I find it quite manageable, but my torso sweats much more than it used to. Basically, I have to wear some sort of undershirt all the time, even when wearing a t-shirt, otherwise I may sweat through. If I'm sitting and relaxing, I'm not sweating anywhere, but if I have to stand for long periods of time, I start to sweat, especially above my abs and below my chest. My quality of life has improved immensely though (I can use touch screens and shake hands) and it was well worth it for me personally.

Study the side effects and talk to people who have had it to see if it is the right thing for you. For me, it was life changing.

Oh yes, over on /r/hyperhidrosis we discuss some of these at great length. I personally finding living with the topical treatments to be managable, but I am thinking of trying out the iontophoresis route in the near future, just to see if it makes any more difference.

Generally I find that I follow the 'wounded healer' (I think that is what it was called) archetype, whereby I feel a lot better about my condition by helping others going through the same situation as myself. I suppose that is why I am doing this AMA haha!

Has the constant sweating gotten in the way of living your life in any way?

It has had it's inconveniences yes. I got heavily bullied in school because the constant sweating caused me to have severe acne. Here's an amage to prove that! That combined with the notion that it was incurable, lead me down a rather depressive route. Still, I got out of that part of my life.

Now, the only inconvenience is watching the awkward look on someone face if I shake their hand and my palms are sweatier than normal. That and I had to wear gloves whilst doing drawing work at uni!

Ahhh the gloves OP...... When I was in uni, we'd have to wear latex gloves in the chemistry lab...... My God it was terrible. First it would take like 5 minutes to put the damn glove on because they just stick to your skin. Then when you'd take the glove off, it would be full of sweat.... so gross. Fuck I don't miss that!

Ah, I was lucky enough to just have cotton gloves for drawing work. (I purchased them for myself, because of all the smudging/ paper destruction!)

As a fellow megasweater, I ask you this with total seriousness, have you ever used the expression "I'm sweating like a pedophile at a Wiggle's concert"? I guarantee it is the instant icebreaker for pardoning your sweatiness.

I must admit, the closest I have heard was 'sweating like pedo in a playpark.' I prefer yours, and I am sooo going to use it. Thanks! :P

Thanks for sharing. I've been dealing with excessive sweating for about 2 years now, as a side effect of an anti-anxiety medication. There was a lot of googling about hyperhidrosis before I realized it was the medication that caused it. I'm still taking it for now, but it's helpful to understand the reason my face is so sweaty after a 10 minute walk to work.

Here's my question - you seem like you have a pretty good attitude about this and deal with it relatively well. It's hard for me to not get self conscious and feel so gross in the gym when I'm dripping all over the treadmill.

How do you stay positive and not get down on yourself? Thanks for doing this AMA!

Well, honestly, it all goes back a few years to when I was in school. I suffered from severe acne on top of the sweating. It caused me to suffer from a huge amount of bully, school-wide. (I became somewhat of a side show.)

That road lead to the ever so common 'attempted suicide' moment. Luckily, I backed out last minute, realizing my stupidity. It was after that moment I vowed to stay happy and confident, no matter what. I had faced the worst, and it could only go up from there. Nowadays, giving helpful advice to people such as yourself helps me cope greatly with the condition.

I always look at my condition as 'living life in hard mode.' Much like a video game, I feel proud knowing I am accomplishing something with a bit of a handicap. It is that thought that keeps me up when I feel down.

Hope that helps! :)

How do you deal with the sweating during sleep?

Honestly, I just let it happen. I'll be lucky if I don't wake up in the morning feeling damp, but it tends to ease off overnight. I guess you could say I am used to it, so it doesn't affect me too much! :)

I don't know about you but If I wake up in the middle of the night for some reason I start to get extremely cold (especially during the winter months) because my whole body is just covered in sweat. :( I hate this condition so much.

I know exactly how you feel, as I experience the exact same thing. It's not a pleasant thing to live with at all. However, because I see it as something I just have to live with, I look at it like living live on a harder difficulty setting than everyone else. It's something I can be proud of, knowing that I am beating it with a smile on my face as I go. :)

Living in a tropical climate, where we don't have A/C in most homes tends to not help the night sweating. I found taking a cool-to-cold shower really helps if it is terribly bad. I am not sure if I have that condition but I sweat a lot just not on my feet or hands to the point I feel slimey. I also get flushed in my face a lot to the point where people always mention how red I am. Have you ever heard of this being associated with your condition?

It can be associated, though I am not too sure. I'd suggest heading over to /r/hyperhidrosis and asking there, they have a lot more knowledge than me alone!

Hey I suffer from this as well. I sweat a lot in my hands and feet. Proof: http://imgur.com/6VAKH8r

I just woke up, drinking some coffee, and redditing and that's what my hands and feet are doing.

I don't really have any questions for you OP. But since I have to, can you imagine how a handshake would feel between the two of us? I've never been on the receiving end of a sweaty hand shake.

Now that is an interesting question. To be honest, I have never met anyone in person who has suffered from the condition. So the thought of a sweaty handshake with someone else is something I have yet to experience! Perhaps it would cause a world-ending event?

Coffee is always a killer for me, which is a shame, because I enjoy it. :/

What is the most effective treatment for your hands you have come across?

Personally I have used this company for my treatment of my hands. The product I use called: Forte Max Hand Spray.

While it stings and irritates the first few times you apply it, it has really worked miracles for me!

I have sweaty hands when I consciously think about them. After they start sweating the only way it "turns off" is when I completely forget about it. With this product, are there any long term side effects?

I've been using it for just over 2 years now, and so far no issues! It irritates and itches a bit at first, but that tends to ease off after the first few applications. :)

I dated a girl with hyperhydrosis once. It wasn't a problem for me, but has it affected your love life at all?

Initially yes. However, for me, I have been with my current girlfriend for almost 6 years now. In terms of discussing hh with my girlfriend, it came up in conversation much like that with my friends. I think the key point to make here is that she was accepting of me even with my hh. Unfortunately, there will always be those out there who do not understand, and that is a hard reality to face. Personally, if you are in a relationship where they see your hh as a negative, then I do not see it as love. (That seems a bit harsh, but that's my opinion, I see love as total acceptance of one another.)

Now, a big issue I see coming out of palmer hh and these sorts of relationships is the obvious one. Holding Hands. I'll be honest, me and my gf rarely hold hands, for obvious reasons, it makes both of us a little uncomfortable. (Others may disagree.) My view on this is simple; why should holding hands be the only significant sign of affection? If you love each other, I don't see why holding hands has to be such a big deal! Here's something me and my gf do, it's weird, but we think it's awesome. We invented a new high five. We just use the backs of our hands as opposed to the palms. It looks weird, but hey, it's our thing, and it brings us closer together! :D

Do you ever tell people in real life you have it, if you hear them talking about you or something like that?

Oh yes. It even got me my job! After they shook my hand and gave me a weird look, I explained the condition to them, and how I now look at it as an opportunity to prove myself as opposed to something that brought me down.

A day later they called me and told me my story was inspiring, so they hired me. :D

Otherwise I always tell people I suffer from it. That way I feel less fearful of it, and build up my own confidence!

Have you tried clonidine for the excess sweating? i used to sweat like a pig, even if it was 15 degrees F outside. It made walking to class in college horrible. I recently started taking clonidine (not for this purpose, but it is used for it) and its stopped my excessive sweating in its tracks.

I can honestly say I haven't heard of that one! I shall have to take a look. Thanks buddy! :D

What about during your sleep? What happen at night?

I still sweat at night, though not as much as during the day. This time of year (winter here in the UK) it isn't much of a problem, but in summer, it can be very irritating waking up to a damp bed.

Yup, I can see how people are going to judge that last sentence... :P

I have just been diagnosed with hyperhidrosis and I sweat like a bitch at night (uk also). I have tried changing aging duvet/bed clothes etc but nothing helps. I have tried sleeping naked and wearing pj's. Makes no difference. I often find that I sweat more when I am cold though which is confusing to me. Any advice?

Well, first up, I'd suggest you check out some of the treatments available, (this post here over on /r/hyperhidrosis sums them up really nicely.) to start with. They should hopefully make things a bit more manageable.

I suppose the best bit of advice I can give to make sure you don't let your Hyperhidrosis rule your life. Unfortunately it is very irritating, but the less you think about it, the easier things become.

As for the bedding situation, we are both in the same boat. At the moment I haven't found a real workable solution, but I'll get some research done in my free time and see what I can find out. :)

I sweat almost every night too, but I don't think I have your affliction. Is there a way to tell? I do also sweat a lot more than the average person and at a lot lower temperatures.

I'd say it's always a good idea to see your doctor, just to check and see. Some people sweat more than others, but if you think you sweat more than the average joe, it's always worth a check. :)

This time of year (winter here in the UK) it isn't much of a problem, but in summer, it can be very irritating waking up to a damp bed.

Have you tried adult diapers?

I was waiting for a comment like this. I am glad I wasn't disappointed. :P

Do products like "Sweat Block" have any effect on you?

I have tried similar products, and they tend to work rather well. Currently I use a combination of over-the-counter treatments and a prescriptions. They seem to do the trick for now! :)

Does it bother you that in fiction, your condition is usually applied to villains and characters made to be despised?

I wonder if you are referring to Sherlock? When Magnussen mentioned that his hands were clammy because of 'a condition' I jumped out of my seat and proclaimed that I was in the same boat. (Oooor, I have the complete wrong reference here.)

It doesn't bother me too much, and any publicity is good publicity I guess! I can't imagine a hero swinging a sword at his nemesis only to have it fly out of his hands because they are too sweaty! :P

Hi, I had an acquaintance in college who suffered from constant sweating. Though I'm not sure what her specific condition was, I know that the sweating was much more persistent and extensive than normal. She had a procedure done which (to the best of my knowledge) severed some kind of sweat-communication line in her underarm glands. I wish I could remember more about the procedure. One known side effect of the procedure is reduced fear.

Have you heard of a procedure like this?

Yes, I believe I have. If I recall, it is ETS surgery. To be honest, I'd call it a last-resort treatment. It usually works by cutting those communication lines via the spine, which as you can imagine, is rather dangerous.

While I have heard it does completely stop the sweating in certain areas, the body tends to compensate. So I have heard plenty of stories from people who have had this surgery who claim that while one part of their body stops sweating, a new areas starts to sweat in it's place. Isn't the body a wonderful thing!? :/

Do you find the idea of 'clinical strength' deodorant kind of insulting? I mean just as a marketing term, it seems really embarrassing for a customer, and I wonder if you think it would sell better if it had a different name?

Sometimes it does cross my mind, especially when the majority of them are no-where close for this condition! (I do have a good ol' laugh at the 48 hours of dryness adverts!)

I could easily say that it would be nice if it had a different name, but then again, I have no idea what else they'd call it!

How many over the counter products have you tried before getting treatment? I do have a tendency to sweat more under my arm pits. The only thing that bothers me is I will get cold extremely easily and so more layers = more sweat. I've thrown away a couple of shirts because of sweat stains that I couldn't get out. It's hard to find a good doctor in my area or it'll be one of those long distant ones. I know Tom's is a good brand but they don't have a strong scent to them. Most "clinical strength" deodorants made by the big brands are a joke, and it seems the smaller brands do work..

I know what you mean, sometimes I feel like I should be on the testing program for big brands! I also agree, smaller companies seem to work better for me.

I have tried many off-the-shelf products, as well as a couple of over-the-counter products. I tend to use this company to help stop the sweating, then apply deodorant just like any other average joe. :)

Do (or did) your feet or any other areas get extremely dried out from sweating all the time? My SO has it and her feet are cracked to hell and frequently bleed from her itching them so much, have you heard of anyone had success in fixing it without using the botox treatments?

I can honestly say that I have never experienced the dryness side of things. Though it is interesting you mention that, because my mother suffered from dry skin, whereas I was the total opposite.

I myself use this company to by my treatments. While they don't stop the sweating entirely, it helps a lot. I myself am not too keen on the botox route!

what's the most extreme HH treatment?

I would say that it is the ETS surgery. It involves severing the brains communication links to the sweat glands via the spine. It can be a dangerous operation, and for the most part, when you stop the sweat in one area, it appears in another.

The only other example would be a chap who has applied thin amounts of cement to their hands to help dry them out. Not something I'd currently recommend!

I used to sweat a lot on my face and my hands, and get really red all the time like when you are shy, the real problem here was the getting red all the time. So I had the operation that would stop the redness and hand sweating, by clipping something under both of my armpits. It stopped the redness and the sweating on my hands and on my face. It was a simple operation as far as my doctor told me, the recovery was really fast, like 10 or 15 days.

It's been one year since, turning red now is really rare and never as red as i used to get, my hands don't sweat anymore, I don't know why but I don't sweat on my face anymore, so thats a plus. I noticed that I started to sweat on new places like on my back and on my chest, but only when I'm really hot, not like all the time like my hands used to. Getting this operation was one of the best things of my life.

Great to hear that it worked for you! :D

I am 25 and have had an excessive sweating problem my entire life. It can be cold outside and I'll sweat through a tshirt in minutes. My hands are always sweaty, which is why people get fist bumps instead of hi5s (makes them think I'm a douche). My back literally drips... All the time. I just thought I was weird. Didn't know there was an actual issue that caused it.

What's the best way to treat this? I've tried changing diets, exercising more, less sleep, more sleep... Nothing works.

Edit: the worst time for me is at night. If I'm cold I get bundled up in blankets and wake up in a pool of sweat. If I'm hot I throw blankets off so I sweat more, then get cold, then cover up, and sweat even more.

Well, to start with I'd say this guy over on our subreddit has summed up the various treatments quite nicely. (Here's the link to that post.)

While as far as I am aware there is no 'total' cure, many treatments exist to help counter the sweating. I myself use this company to buy my treatments, and they work for me.

I know what mean about the high fives. At 22 I can relate to that one! Between my close friends, I usually give high fives with the top of my hand as opposed to my palm. Yup, it is weird as hell, and makes people laugh, but it gets the job done! :P

I have hyperhydrosis too! It sucks having this and being a senior in high school. It also sucks fearing to be in a relationship because I got sweaty hands 98% of the day. What's the best product out there that can help with the sweating?

Well, I use a spray product called 'Forte Max Hand Spray' by this company. That's what works best for me anyway! It tends to vvery from person to person, but most people seem happy with it. :)

I went through a huge amount of bullying at school, due to severe acne and sweating. However, don't take it to heart as I did, it makes things very difficult. Just keep smiling! The less you think about it, the easier it becomes. :)

By how much would you win a Sweating Contest with a "normal" person?

Well, for me personally, I sweat quite a bit moire than the average joe. My hands are always clammy at their best, and my underarms generally reach a dripping stage in hot weather. However I have it quite mildly compared to some sufferers out there, who'd win by the bucket load!

Do you ever get blisters on your ankles due to sweating?

Very rarely, yes. Nothing massive, just the occasional small ones. :)

My teenage daughter has this. She gets very self conscious about her pits and her sweaty palms. What can she do?

Well, I'd say first off, pop on over to your local doctor. While there are many such as myself who can give advice, usual I go with the idea that they usually know what's best!

That aside, personally for me this company supply treatments that I find very useful. Honestly, the first step is to try not to focus on it. The more you dwell on it, the more self-conscious you will feel about it. I myself try to make light of it all, and take my mind off it that way.

Hope this helps. :)

Several months ago, i've read on a magazine about the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate and how it set a precedent to indirect warfare among candidates. Essentially, Nixon had sweating problems and asked for the debate room's temperature to be lowered. Kennedy's team knew that - and managed to increase the temperature back again as soon as the debate started. As a result, Nixon ended up sweating on live camera, causing him to lose the debate and subsequently the election by an insanely small margin. The same article also mentioned sweating as adding value to a candidate's image in less-developed countries such as brazil - the idea being it associates the candidate to hard work, to the point where candidates sprayed glycerin on their faces to make it look like they were sweating during debates.

As someone with hyperhidrosis, have you found any differences on how hyperhidrosis is perceived among different cultural contexts?

Thanks in advance!

Now, that is an awesome question, but to be perfectly honest, it's not something I have looked into! My apologies for not having a fully loaded answer here, however I am certainly going to come away from this and do some serious research.

Certainly here in England, being sweaty is perceived much like you have described it iin regards to the Kennedy-Nixon debate. However, it did get me my job! The first think I did after I shook their hands was explain why I was sweaty, to put things a bit more at ease. (Mainly for myself.) They called a day later and hired me, thereafter asking me many more questions about the condition!

Aren't you afraid that all those aluminium-based anti-perspirants will give you alzheimer's or worse?

I'll be honest, it hasn't really crossed my mind. All I can say is that I like to live life in the now. Time will tell if these products will have a later effect on me, but for now, I am happy. :)

That's good. I have it too but just my armpits. But I just suffer and wear dark clothes because I'm too scared of the aluminium risk.

That;s completely understandable! As long as you don't let your hyperhidrosis rule your life, then there is plenty to smile about!

I also suffer from this and regularly wake up with dripping wet hands and feet so can I just say thanks for promoting knowledge of this condition.
Is there anything you cannot do or struggle to do because of your condition?

My pleasure! I suppose me and my SO rarely hold hands, despite being together for many years now. It doesn't bother me, we just agreed it would make things simpler.

I did struggle with drawing work at university, and opening bottles/jars is always a pain the arse, but otherwise I guess so far I have been lucky. :D

No offense OP...but IS this considered a disability?

Technically no, you are right there. (Though I guess some sufferers woulds disagree with me.)

It is a term I have seen thrown around a bit on forums on the condition, so I figured in the spirit of helping promote awareness, it seemed fitting.

I can however see how some would see it that way. I have heard plenty of stories where sufferers have had to retake exam papers, purely because their sweaty hands have ruined the paper.

So I apologise if the statement caused offense, I did not mean it that way! :)

No offense really, was just more curious, I sweat excessively due to Hyperthyroidism but never really considered it anymore than an inconvenience.

To be honest, that's a very similar mindset to what I take!

42 Comments (43 now) Still, just taking this moment to highlight the meaning of life...

Were you fat in the past?

Nope. Despite my DNA being rather mean to me and making me sweat all the time, I have managed to stay fit and healthy. Short, yes, fat, no.

Disability? That's stretching it...you sweat to much big fucking deal loose an arm or feeling from the waist down...now you have a disability. You are such a bitch

True, and I know exactly where you are coming from, it is nothing comparable to loosing a limb. Still, it is a term that has been thrown around a lot on forums for the condition, and in the interests of promoting a bit of awareness, I saw it appropriate to use here. My apologies if you disagree, and if I have caused offense.