CAUSES & REMEDIES FOR EXCESSIVE SWEATING

Everything you need to know about how to treat excessive sweating

CAUSES & REMEDIES FOR EXCESSIVE SWEATING

Sweating is our body’s way of cooling us down when we overheat. When we exert ourselves, visit hot climates or even a hot yoga session. Sweating, in most cases, is expected and completely normal. Here are the three main functions of why we sweat:

- Regulates our body temperature when we get hot
- Protects vital organs from overheating
- Maintains homeostasis (37C) - the temperature that your body works best at

WHAT IS EXCESSIVE SWEATING?

So what does excessive sweating mean? Excessive sweating is your body sweating when it does not need to cool down. A common condition, it happens as a reaction to medication, in response to a health condition, or for seemingly no reason at all – even when we’re not hot.

WHAT CAUSES EXCESSIVE SWEATING?

There are two main types of excessive sweating – primary and secondary. Each has different causes. Primary hyperhidrosis is hereditary, and often a relative will have the same or similar condition. Other than genetics being at work, there are often no obvious causes. This is normally localised to the hands, feet and face.

Secondary hyperhidrosis, however, has many known causes – heart disease, diabetes, obesity and anxiety being a few of them. This type of excessive sweating affects the entire body.

Hyperhidrosis can also cause night sweats. The effects are very similar to secondary hyperhidrosis, but happen whilst you’re asleep.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

No matter how it’s caused, knowing how to stop excessive sweating and how to apply treatments can lend a helping hand when you need it most. Thankfully, if you are sweating excessively, there are many things you can do – from changing the clothes you wear, to your diet, to pharmaceutical and medical solutions:

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

1. WEAR LOOSE, ABSORBENT CLOTHING

Wearing loose-fitting clothes (like oversized T-shirts) can help to minimise the signs of hyperhidrosis. Socks and sweatbands also help to absorb moisture and are easily changeable throughout the day. Generally choosing breathable materials like cotton clothing over non-breathable materials can also help. This applies to bed too. If you experience excessive sweating at night, make sure all your bedwear is as breathable as possible and perhaps open a window to circulate cool airflow.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

2. STAY COOL

Trying to stay as cool as possible may also help to reduce sweat levels. In really hot weather, keeping a fan near you may help, as well as staying out of direct sunlight. Keeping your skincare products in the fridge can also help as these will have a cooling effect when you apply them to your skin.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

3. AVOID CERTAIN FOODS, AND TAKE UP OTHERS

Staying away from certain foods that you know may increase sweating levels is also sensible. Decisions to avoid spicy food (normally containing capsaicin) and alcohol may help to keep sweat levels manageable. Caffeine also increases sweating due to its impact on our adrenal glands. Conversely, there are some foods that can help with excessive sweating. Antioxidant-rich olive oil and calming green tea are good things to start with.

Eating smaller meals is smart too. Eating smaller and more frequently requires your body to generate less heat as part of the digestion process.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

4. PHARMACEUTICAL SOLUTIONS

Beyond practical solutions, there are over-the-counter solutions available too, via your local pharmacy. Most will be able to offer sweat pads to place in particularly sweaty areas (like underarm areas), offer prescription-free tablets (like sage) and very strong antiperspirants.

Upgrading from a deodorant to a strong antiperspirant is a small but effective adjustment. Explore our range of NIVEA Antiperspirants to find the one perfect for you.

Try a strong antiperspirant like our NIVEA Derma Dry Control Antiperspirant Deodorant Spray, which is great for helping cover up unwanted odours for 96 hours.

Using an antiperspirant blocks your sweat ducts, meaning you sweat - but it doesn’t reach the surface of your skin. Whereas deodorant doesn’t affect sweat levels, it just makes that sweat smell nicer.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

5. APPLY ANTI-PESPIRANT BEFORE BED

The effects of a good antiperspirant may take some time to be seen. We recommend applying antiperspirant at night as sweat levels tend to be lower. We tend to sweat less at night as our bodies are less active, so this is the perfect time for the ingredients to take effect on the sweat ducts and limit sweat levels.

PREVENTING EXCESSIVE SWEATING

6. LONG-TERM MEDICAL SOLUTIONS

For severe excessive sweating, which is hard to manage, beyond practical and pharmaceutical solutions, there are some longer-term excessive sweating treatments available. As excessive sweating comes from your sweat glands, these can be treated medically. Doctors may decide to treat glands with iontophoresis – a gentle electric current via a wet pad that shuts down the sweat gland temporarily.