lady wearing a towel holding her hands up

How To Stop Sweaty Hands

There's no need to suffer from sweaty palms anymore. Discover what causes sweaty hands & the 5 quick ways to help stop it at NIVEA.

Why do you have sweaty hands and how to stop it

There’s nothing more frustrating than waiting for a job interview, about to shake the interviewer’s hand and realising your hands are wetter than the River Thames. Or even worse, when you’re finally going on that first date, and your hands are a living, breathing water fountain of sweat. All that pampering and prepping - and for what?

But don’t worry, we feel your pain. We’ve been there and got that all-important damp T-shirt - and we have answers! We’ll tell you why we get sweaty hands and 5 ways to stop sweaty hands from occurring. 

Why do we get sweaty palms?

The million-dollar question that can be answered with 2 explanations. Firstly, getting sweaty palms is very common, and both women and men can suffer from it.
man relaxing on the sofa

When you’re feeling nervous

It mainly occurs when we’re feeling nervous, in a stressful situation or are overly excited. This is because the sweat glands that are connected to our sympathetic nervous system are mainly in our hands, forehead and feet. So when we get in an anxiety fuelling situation, those sweat glands suddenly kick in causing clammy hands. But try not to worry - it’s perfectly normal and is just our body’s natural response to adrenaline rushes and a faster heart rate, but it won't cause body odour.
lady touching her sweaty hands while wearing a towel

A medical condition

The second explanation is much rarer, and which only a small proportion of people suffer from. This condition is called Palmar Hyperhidrosis, and it’s when a common problem such as sweaty hands becomes more severe. You can either have this condition from birth, or it can develop as you grow older. If you’re worried that you might have Palmar Hyperhidrosis, then contact your GP and they’ll advise you on the best treatments.

Five ways to stop sweaty hands

Now we know the cause of sweaty hands, we can actually try and remedy the situation. Although there’s no sweaty hands cure, we’ve got five quick and easy ways to help stop your hands getting clammy:
Sweaty palms can not only be an annoyance, but it can also add to the stress that you’re already feeling. That’s why if you feel like you suffer from anxiety, it’s really important to open up and try to get help for it. Anxiety is much more common than you think, and getting help can also prevent clammy hands arising in the future!
lady doing yoga exercises to calm her sweaty hands
Five ways to stop sweaty hands

Calming exercises

Try to relax by taking deep breaths and thinking positively about the situation, this will help calm nerves and anxiety. Discover our tips on how to reduce feelings of stress here.
lady with a blue purse to carry hand sanitiser with her
Five ways to stop sweaty hands

Carry a hand sanitiser

A simple but effective way to stop sweaty palms is to prep your hands. It’s normal to feel a bit nervous before an interview, a date or a meeting. So that you don’t have to worry about sweaty palms, apply some hand sanitiser to cleanse your skin and keep them cool.
lady washing her sweaty hands at the sink
Five ways to stop sweaty hands

The power of water

Stressing about our hands sweating can sometimes make us stress and sweat more. With a sink usually being nearby, there is always a solution for sweaty palms close at hand as you can put your hands and wrists under cool water to cool down. Don’t use soap every time you wash the sweat off your palms as this can dry them out.
couple with sweaty hands on the beach
Five ways to stop sweaty hands

On-the-go solutions

With alcohol-based hand sanitisers and cloth handkerchiefs, there are no excuses to keeping hands dry, fresh and confident while you are out and about so you can give your hands a quick dab with a tissue.
man kissing ladys hands
Five ways to stop sweaty hands

Use corn starch or baking soda

Patting a little bit of corn starch or baking soda on your palms can help reduce the sweat.

Which NIVEA products can help to stop sweaty hands

Keeping pores and sweat glands clean is essential when treating sweaty and clammy hands. Try to avoid shower gels with high amounts of added oils – better use cleansing shower gels such as NIVEA Love Fun Times Shower Gel that treat your skin with a refreshing scent. This shower gel also contains cranberry antioxidants and helps to balance skin pH.

For around the house, soaps such as NIVEA Rich Moisture Soft Hand Wash help to cleanse and care for your hands.

An antiperspirant is a must-have item for your handbag. A roll-on like NIVEA Dry Confidence Roll-on is particularly comfortable for using on your hands.

Preventing sweaty hands through your diet

Although like we previously said, there is no cure for sweaty hands. There are still ways you can help prevent clammy hands arising through what you eat. 
  • Reduce your intake in highly processed foods and refined sugars - these foods can generate more heat than others because they make it harder for your body to digest.
  • Stop the spice - we all love a bit of spice in our lives but foods that are spicy, such as chillies and peppers will naturally cause your body to heat up.
  • Cool your body down with milk or yoghurt - any calcium-rich food or drink can help relieve your heat.
  • Hydrate with water - bathe in it, wash your hands with it, but most importantly - drink it! Staying hydrated will naturally cool your body down.
fruit and vegetables to help reduce sweaty hands