Excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis. This condition happens when you sweat more than your body needs to regulate your temperature. Sweating can happen at random moments when you wouldn’t expect it, while at rest, in chilly weather, or both. The overworking of your sweat glands leads to hyperhidrosis. If you’re looking for answers to “why do I sweat so much on my face,” and want to know how to stop excessive face sweat and know the causes and treatments of sweaty palms, continue reading this blog.
Types of Hyperhidrosis
Principal focal hyperhidrosis: Focal hyperhidrosis is a long-term skin disorder. This disease results from a genetic mutation. You can also inherit it from your birth family. Usually, it affects your face, hands, feet, and armpits.
Secondary generalized hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating brought on by a medication side effect or an underlying medical condition is known as secondary generalized hyperhidrosis. Diabetes, Parkinson’s illness, and prescription medications are a few examples. Severe face sweating as you sleep is a possible symptom of generalized hyperhidrosis.
Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis
The main symptom of hyperhidrosis is sweating. When you sweat, you may feel:
- Wetness on your skin
- Damp clothing
- Beads of fluid dripping from your cheeks or forehead
- Itching and inflammation when sweat irritates your skin
- Body odor, which occurs when bacteria on your skin mixes with sweat particles
- Cracked or peeling skin on your feet.
Affected Areas
- Armpits or underarms
- Soles of your feet
- Palms of your hands
- Forehead and cheeks
- Genitals
- Lower back.
The most common location on your body to experience excessive sweating is your hands causing sweaty palms.
Triggers That Cause Sweating
Sweating helps your body cool down and keeps you from overheating. Your surroundings may contain some triggers that encourage excessive face sweating and your sweat glands to secrete more sweating, such as:
- Emotions such as tension, fear, anxiety, or hesitation.
- High humidity levels or warm weather.
- Physical exertion or action.
- Specific foods and drinks, such as those that are heavy in protein, sweet, fatty, spicy, or involving alcohol or coffee.
Speak with your doctor if you suffer from hyperhidrosis symptoms and if you take any medicines. Until your doctor advises you to stop taking the medication, don’t do so.
- Medical Conditions that Cause Sweating
- Acromegaly
- Tuberculosis
- Anxiety
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease or heart failure
- Hyperthyroidism
- Menopause
- Obesity
- Parkinson’s disease
Which Tests Diagnose Hyperhidrosis?
A healthcare provider may do a starch-iodine test, paper test, blood, or imaging test to determine the cause of hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis Management
The best course of action for treating hyperhidrosis depends on the area of the body afflicted, the severity of the condition, and your own choice of treatments. You can select the most effective treatment options with the assistance of a dermatologist or healthcare provider:
At-home hyperhidrosis treatment
- Using antiperspirants and deodorants. Antiperspirants work by sealing up sweat glands so your body stops producing sweat.
- Showering or bathing more often.
- Wearing breathable clothing. Choosing clothing that’s breathable and more absorbent, like cotton, can help you feel more comfortable if you sweat.
Hyperhidrosis medications
- Anticholinergic agents (glycopyrrolate and oxybutynin)
- Antidepressants
- Beta-blockers
- Medicated wipes
- Aluminum chloride gel.
Talk to a healthcare provider about the side effects of the medication they prescribe before taking them.
Hyperhidrosis Treatment: Therapy and Surgery
If your symptoms don’t improve with at-home treatment and/or medications, your healthcare provider may recommend more specialized therapies like Iontophoresis, botulinum toxin injections, or microwave therapy. When other treatments don’t work well, and your symptoms persist, your doctor may consider surgery like endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or sweat gland removal.
Conclusion
Primary focal hyperhidrosis is a treatable condition. To help you manage your symptoms of sweaty palms, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan. When an underlying problem is resolved, the excessive sweating that was caused by it may stop. The underlying cause of your sweat will determine the course of treatment for secondary generalized hyperhidrosis. If you want proper treatment for, “why I sweat a lot on my face,” and think it is a side effect of a medication, consult your doctor. They will decide whether you can reduce the dosage or switch medications.
