Patients know the struggle well: a dripping forehead before an important event, moist armpits as soon as the morning commute begins, or wet palms right before a big business meeting.
Sweating is a normal part of life, but not all sweaters are the same. In certain environments, some people sweat much more than them should and certainly more than they want. While many people can remain relatively dry even in hot and stressful situations, others may have genetic conditions or underlying causes that cause them to sweat excessively.
Fortune spoke to Dr. Maral Skelsey, clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center and director of the Dermatologic Surgery Center of Washington, who says there is a “Goldilocks of sweating,” or a normal range in which most people fall. She also explains what questions to ask yourself if you suspect you’re on the other end of the sweating spectrum – and what you can do to alleviate the worst symptoms.
“It really is a recognized problem,” she says Fortune.
What is excessive sweating?
Sweating, our body’s secretion of water and salt, helps regulate our body temperature, especially when a person is physically active or experiences high temperatures. When we feel stressed, causing our heart rate and blood pressure to increase, our glands may also produce sweat. That’s why we tend to sweat before a competition or presentation.
However, some people are more sensitive to sweating than others and in conditions where the body does not need to cool down. Hyperhidrosis is the pathological condition of excessive sweating, which is defined as sweating more than is necessary to regulate your body temperature, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“These are people who sweat so much that they have to change clothes several times a day,” Skelsey says. “A child may not be able to hold the handlebars of a bicycle or hold crayons without getting everything smeared.”
Common symptoms of hyperhidrosis include frequently feeling beads of sweat on your skin, having damp clothing, and sometimes excessive body odor. Primary hyperhidrosis can be genetic and often affects a specific part of the body, usually the armpits, feet, face, back and hands. Secondary hyperhidrosis usually manifests after age 25 — often at night and affects the entire body — and is caused by an underlying condition, such as Parkinson’s, menopause, thyroid problems and diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
How do you know if you sweat too much?
Skelsey says you can ask yourself a few key questions to determine if you’re sweating too much, and to figure out the best way to go about it.
First, where do you sweat? If the palms of your hands and soles of your feet sweat so much that you slip, you’re probably sweating too much, says Skelsey.
“Does sweating hinder your daily activity? Are you thinking about not going to a social event or not dating because you don’t want someone to hold your hand?” says Skelsey. If you answer yes, these are signs that something is wrong.
And finally, are you sweating in an environment that does not meet the need to cool down? ‘It’s hot in New York in the summer. Subways are busy. There are a lot of people in a subway. It’s quite a physiological response,” she says. But pay close attention to the environment you are in and whether the sweat matches the conditions. “When you’re in a restaurant where it’s 68 degrees and you’re the only one sweating, there’s a disconnect in the environment,” she says.
What can you do if you sweat too much?
It is important to see a board-certified dermatologist who can help manage excessive sweating or treat the condition that causes it. Whether you’re diagnosed with hyperhidrosis or not, there are ways to address a level of sweating that’s making you feel uncomfortable.
“There are ways to reduce your physiological sweating so that it doesn’t affect your professional or social life,” says Swelsey.
Simple things you can do include carrying around a personal fan, wearing lighter clothing, and applying deodorant daily. You can also wear a prescription clinical-strength antiperspirant on dry skin at night, along with a deodorant during the day, says Skelsey. The antiperspirant doesn’t have to just go on your armpits. It can be applied to other very sweaty areas, such as your back.
Dermatologists may also recommend anticholinergic agents, a series of medications that block a neurotransmitter responsible for sweating, and glycopyrronium wipes, a topical treatment for underarm sweating. The FDA has also approved Botox to treat excessive sweating, and in the most extreme cases there are surgical procedures such as removal of the sweat glands.
However, Skelsey cautions that medications that reduce sweating have side effects such as dry eyes and mouth, and that a medical provider should ensure that the benefits outweigh the costs.
The end result? Although sweating is normal, excessive sweating may have deeper underlying causes. But there are ways to manage the condition so you can still live your best life.
