Worried about excessive sweating?

For people living with chronic sweating, the cooler weather doesn’t promise an end

With summer ending, many of us are breathing a sigh of relief that the sticky and uncomfortable weather’s coming to an end.

But if you suffer with excessive sweating, pit stains aren’t just an issue on stiflingly hot days – they can strike all year round and have a significant impact on your day-to-day confidence.

Chronic sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, is estimated to affect between 1-5% of the population. So what exactly is excessive sweating, and what can you do about it?

WHY DO WE SWEAT?

Sweating is a completely normal bodily function that happens if you’re feeling hot or taking part in physical exercise. “Sweating is your body’s natural way of cooling you down and controlling your body temperature,” explains pharmacist Navid Sole. “Most sweat evaporates from our skin and takes the excess heat with it, while the rest drips down our face and body.”

We tend to have around three million tiny sweat glands on the body, says Healthspan medical director, Dr Sarah Brewer (healthspan. co.uk), who explains that the most common type are eccrine glands. “These open directly onto the skin surface – especially on the palms and soles of the feet. As well as secreting water and salts during overheating and exercise, they also become active when you are under stress or [experiencing] anxiety.”

It’s a misconception that sweat is smelly. Sweat is virtually odourless to humans – it only begins to harbour that telltale ‘B.O.’ smell when it dries onto your clothes and body and bacteria begins to multiply in the area.

IS SWEATING EVER A ‘BAD’ THING?

According to Dr Brewer, the average person produces around a litre of perspiration per day – and this can rise in hot conditions, or when taking on a sweaty gym class.

While sweating a ‘normal’ amount is an essential body function, sweating too much or too little can be a sign of health issues.

“Unexplained excessive sweating could be caused by anxiety and stress, an over-active thyroid gland or a hidden infection, so if the problem persists or is getting worse, always consult your doctor,” says Brewer.

WHAT CAUSES EXCESSIVE SWEATING?

When it comes to chronic excessive sweating, sweat glands can produce excessive sweat if nerve endings in the area become over-active, but Brewer says exactly why this happens is still a bit of a mystery.

CAN YOU STOP EXCESSIVE SWEATING?

If you are concerned about sweating too much, before speaking to your GP, switching up your grooming routine could help. “For smaller areas prone to excessive sweating, such as the armpits, groin, palms and soles of the feet, try using a powerful antiperspirant containing aluminium chloride hexahydrate or aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex,” suggests Brewer.

“These help to block each sweat gland with a ‘gel’ to reduce the flow of water,” she adds. “Most users find their sweat glands respond after only a few weeks, so they stay fresh, cool and dry during the day.”

For sweating associated with hot flushes, Brewer says sage leaf extracts may be suitable for some people (always check there’s no clash with other medications you’re taking before introducing new supplements to your regime).

Before stronger intervention, doctors usually recommend starting with gentle lifestyle changes, such as wearing natural cotton fabrics like cotton and linen. Brewer says you can also purchase underarm pads that form a layer between your body and your clothes, absorbing excess sweat in the process.