Excessive sweating — also known as hyperhidrosis — is a nightmare for anyone who suffers from it. It can cause discomfort, embarrassment, and disruption to your life on a daily basis.
We’ve gone through this. We created Duradry because we’ve lived with excessive sweating, so we know from first-hand experience what it’s like to try everything we can to stop it.
Most blog posts online will list out every possible treatment under the sun, but in this guide, we’ll tell you what’s really effective for stopping excessive sweating — and shine a light on the tactics that you shouldn’t waste your time on. By the end, you’ll know exactly what does and what doesn’t stop body sweating.
What Causes So Much Sweating?
When your body overheats, sweating is how it cools down. Your nervous system signals your sweat glands to start working. In hyperhidrosis, certain sweat glands work overtime for no apparent reason and produce sweat that you don’t need.
Excess sweating may be triggered by a number of different issues. Low blood sugar, pregnancy, thyroid issues, medication, and menopause are just a few possible causes of excess sweating. We also distinguish between two different types of hyperhidrosis, primary and secondary.
Hyperhidrosis can lead to social anxiety and embarrassment, but almost all cases of hyperhidrosis can be treated.
Sweating and Sweat Glands
Sweating is essential to human survival, and we have between two and four million sweat glands located all over our bodies. Both types of sweat glands — eccrine and apocrine — are activated by your nervous system. The brain sends a message to the appropriate areas of your body, and your sweat glands function in response to triggers like:
- A rise in body temperature
- Hormones
- Strong emotions
- Exercise or physical activity
Eccrine
Eccrine sweat glands can be found on the foot soles, palms, forehead, cheeks, and armpits. Eccrine glands secrete a clear, odorless fluid that helps your body control its temperature through heat loss by evaporation.
The type of sweat generally involved in hyperhidrosis is eccrine sweat.
Apocrine
Apocrine sweat glands are found in the armpits and genital area. Apocrine glands produce a thick fluid that produces the characteristic potent body odor when it comes into contact with bacteria on the skin’s surface.
Types of Hyperhidrosis
While everybody sweats after a workout or on a hot day, hyperhidrosis (hi-pur-hi-DROE-sis) is excessive sweating that is not necessarily related to heat or exercise.
There are two different types of hyperhidrosis — primary and secondary.
Primary Hyperhidrosis
Primary hyperhidrosis, also known as “essential” or primary focal hyperhidrosis, is the most common reason for excessive sweating. This type of hyperhidrosis occurs without any underlying medical condition and the cause for the patient’s overactive sweat glands remains unknown.
Primary hyperhidrosis typically occurs in localized areas like:
- Hands
- Feet
- Head/Scalp
- Armpits
- Under Breasts
- Groin
Primary hyperhidrosis symptoms may also be triggered by stress, caffeine, spicy food, exercise, hot weather, or other situations.
Secondary Hyperhidrosis
This is a variant of hyperhidrosis related to other medical conditions, and it sometimes happens due to diabetes, thyroid issues, nervous system disorders, and/or infections. It can also be caused by hot flashes in menopause and low blood sugar levels.
In each of these cases, hyperhidrosis causes extreme perspiration around various body areas, from underarm sweating to sweaty feet, back, and even other regions. Naturally, with secondary hyperhidrosis, you should be looking to address the underlying health condition. But in either case, you’ll still want to control the sweating — and this blog will tell you which tactics work to stop perspiration and which ones you can ignore.
How to Stop Hyperhidrosis?
Overactive sweat glands are the culprit of hyperhidrosis. Different treatments for excess sweating block sweat glands through various means.
Treatment options for hyperhidrosis include:
- Antiperspirants are the first option. For most people, a dedicated hyperhidrosis solution like Duradry will control their excessive sweating.
- Botox injections use botulinum toxin to shut down the nerves that activate your sweat glands.
- miraDry uses microwaves to destroy your armpit sweat glands for good.
- Iontophoresis (electric currents) can shut your sweat glands down for several days.
- Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS surgery) cuts or clamps the nerves leading to your armpit sweat glands.
Try Duradry’s 3-step solution that actually works to stop excessive sweating. Get started for just $25.
What Doesn’t Work to Stop Excessive Sweating
Before we get into the ways you can prevent excessive sweating, let’s address the big misconceptions about hyperhidrosis — and bust some myths around hyperhidrosis treatment options.
1. Thinking That Personal Hygiene Is Enough to Control Sweating
No matter how much you clean your armpits or how regularly you take a shower, excessive sweating will continue to cause problems for you in your daily life.
Good personal hygiene may be helpful for underarm sweat reduction and for preventing body odor because it keeps bacteria from building up in the residual sweat on your body. However, hyperhidrosis is either caused by an overactive nervous system affecting the activity of sweat glands, or by another underlying medical condition. No amount of washing will stop the ongoing heavy sweating caused by hyperhidrosis.
2. Creating Your Own Home Remedies
Over the course of the last decade or so, myths about solving hyperhidrosis have been spread by popular blogs and news sites on the web. If you search for how to stop excessive sweating, you’ll find plenty of recipes for home remedies that claim to offer an effective solution for this condition. But the fact is, none of these are scientifically proven as sweat reduction treatments.
Here are a few of the home remedies for topical applications to look out for:
- Baking soda and lemon
- Coconut oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Witch hazel
- Cornstarch and baking soda
- Sliced potato(!)
Other websites will recommend you drink wheatgrass juice, tomato juice, herbal tea — or eat more grapes. These are harmless to consume — and are actually healthy, of course — but they’re not a proven solution to excessive sweating. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that needs a more robust type of treatment.
3. Relying on Deodorant
Neither conventional deodorants nor natural deodorants have any antiperspirant properties in the mix. So, put simply, deodorant is a fragrance for covering body odor, but it can’t stop perspiration — let alone the excessive sweating caused by hyperhidrosis.
Since a lot of the embarrassment about excessive sweating is due to the perspiration — i.e., the wetness and stains that it causes — deodorants won’t help you here. Some conventional deodorants are alcohol-based, which can actually stimulate sweating after application.
If you're still wondering how to stop excessive sweating, deodorant is not the answer at all.
4. Overapplying Conventional Antiperspirant
If you have been suffering from excessive sweating, it’s likely that you have tried a lot of the conventional antiperspirant brands on the market. It’s also likely that none of these products have actually helped with underarm sweat reduction.
But why? To use an analogy: You might go to the beach on a sunny day, and all your friends are using SPF 20. If you have sensitive skin and burn easily, you need something stronger to stay protected.
Similarly, conventional antiperspirants are not designed for hyperhidrosis sufferers. Either they contain active ingredients that are incapable of stopping excessive sweating, or they contain insufficient amounts of the active ingredients to stop hyperhidrosis.
It can be tempting to overapply antiperspirant to your underarms and other areas of the body, but this doesn’t improve its performance. In fact, overapplication can cause your armpits to be wetter for longer, thus increasing your anxiety and exacerbating the issue of excessive sweating when you leave the house.
Note: Even conventional clinical-strength daily antiperspirants can be ineffective by themselves for people who sweat too much. In many cases, you also need a deep-cleansing wash and something that will work through the night to improve the performance of any antiperspirant that you apply in the morning.
So, What Does Work to Stop Excessive Sweating?
Excessive sweating can be beaten, but it’ll take more than hygiene, home remedies, deodorant, or conventional antiperspirant to effectively manage hyperhidrosis. Here are all the viable options for putting a lid on your excessive sweating. Yes, there is definitely at least one overactive sweat glands cure for you.
1. Using Duradry’s 3-Step Protection System
Along the way, we’ve tried many of the tactics that didn’t work — and this drove us to create a product that actually stops excessive sweating. And going by our awesome customer reviews, it’s clear that all the work we’ve done to make Duradry the very best excessive sweating treatment has not gone unnoticed.
You, too, can experience sweat reduction and total dryness by using Duradry’s 3-Step Solution for excessive sweating:
Step #1: Duradry PM
Duradry PM is an unscented gel that you apply at night before you go to bed. As your sweat glands function to regulate body temperature and remove waste by secreting water, sodium salts, and nitrogenous waste (such as urea) onto the skin's surface, they work at a reduced level while you sleep. This gives the active ingredient (aluminum chloride hexahydrate) a chance to work effectively and block sweat.
Step #2: Duradry AM
Duradry AM is our clinical-strength daily protection against excessive sweating and body odor. It has the maximum permitted amount (20%) of our pure active ingredient, aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex glycine, plus other odor-trapping and high-performance absorbent ingredients. You apply this in the morning on any sweat glands location where it is necessary to block sweat glands.
This product has a light, neutral, unisex scent and comes in a convenient, easy-to-apply stick form. This is also a very budget-friendly option, since it can last for up to 8 weeks, with daily use. This makes Duradry AM one of the most affordable deodorant-antiperspirant product in the market, based on cost-per-application.
Step #3: Duradry Wash
Duradry Wash cleans your pores inside out. Pentafoam concentrate produces a thick, yet easy to rinse foam that effectively eliminates odors by removing bacteria, avoiding infected sweat glands, and moisturizes your skin. It also primes your skin by removing layers of antiperspirant residue and oils, so the ingredients in our products can have full contact. This can improve performance by up to 20%.
Try Duradry’s 3-step solution that actually works to stop excessive sweating. Get started for just $25.
Results
Combined, these products form our FDA-approved 3-step protection system — and more than 97% of users achieve sweat reduction and full dryness within one week of use. You get a quality guarantee, free shipping, and you can cancel your subscription anytime without hassle.
Benefits
Duradry is different from other clinical-strength (and prescription) antiperspirants, because:
- We only source the purest version of the active ingredients from the most reputable pharmaceutical suppliers in Europe. Our recipe is world-class and unrivaled for purity.
- You get more than just a stronger antiperspirant. You get a full protection system that works on your body while you sleep — and helps keep you dry the following day. It's the only solution to stop excessive sweating effectively.
- You don’t need to go out to the doctor or the drugstore — simply order online and we will deliver discreetly to your door.
You can get started for just $25, and if Duradry doesn’t control your excessive sweating, it’s on us.
2. Getting the Basics Right
Aside from seeking treatment, hyperhidrosis sufferers also need to tick the right boxes to ease their experience related to excessive sweating. While these are not solutions, they will make it easier for you to control the symptoms and, together with the right solution, will help stop hyperhidrosis.
Stay Cool
Try to mediate your temperature as much as possible when you’re washing or grooming. Avoid extra-hot showers, and never finish your wash with a hot blast.
Keep It Simple, Product-Wise
Always wait until your underarms are totally dry after washing. Applying antiperspirant on wet armpits will make it less effective, and will keep underarms wetter for longer.
Watch What You Eat
Avoid extremely spicy foods, even if you’re partial to a jalapeño. While hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating even without hot food, it’s best to give them a wide berth.
Mind Your Drinking
Try to reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake to stop excessive sweating. Alcohol can cause your body temperature rise, while caffeine can raise your heart rate and stimulate your sweat glands.
Stay Calm and Breathe
If anxiety is exacerbating your excessive sweating, seek help to address the underlying causes. You might be able to find relaxation techniques or medications that can help you deal with it.
Hydration Is Important
Whenever you are sweating heavily, increasing your water intake will keep you from getting dehydrated and uncomfortable. Drink water and eat water-rich foods to keep your body temperature under control and help stop body sweating.
3. Investigating Your Options for Medical Procedures
There are a few medical options for people with hyperhidrosis, but it’s important to gauge whether they’ll work for you. The reason is that many of these treatments are costly and painful — and not all are permanent. Here are some facts about four available methods that stop excessive sweating: botox, miraDry, iontophoresis, and surgery.
Method #1: Botox Injections
Botox is a toxin (botulinum toxin), and it’s mainly used to help people avoid getting wrinkles in their skin. Botox smoothes wrinkles by disrupting a part of the nervous system, and this can also prevent sweating in the areas where it is injected. So, many people try this as a sweat reduction treatment.
The benefit of botox is that usually it does work, albeit temporarily. But the downsides are:
- It’s costly: Botox injections can cost anywhere between $800 to $1,000, depending on where you live and the quality of provider you go to.
- It’s painful: In order for botox to work for hyperhidrosis, you need to get several injections in each underarm — somewhere between 25 to 50 injections. This is an incredibly painful experience.
- It’s temporary: It only lasts between 4 to 6 months. So, in order to stop excessive sweating for the long term, you need to go back repeatedly — suffering the pain and costs at the same time.
Many of our customers tried botox for excessive sweating before finding Duradry, and are far more satisfied with the ongoing results of our 3-Step Protection System than they were with the injections.
Method #2: miraDry
miraDry uses microwave therapy (thermal energy) to burn off the armpit sweat glands. It’s a very effective treatment in terms of the results, and the main advantage over botox and other alternatives is the fact that it is permanent.
However, there are downsides to undergoing miraDry treatment:
- It’s costly: Microwave therapy with miraDry costs between $2500 to $3500, so while the results are permanent, you do need to have some cash in the bank.
- There can be side effects: miraDry can cause numbness of certain body parts in the region where it was applied. This numb sensation has lasted for up to a year for some patients.
- You need local anesthetic: You need 25 to 50 injections per underarm to numb the area before doing the miraDry treatment itself. Naturally, this is an uncomfortable feeling.
So, while miraDry has been a proven solution to hyperhidrosis for many people, it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Method #3: Iontophoresis (Electric Currents)
Iontophoresis is the process of passing a low-voltage electric current through parts of the body affected by extreme sweating. It's known as sweat reduction machine. It emits a low electrical current through the water, blocking sweat glands over time.
Traditionally, iontophoresis has been used mainly for hands and feet, though there are now machines that target the underarms. However, this procedure tends to be less effective in the armpits.
In order for iontophoresis to be effective, you need to use a machine multiple times per week for 20 to 40 minutes per session. As your sweating levels reduce over time, you can lower this to once or twice a week, which should usually be maintained in order to keep the desired results.
If you’re pregnant, have epilepsy, heart conditions, or if you have metal implants such as a pacemaker or joint replacement, doctors would not recommend this procedure.
Method #4: Surgery to Cut or Clamp Your Sweat Glands (Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy - aka ETS)
Surgical procedures are the last resort for sufferers of excessive sweating. And even when it comes to this point, 80% to 90% say they’re not happy with the results. Conventionally, surgery involved cutting the nerves that control armpit sweat glands. Today, doctors often clamp your nerves so the procedure is reversible.
During ETS surgery, surgeons interrupt nerve transmissions from the spinal column to the sweat glands. ETS prevents these nerve signals from "turning on" the sweat glands.
The downsides of this type of surgery are:
- It requires a general anesthetic - you need to be put to sleep.
- Recovery can be lengthy and painful.
- All surgery involves risks to the patient.
- Many potential side effects, including compensatory sweating elsewhere on your body.
Final Takeaways: How to Stop Excessive Sweating Right Now
The disadvantages of undertaking medical procedures for hyperhidrosis are the costs, inconvenience, and discomfort. Even if you do have enough money in the bank for botox, miraDry, or surgery — the administrative burdens and painful experiences are still huge drawbacks to going down this route.
At the same time, home remedies and conventional antiperspirants don’t cut it — and never will. So, when you’re looking to combat hyperhidrosis, you need a solution that is cost-efficient, easy to apply, and most of all — effective against excessive sweating. Duradry’s range of products uses the purest active ingredients on the market, meaning you can achieve full dryness within a matter of days to stop body sweating.
Try our 3-Step System today and stop sweating in a matter of days!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Stop Sweating So Much?
People living with hyperhidrosis are constantly trying to stop body sweating. These 3 suggestions may help you stop sweating and control body odor:
- Wear clothes made of breathable fabric with good ventilation to allow for sweat evaporation.
- Eat smaller meals throughout the day, as digesting big meals increases body heat and sweating.
- Apply antiperspirants at bedtime. Duradry’s 3-Step Solution features Duradry PM that works as you sleep.
How Do the Sweat Glands Work?
Your sweat glands are part of your body’s thermoregulation system. When your internal temperature rises, the eccrine glands secrete water to the skin's surface. As that water evaporates, heat dissipates away and your body becomes cooler.
Without our sweat glands, we would overheat in warm weather or whenever we exercise. But sometimes, our sweat glands get carried away. Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, is a common medical condition which can lead to social isolation and embarrassment.
What Causes Sweat Glands to Be Overactive?
Your nervous system automatically triggers your sweat glands when your body temperature rises. Overactive sweat glands may be triggered by anxiety, spicy foods, medication, low blood sugar, menopause, or a number of other conditions. In cases of primary hyperhidrosis, the cause of excess sweating remains unknown. But while we may never know what causes excess sweating, we know that there are many effective ways to control hyperhidrosis.
What Happens When You Block Sweat Glands?
Apocrine glands and hair follicles can become clogged and unable to clear away dead skin cells. These blocked sweat glands can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which form swollen, painful cysts. This condition, hidradenitis, can occur on the underarms, groin, buttocks, or under the breasts of some women.
Hidradenitis can be treated by a physician with oral medications, draining of cysts, or laser hair removal.
Who Is at Risk for Excessive Sweating?
We all perspire on a hot summer day or during a brisk run, but many people find themselves sweating for no discernible cause.
Sweating easily can be caused by a number of conditions. You are at greater risk for excessive sweating if you have any of the following:
- Thyroid issues, particularly hyperthyroidism
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Neurological disorders, like autonomic failure or small fiber neuropathy
- Prescription medications that can cause excessive sweating, like some antidepressants.
