Excessive sweating is common and can affect the whole body or just certain areas. Sometimes it gets better with age but there are things you can do and treatments that can help.
It's normal to sweat if you get hot or do exercise, but you may be sweating excessively if you're sweating when your body does not need to cool down.
Excessive sweating can happen for no obvious reason, because of another condition you may have or as a side effect of a medicine you're taking.
wear loose-fitting clothes to minimise signs of sweating
wear socks that absorb moisture and change your socks at least twice a day if possible
wear leather shoes and try to wear different shoes day to day
do not wear tight clothes or synthetic fabrics – for example, nylon
do not wear enclosed boots or sports shoes that may cause your feet to sweat more
do not do things that might make your sweating worse – for example, drinking alcohol or eating spicy food
You can see a pharmacist about excessive sweating. You can buy things without a prescription, such as:
If there's no obvious cause for your sweating, and nothing seems to be helping, then you may be referred to a specialist (dermatologist).
They may recommend other treatments that you can try, such as:
Visit Hyperhidrosis UK for more information on available treatments.
If your sweating is caused by another condition, any treatment you may need will depend on what's causing it.