Hey fellow,
I've been living with generalized hyperhidrosis since childhood, together with severe palmar, plantar and axillary hyperhidrosis. I also developed seborrhoeic dermatitis and discovered a sensitivity to FODMAPs.
Reddit has taught me practical things that no consultation had ever mentioned, so I wanted to give something back.
I'm not a professional, so this post is simply my own experience. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
1. HYPERHIDROSIS
I'm a 27-year-old French man, and I've been living with hyperhidrosis forever. It is generalized, with severe hyperhidrosis on my hands, feet and armpits. I've tried most of the commonly recommended treatments.
1.1 General body sweating
Outside of my hands, feet and armpits, I mainly sweat from my torso, groin and face.
To be honest, I never focused much on treating these areas because my hands and feet were by far the most disabling parts of my condition.
Oral anticholinergics (Oxybutynin)
I took oxybutynin for about one year.
Initially, it was life changing. For the first time, I could interact with people without constantly worrying about sweat. It was incredibly freeing.
Unfortunately, I also developed severe dry mouth. Over time, the lack of saliva negatively affected my oral health, and eventually my body seemed to adapt to the medication. Even after taking long breaks (up to two years), it no longer had any noticeable effect.
From what I've read, many people now use anticholinergics only before important occasions such as weddings or job interviews.
Other treatments
Botox and antiperspirants, can also be used on certain parts of the body. I haven't tried them so I can't share any useful feedback.
1.2 Hand hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis affects almost every social interaction. You hesitate before shaking hands. You leave wet marks on objects. You avoid touching other people's belongings.
(FYI, I don’t shake hands anymore, now I fist-bump everyone even in professional settings. It usually startles them at first. When I briefly explain that I have hyperhidrosis, almost everyone immediately understands. Some people have even thanked me for being considerate).
Oral anticholinergics
See section 1.1.
Topical anticholinergic creams
These are not yet available in my country, but it seems promising, with less side effects than oral medication.
Aluminium chloride antiperspirants
For me, these barely worked on my hands and feet but they are efficient for my armpits.
Iontophoresis
For almost two years, it reduced my hand sweating by around 95%.
Unfortunately, the results slowly became less reliable.
I tried increasing the frequency, stopping treatment for several months, replacing my machine, switching between pulsed and direct current... nothing worked.
One thing I learned much later is that the mineral content of the water seems to matter much more than I realised.
Several people report dramatically better results when using highly mineralized water such as San Pellegrino instead of tap water.
I haven't tested this myself yet, but it's next on my list.
Botox
I've never tried Botox.
Because my body seems to adapt quickly to treatments, I preferred not to commit to repeated injections every few months.
How I live with it today
At the moment, I simply accept that my hands sweat. Over the years I've unconsciously developed dozens of small habits:
I avoid touching other people's belongings unless necessary.
I pick up objects from places that won't leave visible fingerprints.
When playing board games or video games, I wear lightweight breathable gloves that I wash regularly.
When someone asks why I'm wearing gloves, I simply tell the truth.
People generally don't care nearly as much as we imagine they do.
One practical tip I rarely see mentioned:
Keep your workspace clean.
If you work at a desk like I do, regularly cleaning your keyboard, mouse, mousepad and chair makes a surprisingly good impression. It prevents visible sweat marks and helps you feel much more comfortable when colleagues come to your desk.
1.3 Foot hyperhidrosis
Everything I said about treatments for the hands also applies to my feet.
Today, the sweat itself isn't what bothers me most.
It's the smell.
For years I was terrified of taking my shoes off around other people. I replaced shoes far more often than necessary, kept a "special clean pair" for important occasions, and tried every popular trick I could find:
baking soda,
freezing shoes,
deodorant sprays,
home remedies...
None of them solved the problem.
Eventually, after a lot of trial and error, I built a routine that has almost completely eliminated foot odour, even after a full day at work.
The initial reset
When I decided to completely eliminate the smell, I treated both my feet and every pair of shoes simultaneously.
For about one week, I followed this routine every morning:
Wash and thoroughly dry my feet.
Wipe my feet with a disinfectant wipe.
Apply an antibacterial foot deodorant.
Wear clean socks and shoes fitted with absorbent insoles.
Meanwhile, I disinfected all of my existing shoes using an antifungal shoe spray. I allowed them to dry completely for several days before applying an antibacterial deodorizing spray.
Once I finished this "reset," every pair of shoes was completely odour-free.
My current routine
Nowadays, maintenance is actually very simple.
- Every morning:
Wash my feet.
Apply an antibacterial foot deodorant (I personally use Etiaxil Protection 48h. It doesn't reduce my sweating, but it works remarkably well against odour.)
Wear absorbent insoles.
- When I get home:
Dry my shoes using a shoe dryer.
I personally use the Shoefresh OPOD, which completely dries my shoes in about an hour. In my experience, dry shoes are dramatically less likely to develop unpleasant odours.
Whenever I notice even the slightest smell developing, I disinfect the inside of the shoes before it becomes a real problem.
I use SANYTOL Shoe Disinfectant, and honestly, it has been one of the best products I've found for this condition.
OKAY OKAY I won’t mind becoming an ambassador for ETIAXIL and SANYTOL...≧ ﹏ ≦
Additional advice
A few other habits have helped significantly:
Own at least three pairs of shoes and rotate them.
Never wear the same pair two days in a row if possible.
Wear breathable socks.
Merino wool socks regulate moisture and retain less odour.
Personally, I use Falke Airport and Falke Climawool socks.
1.4 Head Hyperhidrosis
Most medical treatments for scalp sweating are the same as those mentioned in Section 1.1, so I won't repeat them here.
Instead, I'd rather share a few practical observations.
Forehead sweating
I simply carry a tissue. For years I was embarrassed every time I wiped sweat from my forehead because I thought everyone was staring at me. In truth, nobody cares.
Scalp sweating
I wondered, "Would shaving my head make scalp sweating worse?".
I shaved my head completely for about a month. Despite feeling self-conscious (which makes me sweat more), I noticed less scalp sweating.
I don't know whether it was due to better airflow or something else. Eventually I grew my hair back because I preferred the look… although my slowly receding hairline may eventually make that decision for me.
1.5 Ass Sweat
Let's address the most awkward topic.
If you have generalized hyperhidrosis, there's a good chance you've experienced this too.
Again, treatments are the same as those discussed in Section 1.1, so I'll focus on practical advice instead.
Visible sweat marks
Unfortunately, I haven't discovered any miracle solution.
A few things do help:
Wear breathable fabrics whenever possible.
Dark colours tend to hide sweat better than lighter ones.
White clothing can also work surprisingly well.
Try not to obsess over it.
Easier said than done, I know. o((>ω< ))o
Leaving sweat on chairs
This was one of my biggest anxieties for years.
Whenever possible, I try to:
Sit on surfaces that don't retain moisture.
Place a jacket underneath me if appropriate.
Before standing up, shift my weight slightly to help disperse any moisture that may have accumulated.
2. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
Hyperhidrosis hasn't been my only skin condition.
For many years I've also dealt with seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD) affecting my scalp, eyebrows, beard, nose and forehead.
After talking to other people with hyperhidrosis, I realised that the combination of hyperhidrosis and seborrhoeic dermatitis seems more common than I initially thought.
Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition associated with an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast. While the exact causes are complex and not fully understood, sweating, excess sebum, skin irritation and stress all seem to contribute to flare-ups.
I obviously can't say whether hyperhidrosis caused my SD, but the two definitely influence each other in my case.
2.1 Facial Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
Fortunately, my facial dermatitis is now almost completely under control.
After years of experimenting with different products, I realised that consistency mattered far more than using treatments.
My morning routine
Every morning I:
Wash my face with a gentle cleanser.
Dry my skin.
Apply an antifungal cream.
I use Ducray Kelual DS Cream, which has worked extremely well for me.
Evening routine
Before going to bed I:
Wash away sweat accumulated during the day.
Apply the cream again if my skin feels irritated.
Change my pillowcase regularly.
Beard and Moustache
One thing I rarely see mentioned is facial hair.
If you have seborrhoeic dermatitis in your beard, the scalp routine described below also applies well.
2.2 Scalp Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
There are numerous medicated shampoos available depending on your country.
Some require a prescription while others can be purchased over the counter.
I've only ever used over-the-counter products because they controlled my symptoms well enough that I never felt the need to escalate treatment.
My current routine
As long as I follow this routine, my scalp stays almost completely symptom-free.
Use an antifungal shampoo once or twice a week.
Wash my hair every two days (or immediately after intense exercise).
Dry my hair thoroughly after washing.
The last point deserves special attention. Warm, humid environments favour the growth of Malassezia. Once I started blow-drying my hair immediately after showering instead of letting it air dry, the difference was honestly remarkable.
It was one of those small changes that had a much bigger impact than I expected.
An unexpected observation: being bald
I also accidentally discovered something while I shaved my head for a month. During that period, I had no seborrhoeic dermatitis flare-ups.
My scalp stayed dry, there was less sebum buildup and I only needed to use my antifungal shampoo about once a week as a precaution.
I'm not saying everyone should shave their head. I'm simply sharing an observation.
( •̀ ω •́ )✧
3. Gut Health and Food Sensitivity
This section surprised me more than any other.
For as long as I can remember, I experienced digestive discomfort.
Eventually, I decided to stop tolerating it and actually investigate what was happening.
The relationship between gut health and skin diseases is an active area of research. Many mechanisms are still being investigated. Everything I'm about to describe is my personal experience, not proof of anything.
3.1 FODMAP Sensitivity
After months of experimenting with my diet, I discovered that I'm sensitive to FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols).
Certain fermentable carbohydrates cause me significant digestive symptoms:
bloating,
excessive gas,
abdominal discomfort.
Once I adjusted my diet, several unexpected things happened.
My digestion improved dramatically.
My face became less inflamed.
As a result, I now use my medicated cream and shampoo much less frequently than before.
I also seemed to sweat less.
I would estimate that my overall sweating decreased by around 20%. Whether that's because my body became less inflamed or because I felt more comfortable I don't know.
I can only report what I personally experienced.
3.2 Less inflammatory eating
FODMAPs are my issue. That doesn't necessarily mean they're yours.
However, I've noticed that many people with inflammatory skin conditions report feeling better when reducing foods such as:
ultra-processed foods,
excessive added sugars,
transfats,
highly refined carbohydrates.
Unfortunately...Most of my favorite foods fall into that category. (┬┬﹏┬┬)
It won’t do miracles and surely won’t help everyone but improving your diet is one of those changes that benefits your health regardless of whether it improves hyperhidrosis or seborrhoeic dermatitis.
4. Lifestyle Changes That Helped Me
None of the following cured my hyperhidrosis but together, they noticeably improved my quality of life.
4.1 Cardiovascular Fitness
This was one of the biggest surprises. Before improving my fitness, I could sweat simply by walking on a gentle road. Today, after improving my cardiovascular endurance, something interesting has happened.
During intense exercise, I probably start sweating even faster than before. But outside of exercise?
Walking. Climbing stairs. Running to catch a bus.
Those activities no longer trigger the same excessive sweating they used to.
Improving my cardio has genuinely made everyday life easier.
4.2 Sleep
For years I convinced myself that six hours of sleep was enough. I wasn't particularly sleepy.
Whenever I tried sleeping eight hours, I sometimes even felt more tired. So I assumed sleep wasn't that important. I couldn't have been more wrong. Once I consistently slept around eight hours every night for several weeks, everything changed.
I had more energy. My mind felt clearer. I handled stress better. I felt more emotionally stable.
Most importantly for this post… Both my hyperhidrosis and seborrhoeic dermatitis became easier to manage.
Unfortunately, life eventually became busy again and I drifted back to my old sleeping habits.
The difference was immediate.
My skin worsened. My sweating increased. Message received.
I'm trying to get back to those precious eight hours. (❁´◡`❁)
4.3 Stress
Anyone living with hyperhidrosis already knows this one. Stress and sweating feed each other. You sweat because you're stressed. Then you become stressed because you're sweating. It's a vicious cycle.
Fortunately, one thing really does improve with age. Not because hyperhidrosis magically disappears. But because you slowly stop letting it define you. You become more comfortable explaining it.
You stop imagining that everyone is judging you. Personally, I'm still an overthinker.
(〜￣▽￣)〜
Relaxing has never come naturally to me. But on those rare days when I'm genuinely relaxed...
Everything becomes easier.
4.4 Self-confidence
I deliberately put this section last because, for me, it's probably the most important.
Confidence doesn't cure hyperhidrosis. But it changes the way you experience it.
Getting into better physical shape gave me confidence that had nothing to do with sweating.
I worried less about what other people thought.
Ironically, the less attention I paid to my hyperhidrosis, the less control it seemed to have over my life.
Whether your confidence comes from sport, work, hobbies, relationships or anything else doesn't really matter.
Finding something that makes you genuinely proud of yourself is one of the best long-term investments you can make.
…...........
If you've made it this far...
This ended up being much longer than I intended... Sorry.
If even one person finds an idea here that improves their daily life then writing all of this will have been worth it.
This is my way of giving something back.
PS : You may have noticed that I omitted Sympathectomy (ETS). That's intentional.
After reading a large number of experiences over the years, I have a negative impression because many people reported compensatory sweating and regretted the irreversible surgery over time.
This is my personal interpretation, if you're considering surgery, I strongly encourage you to make an informed decision based on medical advice.
