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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor by video can assess the pattern, check for other causes and prescribe treatment; injections and procedures are done in person.
- What it is: sweating more than the body needs to cool down, in one area, such as the armpits, hands or feet, or all over; it affects a few in every 100 people, and most never mention it to a doctor.
- Primary type: the most common type starts in childhood or the teens, often runs in families, and eases during sleep.
- Other causes: sweating all over, at night or starting later in life can come from another condition or a medicine.
- Emergency: call 112 for sudden sweating with chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint.
Sudden sweating with chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint needs 112. Night sweats, sweating with weight loss you cannot explain, or sweating with a fever need a doctor’s assessment soon, as they point to a cause other than primary hyperhidrosis.
Can an online doctor treat hyperhidrosis?
Yes, usually. Hyperhidrosis is diagnosed from the story: where you sweat, when it started, and whether it stops at night. A doctor by video can tell the common primary type from sweating caused by another condition, arrange blood tests when they are needed, and prescribe stronger antiperspirants or tablets that reduce sweating. Iontophoresis, injections and surgery are given in person, and the doctor tells you when they are the next step.
How an online consultation helps with excessive sweating
- The right diagnosis: Primary hyperhidrosis, or sweating from another condition or a medicine: the pattern tells them apart.
- Stronger options: Antiperspirants used the right way, prescription products and tablets that reduce sweating.
- Checks when needed: Blood tests for thyroid problems or diabetes when the pattern suggests them.
- The next step: When iontophoresis, injections or other treatments are worth considering, and where to get them.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation
The doctor asks about:
- Where you sweat: armpits, palms, soles, face or all over, and whether both sides are affected equally.
- When: at what age it started, whether it stops during sleep, and whether you have night sweats.
- Family history: relatives who sweat heavily.
- Other symptoms: weight loss, fevers, a racing heart, tremor, or hot flushes.
- Medicines: any medicine started before the sweating began.
- Daily life: how it affects work, social life, sport and confidence, and what you have tried.
Before the call, note when the sweating is worst, and list the antiperspirants and treatments you have used.
Hyperhidrosis symptoms and types
You may be sweating excessively if you sweat when your body does not need to cool down. Hyperhidrosis can affect one area or the whole body:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What differs | Primary hyperhidrosis | Secondary hyperhidrosis |
|---|---|---|
| Where | The armpits, palms, soles or face, on both sides | Often all over, or on one side only |
| When it starts | In childhood or the teens | At any age |
| At night | Sweating eases, and stops during sleep | Sweating can happen at night |
| Cause | No obvious cause | Another condition, or a medicine |
Primary hyperhidrosis affects about 1 to 3 in 100 people. Constantly wet skin in the folds can lead to chafing, irritated skin and infections, such as athlete’s foot, jock itch and pityriasis versicolor.
The palms are the most common site, and the soles, armpits and face are also common. Primary hyperhidrosis usually starts before the age of 25, and it sometimes improves with age.
How hyperhidrosis is diagnosed
Doctors diagnose primary hyperhidrosis from your story: heavy sweating for at least 6 months without an obvious cause, with at least two of these:
- it affects the armpits, palms, soles or face
- both sides of the body sweat the same
- it happens at least once a week
- you sweat less, or not at all, at night
- it started before the age of 25
- a blood relative sweats heavily too
- it gets in the way of daily activities
If needed, a starch and iodine test, which turns sweaty skin dark blue, or a special paper that soaks up sweat and is then weighed, can measure it, and blood tests look for an underlying cause when the pattern suggests one.
What causes excessive sweating?
Excessive sweating can happen for no obvious reason, which is primary hyperhidrosis, or because of another condition or a medicine, which is secondary hyperhidrosis. Causes of secondary sweating include:
- an overactive thyroid
- diabetes, and low blood sugar
- the menopause, with hot flushes and night sweats; see menopause
- neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease
- infections, including tuberculosis
- heart disease and heart failure, obesity and some cancers
- some medicines, including some antidepressants, steroids, painkillers, insulin and thyroid hormone
- alcohol or drug use
Sweating that is new, sudden, all over the body or on one side only is more likely to have one of these causes than primary hyperhidrosis, and it is worth a doctor’s assessment. Both types can be set off by stress or fear, heat and humidity, exercise, spicy food, caffeine and alcohol.
If sweating is linked with worry or anxiety, support for that can be part of the plan.
How to manage excessive sweating yourself
Do
- use a stronger antiperspirant instead of a deodorant, applied to dry skin at night, after a cool shower
- wear loose-fitting clothes to minimise signs of sweating
- wear socks that absorb moisture, and change them at least twice a day if possible
- wear leather shoes, and try to wear a different pair each day
- try armpit sweat shields, foot powders and a gentle soap substitute
Do not
- wear tight clothes or synthetic fabrics, such as nylon or polyester
- wear enclosed boots or sports shoes that make your feet sweat more
- drink alcohol or eat spicy food if they make your sweating worse
See a doctor if these do not help, if sweating affects your daily life, if it happens at night, if it started later in life, or if you have other symptoms.
Which hyperhidrosis treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on the type of sweating and where it is. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with NHS and dermatology guidance.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweaty armpits, hands or feet | A stronger antiperspirant used at night | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Not enough with antiperspirant | A prescription product, or tablets that reduce sweating | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Very sweaty hands or feet | Iontophoresis | Yes, to assess | To start the treatment |
| Severe armpit sweating | Botulinum toxin injections | Yes, to assess | For the injections |
| Sweating all over, at night or new in adulthood | Tests for an underlying cause | Yes, to assess | For blood tests and examination |
Sweating getting in the way of daily life? A doctor can plan treatment in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for hyperhidrosis
What you can do yourself
- Apply a strong antiperspirant to dry skin just before sleep, after a cool shower.
- Choose loose, breathable clothing, moisture-absorbing socks and leather shoes.
- Keep skin folds dry to prevent chafing and infection.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. When antiperspirants are not enough, the doctor can prescribe tablets that reduce sweating, such as oxybutynin or glycopyrronium, or a cream you put on the skin. These tablets often cause a dry mouth, and less often blurred vision, constipation or dizziness; older people have a higher risk of side effects, so the doctor checks your health and medicines first. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
In-person treatments
Iontophoresis passes a weak electric current through water or a wet pad to treat the hands and feet. Each session lasts 10 to 20 minutes, and repeated sessions are needed; machines for use at home also exist. Botulinum toxin injections reduce or stop sweating in the armpits for three to six months. A microwave treatment can permanently destroy the sweat glands in the armpits in an hour-long procedure, and surgery can remove them. Cutting the nerves that control sweating is a last resort, because new sweating elsewhere on the body is common afterwards.
What does not help
Deodorants mask smell but do not reduce sweating. Tight clothes, synthetic fabrics and enclosed sports shoes make it worse.
Living with hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis can be embarrassing and get in the way of work, social life and everyday tasks, such as shaking hands or writing. It is a recognised medical condition, and treatment can make a real difference, so it is worth seeing a doctor rather than putting up with it.
Special situations
Night sweats
Primary hyperhidrosis eases during sleep, so sweating at night points to another cause, such as the menopause, anxiety, low blood sugar, alcohol, an infection or a medicine, such as some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers. Sometimes no cause is found. See a doctor if night sweats happen regularly, wake you up or soak the sheets, or come with a very high temperature, shivering, a cough, diarrhoea or weight loss you cannot explain.
Heat, holidays and travel
Heat and humidity make sweating worse. In a hot climate, choose loose cotton clothing, apply antiperspirant at night, change socks during the day, and keep skin folds dry to prevent chafing and fungal infections.
Sweating that starts later in life
New sweating in adulthood, sweating all over, or sweating on one side of the body only is more likely to be secondary, and the doctor may suggest blood tests.
Pregnancy
Tell the doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as this changes which treatments are suitable.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When hyperhidrosis is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: diagnosis of primary hyperhidrosis, antiperspirant advice, prescription creams and tablets, arranging blood tests for secondary causes, and follow-up of how treatment is working.
In-person care: iontophoresis, botulinum toxin injections, surgery, blood tests and examination for other causes, and sweating with chest pain or feeling faint.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- sudden sweating with chest pain, breathlessness, or feeling faint or sick
- heavy sweating with pain in the throat, jaw, arms or shoulders, or cold skin with a fast pulse
- sweating with confusion or drowsiness, especially if you have diabetes
Get medical advice the same day for:
- sweating with a high temperature and feeling very unwell
- a racing heart with sweating and tremor
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about sweating: say where and when you sweat, whether it stops at night, and what you have tried.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Excessive sweating can have more than one cause. Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Heat rash can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about hyperhidrosis
What is hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating: sweating more than your body needs to cool down. It can affect one area, such as the armpits, hands, feet or face, or the whole body.
What causes hyperhidrosis?
The common primary type has no obvious cause and often runs in families. Secondary sweating comes from another condition, such as an overactive thyroid, diabetes or the menopause, or from a medicine.
What is excessive sweating a sign of?
Usually primary hyperhidrosis, which has no underlying cause. Sweating that is new, sudden, all over the body or at night can be a sign of another condition, such as an overactive thyroid, diabetes, the menopause, an infection or some cancers, or a side effect of a medicine.
Is it hyperhidrosis or something else?
Hyperhidrosis is heavy sweating in the usual areas, present for years, worse with heat and stress and absent in sleep. Night sweats that soak the bed point to the menopause, an infection, an overactive thyroid or, rarely, lymphoma. Sweating with palpitations, weight loss and tremor suggests thyroid disease; with shakiness and hunger, low blood sugar; with flushing, the menopause or rosacea; and sudden sweating with chest pain is an emergency. The doctor sorts these out by the pattern and blood tests.
What could be causing sudden sweating?
Sudden heavy sweating with chest pain, breathlessness, pain in the jaw or arms, or cold skin with a fast pulse needs 112. Otherwise, new sweating can come from low blood sugar, an infection, the menopause, anxiety, an overactive thyroid or a new medicine, and a doctor can find the cause.
How do I stop sweating so much?
To cut sweating, use a strong antiperspirant on dry skin at night, wear loose cotton clothes and absorbent socks, and avoid triggers such as alcohol and spicy food. If that is not enough, a doctor can prescribe tablets or a cream, or refer you for iontophoresis or injections.
Can excessive sweating be prevented?
Primary hyperhidrosis cannot be prevented, because it is how the nervous system is wired, but the sweating can be kept down: use antiperspirant nightly rather than only in the morning, keep rooms cool, choose loose natural fabrics and moisture-wicking socks, change shoes daily, cut caffeine, alcohol and spicy food, treat anxiety that sets off sweating, and carry a spare top. Secondary sweating is prevented by treating its cause, such as an overactive thyroid.
What is the best antiperspirant for excessive sweating?
For excessive sweating, a strong antiperspirant containing aluminium chloride, applied to completely dry skin just before sleep so it can block the sweat ducts overnight, then washed off in the morning; use it nightly until the sweating settles, then a few times a week. If it irritates or is not enough, a doctor can prescribe other options.
Are there tablets for excessive sweating?
Yes. Tablets such as oxybutynin or glycopyrronium reduce sweating. They can cause a dry mouth and other side effects, so a doctor checks they suit you.
How long do botulinum toxin injections for sweating last?
Botulinum toxin injections reduce or stop armpit sweating for about three to six months, then need repeating; they work by blocking the nerve signal to the sweat glands, take about a week to reach full effect, and are given in person by a dermatologist or trained clinician. They are also used for the hands and feet, where they are more uncomfortable.
When should I worry about night sweats?
See a doctor if night sweats happen regularly, wake you up or soak the sheets, or come with a very high temperature, shivering, a cough, diarrhoea or weight loss you cannot explain. Primary hyperhidrosis eases during sleep, so night sweats usually have another cause.
What is iontophoresis?
A treatment for sweaty hands and feet that passes a weak electric current through water or a wet pad, in sessions of 10 to 20 minutes that are repeated. It is started in person.
Is hyperhidrosis a medical condition?
Yes. Hyperhidrosis is a recognised medical condition, affecting a few in every hundred people, and it is not a hygiene problem or a sign of anxiety, although it can cause both embarrassment and anxiety; it affects work, clothing, relationships and confidence, and there are effective treatments, from antiperspirants and tablets to injections and iontophoresis.
Can an online doctor treat hyperhidrosis?
Yes, usually. A doctor can assess the pattern of hyperhidrosis, arrange tests if needed, and prescribe antiperspirants, creams or tablets. Injections and procedures are done in person.
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 7 November 2023.
- Hyperhidrosis, DermNet, New Zealand, updated July 2015.
- Hyperhidrosis, Cleveland Clinic, updated 1 July 2023.
- Hyperhidrosis: symptoms and causes, Mayo Clinic, updated 25 October 2024.
- Night sweats, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 9 November 2023.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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