How To Stop Sweating So Much

For education only

This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.

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Sweat less by using antiperspirant, wearing breathable fabrics and talking to a provider about medical options

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Beads dripping from your forehead. Clammy palms. Pit stains. Sweat can happen almost anywhere on our bodies, and often, at all the wrong times.

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Embarrassing and inconvenient as it may be, sweat plays an important role in your health, says dermatology specialist Lauren Lorek, CNP. “Sweating assists in a process called thermoregulation, which manages your body’s temperature. It can also help hydrate your skin and balance your fluids and electrolytes.”

In other words, a bit of sweat can help keep you from overheating. But if you feel like you’re sweating too much, there are ways to safely manage it. Lorek offers up six ways to stop sweating so much.

If your armpits are extra sweaty, you might want to check your medicine cabinet. Make sure you’re using an antiperspirant — not just deodorant.

Deodorant helps mask smells. It typically includes ingredients like baking soda, alcohol and added fragrances. Antiperspirant, on the other hand, stops sweat at the source by blocking your sweat glands. It’s typically made with aluminum salts.

What you wear can make a big difference in how much you sweat. And we’re not just talking about how many layers you put on.

“You want to stay away from synthetic fabrics, like nylon, acrylic and spandex,” Lorek advises. “They don’t allow moisture to be wicked away from your skin.”

Instead, opt for cotton or mesh fabrics. They’re more breathable and can help keep your body cool.

Certain foods can crank up your body’s thermostat and leave you dripping.

“A diet high in fat and low in fiber can make your digestive system work harder, which can raise your internal temperature,” Lorek explains.

Watch your intake of sweat-inducing foods, like:

Ultra-processed foods
Spicy foods
Sugary foods
Salty foods
Alcohol
Caffeine

So, what should you be eating if you want to limit how much you sweat? Lorek recommends upping your intake of hydrating foods and calcium, like:

Leafy greens
Bananas
Grapes
Watermelon
Dairy products, like lowfat milk and Greek yogurt

Drinking enough water won’t stop you from sweating. But it can keep you from sweating too much. That’s because staying hydrated can help cool down your internal temperature.

Perhaps even more importantly, sweating causes your body to lose water, so you need to make that up by drinking more.

You’ve probably heard a host of reasons not to smoke. But you may not know that excessive sweating is yet another unwanted effect.

“Nicotine can increase your body temperature and your heart rate, which essentially causes your sweat glands to go into overdrive,” Lorek explains.

If those changes aren't doing the trick, it may be time to talk to a healthcare provider about other options.

You could have hyperhidrosis, a medical condition where you sweat more than you need to regulate your body temperature. Treatments for this condition depend on where you’re sweating.

Treatment options for excessive sweating include:

Medications: Options can include daily oral medications like oxybutynin (which is also used for overactive bladder), antidepressants, beta-blockers, medicated wipes and prescription-strength topical gel.
Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections: Botox can be used to treat sweating in specific areas, such as your hands, feet, scalp and armpits. It’s typically administered in a doctor’s office once every three months.
Iontophoresis: “This specialized therapy uses an electrical current to curb sweating,” Lorek says. “It’s most commonly used on the hands and the feet.”
Surgery: If other forms of treatment aren’t working, your doctor may recommend procedures like sweat gland removal surgery or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, which interrupts the nerve that tells your glands to produce sweat.

While it may make you uncomfortable to talk to a doctor about, Lorek says not to sweat sweating.

“If it’s impacting your daily life or having an impact on your mental health, let us know,” she encourages. “We want you to have a happy, healthy life, and we can offer a variety of treatments to help.”

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