Everyone knows someone with excessive sweating.
Like that poor guy with the circles of sweat under his arms who works at the deli. Or the pretty girl who doesn't make eye contact - and won't ever shake your hand. She'd be so much prettier if she'd just smile at people!
Hyperhidrosis (the medical term for excessive sweating) can have devastating emotional effects on the people who have it. Many avoid situations like shaking hands, where others might notice their sweating. So what can these people do? How do they find the best antiperspirant for excessive sweating?
The Best Antiperspirant for Excessive Sweating Is the One that Works for You.
Antiperspirants are the first line of defense against hyperhidrosis. But the best antiperspirant for excessive sweating isn't always easy to find.
So what should you look for in an antiperspirant?
- First of all, choose an antiperspirant, NOT a deodorant. Deodorants act as a cover-up for body odor. They don't stop sweating. In contrast, antiperspirants stop sweating by temporarily blocking the sweat glands. Sweat is still made by the sweat gland, but it can't reach the surface of the skin. By stopping sweat, antiperspirants also reduce body odor. (The bacteria that feed on the nutrients in sweat, also create an odor.)
Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine, recommends a creamy, rub-on formula, labeled “clinical strength.” Antiperspirants with these labels contain a higher concentration of the active ingredient, aluminum chloride.
- Certain Dri, Secret Clinical Strength, Gillette Clinical, Odaban, Driclor, Drysol, Zeasorb, SweatBlock Antiperspirant Wipes, and the prescription formula, Anhydrol Forte are all highly recommended by SweatThroughIt.com and SweatHelp.org.
- Finding the right antiperspirant for excessive sweating will involve lots of trial and error. Because people are different, different people get different results.
Are there any tricks to using an antiperspirant for excessive sweating?
- Antiperspirants can be used on the armpits - and the feet, hands, and hairline. In the case of hands and feet however, some people don’t get good relief. The skin in these areas is so thick that the aluminum chloride isn't absorbed well.
Application Rules for Antiperspirants:
1. Apply antiperspirant in the morning and at bedtime to get the best result. The most important application is before bed. Because we sweat less at night, there is less dilution of the aluminum chloride and a more effective keratin plug is created within the sweat duct. Bedtime application also allows the antiperspirant more time in contact with skin in a higher concentration.
2. Apply antiperspirant to dry skin. If it is not concentrated, it won't be as effective. Also, applying antiperspirant to damp skin can create irritation and stinging.
3. SweatHelp.org recommends gently massaging the antiperspirant into skin.
4. Wrapping skin in plastic when using antiperspirants won't increase their effectiveness. It increases skin irritation instead.
5. If you get excessive sweating on your face, try applying antiperspirant along your hairline. Experiment with it on sweaty palms, soles, and / or forehead. But first, test the product on a small, obscure area of skin to make sure that it doesn’t cause irritation.
6. Aerosols and antiperspirant wipes are great for sweaty feet and other parts of the body. Aerosols are nice because they are so easy to spray on the bottoms of feet and between toes.
7. Often the best results come from a combination of methods. Botox injections used with clinical strength antiperspirants can give a longer lasting effect.
8. Dr. Draelos says the biggest reason antiperspirants fail is that they are not left on the skin long enough. It takes 10 full days of antiperspirant use to create a substantial keratin plug. If antiperspirants aren't able to make a plug in the sweat duct, then they can't stop the release of sweat. So, in summary, an antiperspirant must be used daily for at least 10 days before deciding if it works.
The International Hyperhidrosis Society also has some great tips for using antiperspirants effectively.
Hyperhidrosis affects a lot of people - about 4.8 % of the population. That's 15.3 million people who suffer from excessive sweating in the United States alone! But because it isn't well known, many people never see a doctor. They don't know their excessive sweating is an actual medical condition - and that treatment options do exist. For more information, read our blog post, 6 Ways to Treat Excessive Sweating.
You may also enjoy these: 13 Low Cost (& NO Cost!) Beauty Tips for Skin, 20 Ways to Care for Chapped Lips, and 4 Reasons You Should Be Using Hyaluronic Acid Skincare.
Amy Takken, RN
Amy Takken is a registered nurse with 20+ years of experience helping people improve their health. Her in-depth skincare articles have been featured on Nazarian Plastic Surgery and The Palm Beach Center for Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery. She's also been quoted on Dermascope.com.
Amy loves research and constantly watches for new products and treatments to help you improve your skin’s health – because healthy skin is beautiful! To reach Amy, visit our contact page.
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References:
https://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatology/why-are-antiperspirants-best-applied-night-bedtime
https://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatology/what-type-antiperspirant-best-hyperhidrosis
The Sweat Through It website - The 7 Best Antiperspirants for Excessive Underarm Sweating & Overall Hyperhidrosis
https://www.sweathelp.org/hyperhidrosis-treatments/antiperspirants/tips-for-best-results-otc.html
https://www.sweathelp.org/pdf/Swaile%20study%20(2012)%20.pdf Clinical studies of sweat rate reduction by an over-the counter soft-solid antiperspirant and comparison with a prescription antiperspirant product in male panelists
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00403-016-1697-9 Hyperhidrosis: an update on prevalence and severity in the United States
Aluminum, Antiperspirants and Scientific Studies: There's the Rub by Bill Chameides
Disclaimer:
The Information provided on our website is not medical advice and should not be viewed as such. By law, only a medical doctor can diagnose or give medical advice. As a registered nurse, my goal is to educate, so I provide information on skin care, skin care products, and skin care treatments. If you have any condition that concerns you, please see a medical doctor. While most skin conditions are benign, some - like melanoma - can be deadly. If there is any doubt, please, please consult your physician. Thank you!