Summary - excessive sweating / hyperhidrosis

Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) either all over the body or localised to the face, armpits, hands or feet can ruin the life of someone suffering from it.

Simple remedies should be tried first and these will be effective in most people.

In those that they are not, a consultation with a doctor should be arranged to check that there is no underlying cause of the condition. Thyroid disease and 2 others conditions - Phaechromocytoma and Carcinoid syndrome - need to be excluded before any more complex treatment is started. This is usually one blood test and a 24 hour urine collection - and this can be done in most GP surgeries.

If these are clear, the conservative treatments should be considered and tried if relevant.

If these fail or are not appropriate then referral for one of the more specialist treatments should be sought.

For those suffering from hyperhidrosis in face, axillae, groins, feet or hands, effective treatments are now available. For specific information of each of these areas and the available treatments, please look at the relevant pages in this website.