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What Are Natural Remedies for Excessive Sweating?

Lumara Lee
Lumara Lee

People sweat when they are exercising and when the temperature and humidity are high. Sweating is the body’s natural response so that it can cool itself down. This is an instinctive, necessary process, but some people suffer from hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, which can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. When this occurs, some people turn to natural remedies for excessive sweating. These remedies include apple cider vinegar, herbal medicine, dietary changes, and applying different kinds of natural powders to problem areas.

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular and effective natural remedies for excessive sweating. It can be applied directly to the area that is perspiring too much, and it can also be taken orally. Applying a combination of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to the skin is an effective remedy for excessive sweating under the arms and other troublesome areas. Some individuals drink three glasses of water a day mixed with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of honey to combat excessive sweating, and find it is most effective on an empty stomach. Another of the natural remedies for excessive sweating is to apply lemon juice and baking soda under the arms.

Talcum powder can soak up sweat.
Talcum powder can soak up sweat.

Like apple cider vinegar, sage can be used to make both oral and topical natural remedies for excessive sweating. Incorporating sage as a regular part of the diet by drinking sage tea and using it to spice foods is one of the most effective ways to reduce excessive sweating. Sage also reduces perspiration when applied to the skin. Drinking sage tea and then applying the moist tea leaves to the affected area is a cost-effective way to reduce or eliminate the problem.

Cornstarch can be used on skin to reduce sweating.
Cornstarch can be used on skin to reduce sweating.

Spicy foods and caffeine can trigger excessive sweating in certain individuals, so eliminating these from the diet can stop excessive sweating in susceptible people. Extreme perspiration can also be caused by a magnesium deficiency, so taking a magnesium supplement daily may eliminate this condition. Some people have had excellent results reducing excessive sweating by drinking two glasses of tomato juice every day.

A diagram of the human skin, including sweat glands.
A diagram of the human skin, including sweat glands.

Bathing twice a day and rubbing baking soda, talcum powder, or cornstarch under the arms and other affected areas can reduce the amount of sweating to a more manageable level. Taking a bath with pomegranate peels in the bathwater may be effective for some people. Using natural soaps and scrubs may also help because the chemicals in some body care products can contribute to excessive perspiration in susceptible individuals.

Discussion Comments

anon969916

I have been using Electro Antiperspirant and it is fantastic. I highly recommend it to you! I am sweat free.

anon957253

Use apple cider vinegar.

LouisePollit

Due to an anxiety disorder I used to sweat excessively. I thought of considering surgery for treating this, but while searching for the reviews I found out there are many side effects for this keyhole surgery. Have nay body done this surgery? Now I’m taking propranolol tablets, around 20mg.

anon932263

I'm not being dramatic or overstating this. Excessive facial/head/under arm sweating is literally ruining my life. It's getting to the point now where I can't even be around my friends and family. I've been on anti-depressants and also beta blockers so far but none helped.

The underarm sweating can be controlled with 'Driclor'. What I wouldn't give to only have the underarm sweating,

I frequently have to leave places I'm at (not that I can really go anywhere anymore) or randomly go to bed at about 7 or 8 o'clock if I have people over.

The problem for me is the facial sweating. The slightest bit of pressure, or if I feel uncomfortable with something, is all it takes. Physical exertion (and by that I only mean walking) will also set it off after a few minutes.

All around my nose, neck, head, forehead and cheeks literally start draining like a tap. My hair will be soaked through very quickly and I'll be dripping all over the place. I've even been known to soak my clothing thoroughly, top half at least.

I've read all sorts of webpages and forums and been to the doctor several times since 2004 about the issue. I feel he doesn't take it seriously. I'm not very assertive really, and appear generally in good spirits. I'm not! I'm getting to the end of my tether.

Please somebody out there somewhere, give me a glimmer of hope and tell me that you have sorted the problem out.

I am unable to function because of this and all I want is to get a job and contribute to the world and my family -- basically start living life again.

A thought I often have is that it could be some sort of genetic abnormality. Is there anyone looking into the genetics of us 'sweaters'? I would like to think there is someone out there working on it but I highly doubt it. So please, any budding geneticists, get on the case for the countless people out there that have to live with this nightmare daily. I beg of you. Help us!

anon305423

I'm 18 years old and I'm having excessive sweating problems. I sweat a lot on my back, underarms, palms and soles. I have tried using antiperspirants, but the sweat just mixes with it and makes it worse. I am having a tough time. Could someone suggest some remedy for this?

bar6575

I have had a problem with excessive sweating on my head for the last several years. Nothing seems to help. Anyone have any experience with this problem? The sweating is so severe it has forced me to leave public places because of my embarrassment. The sweat drips down from my hair to my clothes and doesn't have any odor (thank goodness!)

lighth0se33

Excessive sweating has always been an issue for me. I thought about having surgery to fix it, but after hearing what could happen, I decided not to have it.

There are two kinds of surgery for hyperhidrosis. One involves removing the sweat glands completely, and the other removes the nerves that transmit messages to the sweat glands.

The second one sounded tempting, because it is quick and not too invasive with a short recovery period. However, I learned that lots of people who have had this surgery reported extra sweating in areas other than where the nerves were removed, because the body had to make up the difference somewhere.

I wanted my sweating eliminated all over my body, so this would have done me no good. Instead, I stick with natural remedies that don’t totally cure the problem, but they do lessen it somewhat.

summing

I hate to be a buzz kill, but I have suffered from excessive sweating for years and I have tried every treatment under the sun without any success at all. I tried ACV, I tried different vitamins and minerals, I changed my diet, I took all kinds of quack supplements and rubbed my skind with special creams all to know avail.

In the end I just learned to live with it. I wear clothes that don't show sweat stains, I avoid situations where I know it will be hot and when I feel myself begin to sweat I practice breathing exercises to help myself stay calm and cool. This is not a perfect solution but it is the best that I have found. Some problems can't be fixed. You just have to accept that they are a part of you and find a way to live a happy life in spite of them.

Oceana

My friend who is now a CEO said that excessive sweating once held her back in her career. She discovered a treatment that really worked, and it has given her the confidence to achieve success.

She had iontophoresis therapy. The nerves are weakened by a low electrical current that passes through the skin’s surface to lower sweat gland stimulation.

She had to stick her hands underwater. The low voltage current passed through the water. The therapy lasts up to 20 minutes and temporarily blocks the sweat glands in the areas of the body that sweat the most.

As with most patients, my friend’s sweating problem improved after 10 sessions. Now, she goes once a week to prevent it from starting again.

cloudel

I had a problem with excessive sweating during lunch break. Even if the day was only mildly warm, just the simple actions of getting into my car and dealing with traffic would make the sweat pour.

Once a week, my office held meetings right after lunch. I had to give a presentation at every meeting, and I had to change clothes in the bathroom when I got back from lunch because the ones I had been wearing that morning showed sweat marks.

While browsing a fitness magazine, I found an article with a suggestion for how to stop excessive sweating quickly. It was something easy that I could do at work.

The article said to soak your wrists and palms in ice water a few seconds. While you are soaking, the blood that circulates through your hands will cool down. When it travels to your heart, your sensory cells will note the drop in temperature. Then, your hypothalamus gland gets the signal that you aren’t hot anymore, and it knows that the time has come for you to stop sweating.

Perdido

I have a friend who has this problem. She had to do several of the things mentioned in this article every day to feel presentable in public.

She drank tomato juice in the morning and at lunch. She lived close to her job, so she would come home, shower, and apply powder to her body.

She hated the taste of apple cider vinegar, but she downed a glass of it daily anyway, because it seemed to be helping. Her heavy sweating made her life miserable in many ways, but she managed to keep it under control with these home remedies.

tlcJPC

@mabeT - You know what? There are tons of people in the world who really can’t afford to seek treatment for this through a medical professional. Do we even know if insurance will cover this or if it would be considered a cosmetic procedure?

And, even beyond that, if insurance would cover it, what about all of the people who don’t have insurance?

I say go ahead and try the at home remedies to see if you can manage with them before going all crazy and spending thousands on something else.

What’s it going to hurt? People who have sweating problems have likely had them for a while, so they probably have some tricks up their sleeves that can help them make it less noticeable.

I always say avoid any invasive treatment that is not absolutely necessary.

mabeT

Extreme sweating can be very embarrassing. Imagine having unsightly rings in all of your shirts up under your arms. It’s not like you can throw on a jacket to cover it, because that’s just going to make it worse.

If I had this problem and there was any way that I could afford it, I would absolutely find a medical cure for this rather than suffering through home remedies that might or might not work.

And, remember, we sweat all over our bodies – not just under our arms. How would you ever feel confident getting intimate with anyone? I would be constantly afraid that I stank.

Plus, excessive sweating can also lead to rashes and unsightly bumps. This is just one of those things that need to be eliminated rather than dealt with if at all possible.

SZapper

@KaBoom - Hyperhidrosis sounds like it could get pretty embarrassing. I can understand why your former coworker chose a somewhat extreme sounding treatment.

I think I would personally be a lot more likely to try a mainstream solution from the doctor than a natural remedy in this case. I think something prescription would just be more likely to work!

KaBoom

I used to have a coworker with an excessive sweating problem. She was extremely embarrassed about it but she didn't use a natural cures. No, she got Botox in her armpits!

I Botox is a little scary because it's basically botulism, so I tried (unsuccessfully) to talk her out of it. I didn't know of any other alternative cures for excessive sweating at that time though. Next time I meet someone with this problem I'm going to suggest some of the things mentioned in this article.

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    • Talcum powder can soak up sweat.
      By: fet
      Talcum powder can soak up sweat.
    • Cornstarch can be used on skin to reduce sweating.
      By: Yuriy Afonkin
      Cornstarch can be used on skin to reduce sweating.
    • A diagram of the human skin, including sweat glands.
      By: Anita Potter
      A diagram of the human skin, including sweat glands.
    • There are natural remedies to treat excessive sweating.
      By: alexandre zveiger
      There are natural remedies to treat excessive sweating.
    • A bath with pomegranate peels can help some people fight sweating.
      By: volff
      A bath with pomegranate peels can help some people fight sweating.
    • Using natural soaps may help reduce excessive sweating.
      By: Tarzhanova
      Using natural soaps may help reduce excessive sweating.
    • Extreme perspiration can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.
      By: camrocker
      Extreme perspiration can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.