Screenshot_2024-06-06_at_6.50.38_PM.pngAsset-7q2.pngHyperhidrosis is a serious medical condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable sweating and the International Hyperhidrosis Society is the only global non-profit organization dedicated entirely to improving the lives of those affected by it.

We are your source for reliable, up-to-date information about hyperhidrosis treatments and research. We're also here to provide you with understanding and support. If your life is being ruined by sweating - you are NOT alone. Studies show that hyperhidrosis is common, severe, and emotionally damaging. 

Research shows that nearly 5% of the world's population suffers from excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. That's right, 385 MILLION people are struggling with extreme sweating -- just like you!

Of course, no one's hyperhidrosis is exactly the same. Some people fill their shoes with sweat, some have dripping no-handshakes-please palms, some sweat through their shirts, others sweat through their jeans, and most have a combination of sweaty body areas to contend with. Regardless of whether you sweat dramatically on your head or your toes or anywhere in between, we know the embarrassment, anxiety, and crippling effects are real and we want to help.

As the only independent, global, non-profit advocacy and education organization serving the hyperhidrosis community, we encourage you to use this website to get smarter about excessive sweating. Read, print, participate, download, and sign-up today.

While you are doing that, we'll be running medical education courses in hyperhidrosis to help healthcare providers provide the best hyperhidrosis care possible, supporting new hyperhidrosis treatment research, talking to journalists around the world to encourage empathy and awareness, providing you with useful news alerts, and applying for grants so we can keep going. 

Here are a few of the useful things you'll find on the following pages: comprehensive treatment option information, U.S. insurance codes, hyperhidrosis clinical trials recruiting now, a Clinician Finder, an award-winning free blog  dedicated to sweat news, and amazing product discounts on the most useful sweat-management products. Your sweat is nearly always with you. We want to be there too.

Feeling the love? Share it! We are stronger when we work together. Donate today to help us find a cure and increase public awareness. Yes, tomorrow CAN be better than today. 

Asset-7q2.pngScreenshot_2024-06-06_at_6.50.38_PM.png

Hyperhidrosis is a serious medical condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable sweating and the International Hyperhidrosis Society is the only global non-profit organization dedicated entirely to improving the lives of those affected by it.

We are your source for reliable, up-to-date information about hyperhidrosis treatments and research. We're also here to provide you with understanding and support. If your life is being ruined by sweating - you are NOT alone. Studies show that hyperhidrosis is common, severe, and emotionally damaging. 

{loadposition tower} Research shows that nearly 5% of the world's population suffers from excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. That's right, 385 MILLION people are struggling with extreme sweating -- just like you!

Of course, no one's hyperhidrosis is exactly the same. Some people fill their shoes with sweat, some have dripping no-handshakes-please palms, some sweat through their shirts, others sweat through their jeans, and most have a combination of sweaty body areas to contend with. Regardless of whether you sweat dramatically on your head or your toes or anywhere in between, we know the embarrassment, anxiety, and crippling effects are real and we want to help.

As the only independent, global, non-profit advocacy and education organization serving the hyperhidrosis community, we encourage you to use this website to get smarter about excessive sweating. Read, print, participate, download, and sign-up today.

While you are doing that, we'll be running medical education courses in hyperhidrosis to help healthcare providers provide the best hyperhidrosis care possible, supporting new hyperhidrosis treatment research, talking to journalists around the world to encourage empathy and awareness, providing you with useful news alerts, and applying for grants so we can keep going. 

Here are a few of the useful things you'll find on the following pages: comprehensive treatment option information, U.S. insurance codes, hyperhidrosis clinical trials recruiting now, a Clinician Finder, an award-winning free blog  dedicated to sweat news, and amazing product discounts on the most useful sweat-management products. Your sweat is nearly always with you. We want to be there too.

Feeling the love? Share it! We are stronger when we work together. Donate today to help us find a cure and increase public awareness. Yes, tomorrow CAN be better than today. 

Use the tips below to get the most out of your over-the-counter (OTC) antiperspirant.

  • Choose a soft-solid formula, and make sure it's an antiperspirant, not just a deodorant. There's a BIG difference. Deodorants, on their own, don't prevent sweating, they just reduce odor by limiting odor-causing bacteria.
  • Consider using a stronger over-the-counter antiperspirant. Check out the listings on our Fan Fave Products page for products made by companies that support our work and understand hyperhidrosis. 
  • Apply antiperspirant once in the morning and again prior to bedtime. Application twice daily—and especially before bedtime—has been studied to provide the most benefit. If you are only going to apply once, then make it before you go to bed.
  • Gently massaging the antiperspirant into the skin may be useful.
  • To avoid irritation, only apply antiperspirant to completely dry skin. Dry your skin with a hair dryer on a cool setting or with a towel, if necessary. If there is any sweat or water on your skin, when you apply the antiperspirant, you will create skin irritation and stinging.
  • If you have sensitive skin or experience irritation, avoid antiperspirants that contain a fragrance. Fragrance can sometimes cause irritant or contact dermatitis. Don't worry, unscented antiperspirants block odors, too. The active ingredients in antiperspirants inhibit odor-causing bacteria, thereby minimizing body odor. Note that deodorants almost always contain a fragrance and that can lead to irritation, other ingredients in deodorants - like essential oils, can contribute to an allergic reaction. 
  • Never occlude, or wrap your skin in plastic, when using antiperspirants. Doing so can increase irritation and has not been shown to improve benefit whatsoever.
  • If you suffer from an annoyingly sweaty face, consider applying an antiperspirant along your hairline. Follow the application tips mentioned above, but test the product on a tiny area of skin first to make sure that it won’t cause irritation.
  • Aerosol antiperspirant products are particularly useful for managing sweaty feet. Spray an antiperspirant on the bottom of your feet and in between your toes as a first-line treatment. (Be sure to read our Antiperspirant Spray Recall Report here first.) Antiperspirant wipes are a convenient option for the feet as well as other body areas.
  • Remember, it is common to combine treatments to strike the best balance for your sweat management. Consider combining Botox injections with an antiperspirant, for example, for longer lasting effects.

  • Skin irritation from antiperspirant use can sometimes lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) or postinflammatory pigment alteration (skin turning lighter or darker).  In general, PIH or other skin tone changes are more likely to occur in skin of color. PIH happens when skin makes extra melanin after it has been irritated or injured. Melanin is a natural pigment responsible for color in our hair, skin, and eyes. Skin cells can react to irritation by making extra melanin, which leads to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This skin condition shows up as tan, brown, dark brown, or even blue-gray patches or spots on the skin. Areas of hyperpigmentation can fade on their own without treatment (over 6-12 months) but a dermatologist can also help speed up the process with treatments like skin lighteners, retinoids, or chemical peels. If you are concerned about the risk of skin color alterations with antiperspirants discuss this with your healthcare provider in advance.