For as long as I can remember, Hyperhidrosis has negatively impacted both my personal and professional life.
"What is Hyperhidrosis?"
An extreme excess of sweat, usually in a concentrated area of the body. It can occur as a result of hot weather or anxiety, but it most often occurs for absolutely no reason at all. You can be completely relaxed with a slow resting heart rate in the middle of a freezing winter, and you'll still randomly break out in a sweat without any sort of trigger.
I have Palmoplantar Hyperhidrosis, which means excessive sweating of the hands and feet. It can get so bad that sweat will drip profusely off of my fingertips.
"How do you get it?"
You can't "get" it. Hyperhidrosis is not a disease. Although the exact reason it occurs has not been conclusively pinpointed, my physician told me it is believed to be a byproduct of an overactive sympathetic nervous system.
“It doesn’t sound that bad.”
Let me stop you right there.
Do you enjoy wearing sandals during the summer? I don't. My excessively sweaty feet attract every dirt particle in the area like a vacuum. Less than a hour later, my feet are a muddy mess, and my sandals are ruined. I also can't wear flats because my feet slip right out of them, and I am incredibly susceptible to athlete's foot due to the extra moisture between my toes.
"It still doesn't sound that bad."
Go to the sink, completely soak your hands under the tap, and pretend you are seconds from meeting an important colleague, an interviewer for your dream job, or a significant other. You can try to wipe off the water on the fabric of your outfit, but odds are it will stain your clothes with a noticeable wet spot because there’s so much moisture. Plus, even if you were to find a paper towel or washcloth to wipe all of the water on, people like me can wipe our hands dry and they’re wet again literally two to three seconds later!
Now imagine having to deal with this every time you need to shake someone’s hand. Polite strangers will cringe for a spilt second and then pretend they don't care. Rude strangers will rip their hand away and either try to laugh it off or start shouting things like, "Ew, gross! Why are your hands so wet?"
I have to handle important documents with gloves on and a folded handkerchief to ensure I don't warp the pages. I wear gloves when I read (especially if I'm borrowing someone else's book) so the edges of the paper won't curl and turn yellow. I once almost lost control of my car because my soaking wet hands slipped against the steering-wheel.
It determines what kind of social situations I purposely seek out. Not only will I be required to shake a lot of hands at a party where I know next to no one, but I'll also have to hover my hands away from my body to keep my clothes from getting wet. I speak from experience when I say there is nothing worse than the isolating pseudo-smiles strangers give you when you're perspiring all over their hardwood flooring.
“Sweating is normal. Just stop caring what other people think.”
But that’s just it. Hyperhidrosis is not normal. It is not just "clammy palms"— it is skin glistening with so much sweat that it is impossible to simply wipe off.
It's easy for people to say things like, "You be you. Stop caring what other people think!" but when complete strangers, your school peers, friends, and even family members have told you continuously since childhood that your perpetually sweaty hands are gross, disgusting, nasty, and unnatural, you become conditioned to believe them.
"Is there a cure?"
The only permanent solution is an invasive and dangerous surgery that severs the thoracic area of the spinal cord responsible for sending signals to the sweat glands in the hands.
But don't worry. The surgery only has a 10-15 percent chance of leaving you completely paralyzed from the waist down. Totally worth it!
"Are there any temporary treatments?"
Yes, and I've tried everything from home-remedies to hardcore prescriptions.
I've soaked my feet in black tea, I've rubbed my hands with antiperspirant (and even these weird special crystals in my desperation), and my dermatologist prescribed an aluminum chloride formula made to significantly dry out sweat glands to make it harder for them to produce enough sweat to be a hindrance.
Spoiler alert: None of it worked. AT ALL.
"How do you cope?"
One of the turning points in my life was definitely learning about dedicated online support groups. My family did not have Internet until I was in high school, so I grew up not knowing thousands of other people also suffer from this disorder. It was a massive relief to discover I was not alone.
There are a few tricks I've tried throughout the years. If I'm about to have a job interview, I keep a couple cotton handkerchiefs in my pocket and grip them as tightly as I can while I wait to be called in. Constantly washing my hands can help keep them dry for a few minutes, and frequently using alcohol-based products (such as hand wipes or hand sanitizer) can help dry them out over a long period of time.
I also never apply lotion directly to my hands. If I need to apply lotion, sunscreen, or any other skin product to my arms or legs, I always snap on a pair of latex gloves first, or my hands will be a sticky, goopy mess.
"Do you have any advice for people with Hyperhidrosis?"
Rest assured you are not a "freak" and you are definitely not in this fight alone. We exist, and we're suffering right along with you.
I won't tell you not to care what other people think because that would be pious and completely hypocritical. It's very difficult not to care what other people think. Just try not to let their opinions control your life. It's not your fault that it happens, and if you've tried all of the available treatments and have seen no results, it is time to come to terms with your condition.
Don't let Hyperhidrosis define you! Fake it until you make it. Pretend with all your might that your sweaty hands are no big deal, and sooner or later you'll start to believe yourself. Be confident. Be you.
