Excessive sweating is common and can affect the whole body or just certain areas. Sometimes it gets better with age but there are things you can do and treatments that can help.

It's normal to sweat if you get hot or do exercise, but you may be sweating excessively if you're sweating when your body does not need to cool down.

Excessive sweating can happen for no obvious reason, because of another condition you may have, or as a side effect of a medicine you're taking.

You can see a pharmacist about excessive sweating. You can buy things without a prescription, such as:

• stronger antiperspirants instead of deodorant
• armpit or sweat shields to protect your clothing
• foot powders for sweaty feet
• soap substitutes that are more gentle on your skin

See a GP if you're sweating excessively and:

If there's no obvious cause for your sweating, and nothing seems to be helping, then you may be referred to a specialist (dermatologist).

They may recommend other treatments that you can try, such as:

• taking tablets that reduce sweating
• treating the areas with a weak electric current passed through water or on a wet pad (iontophoresis)
• having botox injections for sweating under the armpits (this may not be available on the NHS)
• surgery – for example, removal of the sweat glands

If your sweating is caused by another condition, any treatment you may need will depend on what's causing it.

More information

• Hyperhidrosis UK