Sweating It Out

Perspiring after a workout is standard. But anxiety, food and hyperhidrosis-induced sweats can leave an emotional mark. Here, Lizzie Pook explores the science of sweating

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‘I shower three times a day, wear only black clothes and avoid slip-on shoes, because my feet slide right out of them. Sometimes, even holding a pen is impossible,’ says Kate, 35, who has suffered from hyperhidrosis since she was a teenager. Thought to affect five per cent of the population, abnormally excessive sweating can make summer something to dread.

‘Work meetings are the worst. Even with air-con, I have to change several times a day and I avoid shaking hands with people because I feel self-conscious,’ adds Kate, an investment broker from Manchester, who has been prescribed glycopyrronium bromide tablets to tackle the problem. ‘They stop the sweating if you catch it in time, but they leave me with a dry mouth and eyes all day, so eating certain foods, like bread, and using my contact lenses is uncomfortable.’

In extreme cases of hyperhidrosis – thought to be caused by a problem in the nervous system – electric-current therapy, surgery and even Botox can be effective. Botox paralyses the sweat glands so that nerve signals cannot be received and requires 20-40 injections per armpit, but the effects can last up to eight months, which is a game-changer for sufferers.