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Over-the-Counter Topical Treatments for Hyperhidrosis
Written by Katie Crissman
October 01 2020

Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that causes excessive sweating. It often creates a sense of discomfort and embarrassment for sufferers and it affects millions of people. According to an article in the journal of Dermatological Clinics, approximately 2.8% of people have some form of hyperhidrosis. That is an estimated 7.8 million people in the US alone![1] Other sources suggest that hyperhidrosis is even more prevalent than the current estimates show..[2]

Fortunately, many medical solutions are currently available to help reduce excessive sweating. Antiperspirant, which can be found over-the-counter, is one of the most effective treatments for hyperhidrosis. It is also the first solution that most dermatologists will recommend for their patients. This is because antiperspirant contains an active ingredient that reduces sweat production. Antiperspirants are available over-the-counter and there are even prescription strength antiperspirants you can buy without a prescription.[1]

Many people don’t realize what antiperspirant is or how it differs from deodorant, but they are quite different. The FDA regulates antiperspirant because the active ingredients in it are considered to be drugs, while deodorant is not as strictly regulated. Deodorant is made up of an antibacterial component and a scent which is used to mask the smell of body odor. This can be helpful, especially because deodorant kills bacteria on the skin that cause sweat to smell bad, but it won’t prevent excessive sweating.[2] Sometimes, people find prescription strength deodorant helpful, but they don’t actually reduce sweating. Often, deodorants for hyperhidrosis are combined with an antiperspirant, these are called antiperspirant deodorant. These combination products work well for some, but in certain situations it’s necessary to use separate products, especially in cases that involve moderate to severe hyperhidrosis.

What is in Antiperspirant?

Antiperspirant is a substance that can be applied to the skin in order to reduce sweating. It can be challenging to choose the right over-the-counter antiperspirant because there are so many different options available. However, understanding the active ingredients in antiperspirant can make the decision easier. Most antiperspirants use a type of metallic salt as an active ingredient. This is because they form a superficial plug inside of sweat glands which stops sweat from escaping to the surface of the skin. Aluminum chloride is the most common active ingredient found in antiperspirants and it is usually quite effective. Newer, clinical strength, products often use aluminum chloride hexahydrate or zirconium trichlorohydrex as an active ingredient. These are usually used when aluminum chloride has not provided enough relief or if it causes too much irritation. All of these active ingredients reduce sweating in a similar way, but the clinical strength antiperspirants are thought to be slightly more powerful and less irritating.[1]

Antiperspirants Available Over-the-Counter

For many, physician or dermatologist intervention may not be necessary. Instead, simply purchasing a clinical strength antiperspirant over-the-counter can be a good first step to address your hyperhidrosis. To help decide which antiperspirant may be right for you, we have compiled information on five of the most popular antiperspirants specifically made to address hyperhidrosis. The purpose of this review is to provide an unbiased review of hyperhidrosis treatments, and no organization has paid or otherwise endorsed us to comment on their product. These products are all antiperspirants and don’t contain prescription strength deodorant. For each product, we will present information on five categories:

Carpe

Carpe is an antiperspirant designed to reduce excessive sweating on specific parts of the body for people with hyperhidrosis. Originally, Carpe had both a hand solution and a foot solution. Both solutions are identical in terms of chemical composition. They have more recently come out with sweat solutions for the face, breast, underarms, and groin. The traditional solutions are lotions, and each lotion utilizes the active ingredient aluminum sesquichlorohydrate. The mixture of 15% aluminum sesquichlorohydrate with 85% moisturizing creams works to reduce sweat while avoiding irritating the hands and feet. Although Carpe is specifically bottled for the [3]

CertainDri (Prescription Strength)

Certain Dri is designed as a treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis (underarms). Certain Dri offers three types of antiperspirant, but their highest type, prescription strength antiperspirant, is best suited for addressing cases of hyperhidrosis. This product, Certain Dri Prescription Strength, is an over-the-counter antiperspirant that is made of 12% aluminum chloride and 88% moisturizing and anti-irritating solutions. The antiperspirant is considered a roll-on solution, and Certain Dri’s website recommends that the user apply the product at night to dry skin in order to see the best results. Most people will need to apply the product every other night, although the product may need to be applied nightly or every third night depending on your personal needs. A 1.2 ounce package of Certain Dri Prescription Strength sells for $8.86, and the product will most likely last 5-6 weeks when used every other night.[4]

DuraDry

Like Certain Dri, DuraDry is also designed to treat underarm sweating for those with hyperhidrosis. DuraDry is considered a stick antiperspirant, meaning that the solution is a solid block, like deodorant, rather than a liquid or gel solution in a tube (roll-on). When purchasing DuraDry, It’s highly recommended to purchase both DuraDry Am and DuraDry PM. While using DuraDry PM , the user applies a stronger antiperspirant consisting of 15% aluminum chloride and 85% moisturizing and anti-irritating ingredients in the evening. The next morning, the user applies the weaker antiperspirant and deodorant combination in DuraDry AM. DuraDry AM consists of 20% aluminum zirconium and 80% moisturizing and deodorizing compounds. Although a package of DuraDry is $37.00, the fact that the solution is estimated to last for 200 underarm applications means DuraDry will most likely last at least 4-5 months. DuraDry also has prescription strength antiperspirants available.[5]

SweatBlock

SweatBlock is an antiperspirant wipe that allows the user to reduce sweating and treat axillary hyperhidrosis. However, SweatBlock users have reported that the wipes work to reduce sweating on other regions of the body, and possibly could be used for [6]

ZeroSweat

ZeroSweat is a hyperhidrosis formula that offers two solutions - one to address palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis (hands and feet), and a second method to treat axillary (underarms) hyperhidrosis. The first product, the antiperspirant for hands and feet, is a lotion that is applied typically 2-3 times per day on an as needed basis. The second product, the antiperspirant for axillary hyperhidrosis, is applied on a daily basis. The underarm product is estimated to last 3 months, whereas the hand lotion will most likely last 4-8 weeks. The price for a bottle of ZeroSweat hand lotion is $9.95, and the stick antiperspirant is $14.95.[7]

Besides the products detailed above, there are many antiperspirant products on the market that can help those with hyperhidrosis. Several brands have both a regular strength and prescription strength antiperspirant product. Some brands may also advertise a prescription strength deodorant. Many antiperspirants can be used on problem areas they weren't originally intended for. This can be helpful for people who have excessive sweating in areas other than the hands, feet, and armpits. There are even options for people who need antiperspirant for sensitive areas like the face and groin.[8] Antiperspirant is also a solution doctors often propose when [1] It is also important not to apply antiperspirant right after showering because the water will make it harder for antiperspirant to sink into skin. However, antiperspirant does need to be applied to clean skin, so cleaning your skin, removing any other products, and waiting for it to dry before applying your daily antiperspirant is your best bet.

Dealing with Antiperspirant Issues

Antiperspirant is a lifesaver for many people with hyperhidrosis, but it can cause some functional issues. For example, it can stain clothing. Luckily, there are ways to get antiperspirant out of clothes so that it doesn’t destroy your wardrobe. Stains are already an issue for those who deal with armpit sweating, so it is always a good idea to know how to remove armpit stains from clothing as well. Some people also struggle to remove antiperspirant from skin, but it can be removed by showering with warm water and using a baking soda solution on the affected areas. If you feel like antiperspirant is helping you to reduce sweating but you are still having issues with body odor then you may want to check out a deodorant to use on top of your antiperspirant. This can be a regular deodorant or a prescription strength deodorant.

Sources
  1. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Amsterdam: Elsevier Pub. Co., 2014. Retrieved from https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0
  2. Zirwas, M. J., & Moennich, J. (2008). Antiperspirant and Deodorant Allergy Diagnosis and Management. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 1(3), 38-43. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3013594/
  3. Clutch Inc. (n.d.). Antiperspirant for Sweaty Hands & Feet. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.carpelotion.com/
  4. Certain Dri Inc. (n.d.). Certain Dri® is here for you. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.certaindri.com/
  5. DuraDry Inc. (n.d.). Stop Armpit Sweat - Prevent Excessive Armpit Sweating | Duradry. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.duradry.com/
  6. SweatBlock Inc. (n.d.). Stop Excessive Sweating and stay dry with Sweatblock! Retrieved June 20, 2018, from https://www.sweatblock.com/
  7. ZeroSweat. (n.d.). Stop Excessive Sweating. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.zerosweat.com
  8. Not Just for Underarms. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2018, from https://www.sweathelp.org/hyperhidrosis-treatments/antiperspirants/not-just-for-underarms
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Antiperspirant

What You Need to Know About Carpe Clinical Regimen

By Katie Crissman /

One of the newest clinical strength antiperspirants to hit the market is Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen - it combines several high performing products with a specific care routine to provide long term sweat reduction for even the heaviest sweaters. Read on to see if Carpe Clinical Regimen is right for you!

Antiperspirant is great - for most people. You apply it once a day and it stops your sweat! It’s easy. But, what if that’s not what happened? You bought it, read the label, and used it exactly as directed and, unfortunately, you’re still sweating - excessively. If this is you, then you’ve come to the right place. There are products specifically made for heavy sweaters who haven’t had luck with traditional antiperspirants. These products typically include the words “extra strength”, “clinical strength” or “prescription strength” and they are, thankfully, available over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. 


The difference between clinical strength products and their weaker counterparts are the active ingredients they use. Clinical strength lines typically use one of several newer types of metallic salt ingredients that are known to be both stronger and less irritating than aluminum chloride (which is the standard active ingredient in antiperspirants) [1]. While there are many clinical strength products on the market, we are going to focus on a new clinical strength regimen that combines a strong active ingredient with a specific care routine to get excessive sweating under control. 


Carpe Clinical Regimen -  What It Is and How It’s Different

One of the newest clinical strength antiperspirants to hit the market is Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen. It’s different from other prescription grade products because it combines several strong products with a specific care routine to ensure maximum product performance. It’s also different from Carpe’s other products because it uses a stronger active ingredient and delivery system. The system is geared toward people who experience intractable armpit sweating, but Carpe also makes products for people who struggle with other types of sweat. The Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm includes three specific products that, when used together, have been found to be highly effective at reducing sweat production. These products include:

  • Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm Antiperspirant 
  • Carpe Clinical Grade Exfoliating Wash
  • Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm Wipes[2]

Carpe Clinical Grade Regimen uses an active ingredient called Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY (20%) combined with other soothing inactive ingredients to effectively stop sweat in its tracks while reducing skin irritation.[3] Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex is a newer generation metallic salt that stops sweat production and is known to be more effective than other types of active ingredients antiperspirants typically use. One study mentioned in the journal Dermatologic Clinics found that antiperspirants using Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex were, on average, 34% more effective than antiperspirants that used aluminum chloride as an active ingredient.[1] Carpe’s traditional products use an active ingredient called Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate at 15% which is effective, but less potent than Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex.[4]


It’s important to note that Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen provides a long term impact on sweat reduction from making short term lifestyle changes. This is because the results build up over time and peak at about 4 weeks. It takes 4 weeks of using the Carpe clinical grade products once each morning and every other night to see the full effect of what they can do. This is typical of all antiperspirants as their effects tend to build up with consistent use. Consistently using antiperspirant products is especially important for those with hard to treat sweat problems because it can be the difference between treatment success or failure.[1][2] 


If you’re frustrated with the way your current antiperspirant is working or how it isn’t working, then consider giving Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen a try! It’s active ingredient is comparable to other prescription strength products on the market but it’s multistep system with easy to use wipes is completely unique! Remember, an easy to use, consistent antiperspirant routine is going to give you long term sweat reduction so it’s important to find a system that works for your lifestyle. 


Sources
  1. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Amsterdam: Elsevier Pub. Co., 2014. Retrieved from https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0>https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0
  2. How It Works (Clinical). Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/pages/how-it-works-clinical. 
  3. Clinical Underarm  PM Wipes. Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/products/clinical-grade-underarm-antiperspirant-wipes?variant=34814174724229
  4. Underarm Antiperspirant for Excessive Underarm Sweating. Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/products/underarm-antiperspirant-tube?variant=39247505358981
Antiperspirant

8 Random & Interesting Facts about Excessive Armpit Sweating

By Daniel McCarthy /

8 Random & Interesting Facts about Excessive Armpit Sweating

Our worries about shirt stains, sweaty underarms, and smelly armpits may dominate how we think about excessive armpit sweating. Hey, we may even avoid thinking about these all together. But guess what? There are some random and interesting facts that just may change how you think about excessive underarm sweating! Let’s take a look: 

Fact number 1: Sweat by itself ISN’T smelly

Sweat is often associated with smelliness. But by itself, it doesn’t smell AT ALL. The reason sweat can smell (in places like your armpit) isn’t really about sweat. It’s about the sweat glands (and hair)! Apocrine glands are the biggest of sweat-producing glands and are usually located near hair. It’s this combo that leads to smelly armpits.

Fact number 2: Excessive armpit sweating is as old as cavemen

Hang with me here. Excessive underarm sweating is connected to the fight-or-flight response ingrained in even the most ancient of human predecessors. This excessive armpit sweating response has helped humans survive for millenia. And yep, it means our cavemen ancestors likely had sweating armpits, too. Even though they didn’t have to worry about shirt stains like us, we have the benefit of products like carpe underarm and antiperspirant in general to help with our excessive armpit sweating.  

Fact number 3: Famous people worry about excessive armpit sweating too

Michael Gary Scott, fearless and deliciously cringeworthy leader of Dunder Mifflin Scranton on the show The Office, is perfectly played by actor Steve Carell. Carell seemed to play the role with such ease, comfort, and confidence that nobody would ever know he was worried about excessive underarm sweating due to his hyperhidrosis. Co-star Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute on the show) even pointed out that the set temperature was a cool 64 degrees to keep Carell’s sweaty underarms from becoming the focus of the scene. 

Even though Carell’s excessive armpit sweating wasn’t part of the show, I like to think Michael’s approach to sweat stains could be summed up by his famous line:  “I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” 

Fact number 4: Other celebrities combat hyperhidrosis too

Steve Carell is not the only notable person looking for the best sweat prevention. As a longtime vampire and real-life human with hyperhidrosis, Robert Pattinson is another actor who combats hyperhidrosis (and werewolves) on the regular. 

Like Pattinson and Carell, Halle Berry also has hyperhidrosis. Famously, Berry confidently showed her sweat stains on the Ellen Show back in 2010. So when you’re feeling a little self-conscious about your own excessive underarm sweating, remember you too can confidently move through your day like Berry barring her pits for the world. 

Fact number 5: Ventilation over here please!

If you’re still worried about how to get rid of pit stains, some ventilation could provide a brief respite. Because we sometimes get pesky pit stains, it can feel like our excessive underarm sweating is due to our pits proclivity to produce the most amount of sweat. Yet, this annoying issue is more commonly attributed to a lack of ventilation, although sweaty armpit causes cannot be narrowed to one thing. Still, a little ventilation and clinical strength antiperspirant can go a long way in dealing with pesky pit stains and excessive armpit sweating. 

Fact number 6: An underappreciated aspect of a non-meat diet

Sometimes even the best antiperspirant and deodorant may not feel like enough to help with excessive armpit sweating and underarm smell. That’s okay though because there are other interesting ways to approach this issue. A 2006 study showed that women found mens’ armpit odor “more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense” when these men ate a non-meat diet [1]. If you haven’t already thought about eating less meat, the improved aroma of your pits (and the kitchen) may be another reason to eat a non-meat diet. 

Fact number 7: Fashion matters

Choosing clothes is a fashion statement for many. And while fashion may matter more to some than others, there’s one interesting reason we can all get behind to choose our clothes. Our clothing choices can help deal with excessive underarm sweating. That’s right, there are clothes, materials, styles, and pads that all can help with excessive armpit sweating as well as excessive sweating and shirt stains in general. 

Fact number 8: You aren’t alone

An estimated 2-3% of the US population suffers from axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating). Even though this percentage may seem small, 3% of the US population is right around 10 million people. That’s like all of NYC combating excessive armpit sweating at the same time. It can be easy to feel isolated in dealing with hyperhidrosis, but there’s some comfort in knowing many others are dealing with the same worries. 

Sources

 

  1. Havlicek, J., & Lenochova, P. (2006). The Effect of Meat Consumption on Body Odor Attractiveness. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/31/8/747/364338
Antiperspirant

7 Effective Tips to Stop Sweaty Hands

By Daniel McCarthy /

7 Effective Tips to Stop Sweaty Hands 

Not sure how to stop sweaty hands and excessive sweating? You aren’t alone! Whether you’re working from home, gaming, or just trying to get your phone to recognize your thumbprint, it can get pretty dang annoying to constantly worry about how to stop having sweaty hands. In this article, we’ll cover 7 effective ways to help you stop sweaty hands:

    1. Reduce your stress
    2. Try (the right) antiperspirant
    3. Iontophoresis
    4. Check with your doctor about underlying conditions
    5. Medications
    6. Give a Botox shot 
    7. Take a more surgical approach

1.  Reduce your stress 

This one is often easier said than done - but it can help a lot. Research has shown that higher levels of anxiety cause sweat glands to become more active [1]. This is particularly true for hand sweating. 

Figuring out how to stop sweaty hands looks different for each person, but there are some relaxing activities that can either prevent sweat or help control it once it’s begun. Some possible activities to reduce your stress include listening to your favorite music, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily. Other helpful techniques include deep breathing and stretching. Everyone is different, so try some of these other tips to find what works best for you. 

2. Try (the right) antiperspirant

You’re relaxed, but maybe you’re still trying to work out how to stop having sweaty hands? While reducing stress is a beneficial home remedy, it should be combined with other easy-to-use remedies. Some home remedies, such as baking soda or apple cider vinegar, may help with hyperhidrosis, but the next best step is over-the-counter antiperspirant. 

Antiperspirants are great at preventing clam hands and often work better than deodorants to stop excessive sweating. Antiperspirants for hands are especially important in how to stop sweaty hands. Others prefer anti sweat wipes. Finding the right hand antiperspirant is an important step to combat sweaty hands. 

3. Iontophoresis

    Hate needles? Need to figure out how to stop sweaty hands? Iontophoresis may be for you. This method uses mild electrical currents to treat your hands while they’re submerged in water. And although iontophoresis sessions may be performed at a doctor’s office, some people choose to purchase their own iontophoresis machines for at-home treatment [2].  

    While this method can be a bit harder on the wallet, if you can pay upfront for a machine, you may save by avoiding paying for every visit to the doctors. However, if you don’t see progress after a few weeks, talk to your doctor to discuss how to stop your sweaty hands from affecting your daily life. 

    4. Check with your doctor about underlying conditions

    It can be easy to write off sweaty hands as a reaction to anxiety or nervousness. But sometimes sweaty hands can be caused by underlying conditions. These conditions might include diabetes, low blood sugar, overactive thyroid, infections, and other issues. To learn more on how to stop sweaty hands that may be connected to underlying conditions, it is best to talk to a medical professional about your hyperhidrosis needs. 

    5. Medications

    In addition to talking about your underlying conditions, a medical professional may also suggest a prescription to help with sweaty hands. More specifically, your dermatologist may prescribe an oral medication for hyperhidrosis like a series of pills known as anticholinergics, which help your body produce less sweat. Like pills, topical creams may also be prescribed to help reduce excessive sweating. These creams are made up of solutions that will decrease the amount of sweat released, including hand sweat. If medications don’t cut it for you, you may need to take one of the two steps below. 

    6. Give botox a shot

      You may be thinking, I’m not sure how to stop sweaty hands, so why are you recommending botox? While many may not associate botox with hyperhidrosis, it can significantly reduce excessive sweating, including in your hands [3] . While botox may solve how to stop having sweaty hands, this method can cause temporary pain or weakness of the hands, so it is crucial that you consult a medical professional for appropriate botox delivery. 

      7. Take a more surgical approach. This one is only for serious sweaters who have tried everything else.

      If you can’t figure out how to stop having sweaty hands after trying these first six tips, you might consider surgical treatment for primary focal hyperhidrosis. While botox is a less invasive surgery, significantly more invasive procedures include endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy​ or an endoscopic lumbar sympathectomy. These names may be hard to pronounce, but these surgeries can provide significant relief for people with certain kinds of severe hyperhidrosis. Of course, try less invasive options first, and talk to a medical professional before deciding to take a more surgical approach. 

      There may be no one-size-fits-all solution for how to stop sweaty hands, but hopefully one of, or a combo of these tips help you enjoy life a bit more and worry about sweat a bit less. 

      Sources

      1. Huddle, J. R. (2014). Hyperhidrosis: Causes, Treatment Options and Outcomes. New York, NY: Nova Science.
      2. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Amsterdam: Elsevier Pub. Co., 2014. Retrieved from <a href=https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0>https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0</a>
      3. Lakraj, A. A., Moghimi, N., & Jabbari, B. (2013). Hyperhidrosis: anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment with emphasis on the role of botulinum toxins. Toxins, 5(4), 821–840. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins5040821
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