What can you do against sweaty hands?

There are various non-medical household remedies that are said to be effective against sweaty hands. They are mentioned below. Medical therapy is divided into surgical and non-surgical measures.

One remedy that is also found in numerous antiperspirants (deodorants) is aluminiun chloride. It is not only available in deodorant spray or roll-on form but also as a gel. It should be applied in the evening to the affected areas (palm and soles of the feet) so that it can take effect.

As with aluminum chloride in the armpit area, the result is reduced sweat production. This is achieved by a blockage of the sweat glands. As the product is relatively irritating to the skin, i.e. can lead to itching and skin irritation, it should be applied sparingly.

Especially at the beginning, it should be applied daily. If successful, the intervals between treatments should be increased in the course of time. Aluminium chloride products are available without prescription in pharmacies.

The effectiveness, i.e. the success of the treatment, varies from person to person. Another non-surgical treatment method is the so-called tap water iontophoresis. In this method, the feet of the hands are held in two separate water containers.

An electrode is placed in each container. The electrodes are connected to a voltage source. When the hands are immersed in the tubs, ions are transported through the skin.

The current can be felt in the form of a tingling sensation, but should not be painful. In the beginning, this type of therapy must be performed 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes. After about 6 weeks the frequency of application can be reduced.

1-2 sessions per week are then sufficient. The effectiveness of this method is described as relatively high. The devices with which a tap water iontophoresis can be performed are not only available in the clinic or practice.

They can also be purchased for home use.If a prescription is submitted, the costs for the device are usually covered by the health insurance company. Another possibility against excessive sweat production are tablets that inhibit the effect of the messenger substance acetylcholine in the body. This group of drugs is known as anticholinergics.

However, they are only approved for the treatment of heavy underarm perspiration, not for the treatment of sweaty hands or feet. Another non-operative measure is the injection of botulinum toxin (commonly known as botox) into the affected areas. Depending on the provider (HautpraxisHautklinik), the information on whether the procedure is recommended under local or short anaesthesia varies.

However, a short general anesthesia is more often recommended for application on the hands and feet, as the punctures in these areas are relatively painful. The effect is usually very satisfactory, but it wears off after 4-6 months, so the treatment must be repeated. The costs per treatment amount to 400-1000 Euro and are usually not covered by the public health insurance.

A surgical variant to prevent sweaty hands is the endoscopic thoracic sympathetic nerve blockade. It is described in more detail in the next paragraph. Endoscopic thoracic sympathetic blockage is a surgical therapy.

The aim here is to specifically block the part of the autonomic nervous system that stimulates sweat production, among other things. The effect is to suppress sweat production in the armpit and hand area. In the past, the corresponding nerve cords were severed.

Today, they are rather blocked by attaching clips. The advantage of this variant is that it is reversible, so the clips can be removed again. The main side-effect of this surgical procedure is increased sweating in other parts of the body, either reflectively or compensatory.

This means that after blocking the nerve part, the body looks for other areas to ensure the production of sweat. For example, increased sweating occurs in the back, abdomen, buttocks or thighs. Sometimes this compensatory sweating is even more stressful than the sweaty hands themselves, so it makes sense to have the possibility of reversibility.

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. It is a minimally invasive procedure, whereby no large skin incisions are made. The costs are usually covered by the statutory health insurance companies.

One of the possible side effects is Horner’s syndrome. In this case a nerve node is injured. This leads to a drooping eyelid.

The nervus recurrens can also be injured, leading to permanent hoarseness. Other possible side effects are injury to the lungs (pneumothorax), heart or inflammation of the pleura (peritonitis) as well as wound healing disorders and infections. Surgical therapy should always be the last resort after all other non-surgical treatment options have been exhausted.

In Germany, the costs of endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy are covered by health insurance. For this purpose, the patient should contact his or her health insurance company prior to the operation to clarify that an indication has been established by a specialist (usually a dermatologist) and that reimbursement is therefore possible. There are several possible home remedies for the treatment of sweaty hands.

Washing gels can be used to counteract oily skin. Rubbing your hands with body powder several times a day is also stated to be helpful. Although the powder does not inhibit the production of sweat, it absorbs the existing sweat, thus reducing the moisture of the hands.

Rubbing the hands with rubbing alcohol several times a day is said to be a further means of reducing sweat production. Drinking sage tea can also counteract the production of sweat. It can also be used as a hand or foot bath.

Furthermore, scalded oak bark can act as a hand or foot bath against excessive sweat secretion. Various homeopathic remedies against sweaty hands are used, these are mainly mineral salts. Potassium iodatum, potassium phosphoricum (potassium dihydrogen phosphate) and potassium sulfucirum (potassium sulfate) have proven to be effective.

In milder cases of sweaty hands, the preparations can help to improve, but clear study results regarding the success of therapy for sweaty hands are not yet available.However, those who have had good experience with homeopathic preparations in the past can try a therapy with such mineral salts before more invasive methods are used. The importance of Botox for the treatment of sweaty hands has already been explained in detail above. During therapy, many small injections with botulinum toxin are given into the hand or sole of the foot armpits.

This blocks the transfer of information to nerve cells, so that sweat production is significantly reduced. As a rule, the costs of the therapy must be borne by the patient himself. The current bath therapy (tap water iontophoresis) uses direct current to change the transport of ions in the sweat glands, thus reducing sweat production.

The hands are placed in a water bath and direct current of maximum 15mA is applied via an electrode, which causes a slight tingling sensation. The procedure must first be carried out several times a week and then helps the majority of those affected to achieve a significant improvement. However, no lasting effect is to be expected, so that as a maintenance therapy, the current bath must continue to be applied once or twice a week for a long period of time.

However, the corresponding devices are usually reimbursed by the health insurance company so that the affected persons can carry out the therapy at home independently. Acupuncture aims to reduce the excessive tendency to sweat by inserting needles into certain parts of the body. A clear scientific effect has not been proven regarding sweaty hands, so that the treatment is not covered by all health insurance companies. The effect is individual from patient to patient and usually occurs only in the course of several sessions. However, acupuncture can be used to try to alleviate the symptoms, especially if other treatment methods are unsuccessful.