Sweaty palms help!

Out of nowhere, it just happens... I don't really care in normal situations, but it's so freaking awkward when my hands start sweating right in the middle of a presentation and the mouse just starts sliding all over the place... gross...

..anyone else dealt with this crap? How do you fight it?..

Any relaxation techniques?

...you think... my nerves are shot?...

...hmm, maybe...

(man, I wish they sold some kind of cream for this, but I'll deal with my nerves when I actually have the time)

It’s the exact same thing... none of those breathing exercises or whatever actually do anything. And of course, it hits hardest right when I know I’m going to have to deal with someone face-to-face. I mean, sure, I get that it's all "in my head," but honestly? Knowing that doesn't do a single thing to help me fight the actual sensation.

You might want to check in at a local CVS or Walgreens. I think there’s some kind of topical solution out there for stuff like that—I remember hearing about it ages ago, though I couldn't tell you the name for the life of me. But honestly, if this is hitting you during those high-stress moments, it’s probably just a physiological reaction; some people get flushed in the face while others find their palms getting sweaty. You’d likely feel a lot better once you stopped letting it weigh on you so heavily. Just try shifting your perspective like this: my hands are sweating. SO WHAT? I've got some nerves, and I really want this to go well. I'm a little anxious. BIG DEAL! 🙂

Look, Roger Hall15...

...it seems like everything points to you needing some serious work on your headspace...

...huh, shadowjackal88 and you too?.... I honestly thought it was just me, since whenever things get tense, I can't help but stare at people's hands, and they're always bone dry... it's depressing, really...

Back on the old forum, someone in this thread actually suggested using Dow Chemical gel for the sweat issues. You can grab some at any local CVS or Walgreens for like, maybe $3 or $4.

My palms have been sweating my life away—and I mean, really heavily! Lately, it feels like it’s actually gotten even worse. I’ve gone through all sorts of doctor visits and checkups, but everything comes back perfectly normal. It's not like I'm sweating all over my body—my underarms, my forehead, my back... nothing like that—it’s strictly just my hands. I did hear about this surgical procedure where they go in and mess with a nerve or a gland in the wrist area or something like that. Honestly, the idea scares me a little bit, but if anyone else out there deals with this kind of thing, please, tell me your story...

My palms get sweaty too—nothing crazy, just enough to be annoying. People say it's some kind of fungal thing, but I don't have any of those typical symptoms. Honestly, try soaking your hands in a bath for about 10 minutes? Then hit them with some lotion. If you use essential oils, maybe a few drops of tea tree and lavender in the water. Just remember—you can't just drop oil into water; you'd need to mix it with something like cream or honey first. Personally, I’d just toss some liquid soap in the bottom of the basin, add the oils, and then run the lukewarm water. My palms aren't acting up anymore. I did this soak every other day for about ten days—even though my skin ended up peeling a bit.

Yeah, but I’ve got a feeling it isn't actually some kind of fungal issue. My hands have been sweating constantly for 22 years straight—I mean, 24/7—so I'd think something more significant would have popped up by now. Other than the perspiration, I don't really deal with any major hand problems, like cracks or peeling skin... it's just the sweat. Well, I guess I'll give your suggestion a shot, maybe it'll actually work. Thanks!

Anemia. And honestly, sometimes it’s just purely psychological.

Lily, this one's for you:

Thanks everyone for all the replies! I totally missed the point of that other thread, so I'm diving back in to catch up now... Moderators, please feel free to lock this one down if I'm being a nuisance or breaking any rules. Cheers!!

My palms get pretty sweaty too. A buddy from college deals with the exact same thing. Honestly, we’re both kind of high-strung—like, we’ll both start tapping our feet during a lecture without even realizing it. Even right now, my hands are clammy. It gets awkward, you know? Like when I'm at a nail salon, or out dancing, or even just at the movies when a guy tries to hold my hand and my palms are already soaked.
One of the few times my hands actually stay dry is when I'm holding someone's hand (unless we're at the cinema 🙂)... which should be stressful or exciting if it's a first date, right? But nope. Not at all.
So yeah, I can't really explain it clearly.

Greetings. I am 19 years old, and I am currently facing a significant issue regarding excessive perspiration in my palms. My feet are somewhat affected as well, though they aren't nearly as much of a concern as my hands.
They sweat constantly, regardless of whether I am calm, anxious, or excited, and irrespective of the season (though it is slightly less pronounced during the winter or in colder weather).
Even as I compose this message, my palms are sweating—even though they had remained dry for most of the day—simply because I am thinking about it or discussing it.
The primary difficulty arises when I need to shake hands with someone; just the mere thought of the gesture triggers an automatic sweat response before the handshake even occurs. It leaves me feeling incredibly uneasy and quite embarrassed. The moment I encounter someone, the moisture immediately breaks out in my palms.
Simultaneously, when my hands sweat, my feet do as well, though my underarms remain unaffected.
In many instances, the perspiration in my palms is so intense that it literally drips from them.
The summer months are the worst; among all parts of the body, my hands and feet suffer the most during extreme heat, while my underarms are relatively fine.
I find myself constantly admiring those individuals whose hands stay perfectly dry, wondering what such a life must be like.
It feels like a trivial, almost foolish issue, yet it is incredibly tedious—not to mention that it isn't particularly popular with women.
What steps can I take? Should I simply wait for it to subside on its own, or is there an actual solution? I am prepared to try absolutely anything, regardless of the cost or effort required.

p.s. While searching online, I have seen that many others deal with this exact issue, though I have yet to encounter anyone in person who does.
Thank you.
🙂

It usually settles down after a few years... most of the time, it’s just a psychological thing.
Even though our hands and feet have the highest concentration of sweat glands... I think I read somewhere that there are tens of thousands more on them than on the rest of the arm (I can't be certain if that specific stat is accurate, though).
Basically, I dealt with this myself until about age 23, especially when I was trying to meet new people. But eventually, it just calmed down on its own. In the last few years, it rarely happens. I still get a bit of sweat here and there if I'm dealing with extreme anxiety or nerves, but it's nothing compared to how bad it was during my teenage years.

I actually saw a show where plastic surgeons were removing those sweat glands from the hands of a Japanese businessman—apparently because he had to shake hands constantly with business partners.
It seems to be a pretty popular procedure over there.
Personally, though, that feels a bit too extreme for me.

You should probably get your thyroid levels checked out, because sweating like crazy can definitely be a sign of hyperthyroidism. Also, you might want to check out this thread on excessive sweating over here on Healthline

Thank you.
It seems like I'm seeing an increasing number of people dealing with perspiration issues, whether they're moderate or more severe cases.
To me, however, this feels quite unusual. I haven't encountered anyone else who suffers from palm sweating quite like I do. I know people who experience occasional moisture, but nothing on the level of my own condition...

I have a question: what kind of specialist should I consult? I am truly at a loss here...

Noah Castillo8 said:Thank you.
It seems like I'm seeing an increasing number of people dealing with perspiration issues, whether they're moderate or more severe cases.
To me, however, this feels quite unusual. I haven't encountered anyone else who suffers from palm sweating quite like I do. I know people who experience occasional moisture, but nothing on the level of my own condition...

I have a question: what kind of specialist should I consult? I am truly at a loss here...

You really ought to go see an endocrinologist, or maybe just head to a lab to get your T3, T4, and TSH levels checked (you know, those thyroid hormones).

Don't sweat it. I went through the exact same thing at your age, and it was all mental... just insecurity, nerves, and all that stuff. My hands used to sweat so much I constantly had tissues in my pockets, just shoving my hands in there to dry them out.
Now I'm 35, been working for ten years, have a two-and-a-half-year-old son—so yeah, life happens—and everything moves at such a crazy pace that you barely have time to think, let alone worry about this. You're just happy if you make it to work fully dressed.

Try to relax a bit, maybe get into some sports, work on yourself and your confidence (basically, learn to value yourself more than anyone else, because if you don't, who will?), and keep your days busy with fun stuff.

It'll pass on its own. So many people I've met... and even shaken hands with... deal with the same thing, and you'd never even guess...