How to Get Rid of Sweaty Hands

According to the National Institutes of Health, excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, affects an estimated 2.5 percent of the population. Excessive palm sweating can lead to skin irritation, fungal infections and bacterial infections of the skin. Sweaty palms can also interfere with work and relationships, and may severely damage a person's self-confidence and self-esteem, according to Columbia University Medical Center. While the exact cause of excessively sweaty palms is not known, it is believed to be due to a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system. Most treatments for hyperhidrosis focus on this theory.

Things You'll Need

• Maximum-strength antiperspirant containing aluminum chloride
• Cornstarch

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Instructions

• 1

  Rule out other potential medical causes of excessive sweating by visiting your general physician or a dermatologist. Because some common medications can cause excessive sweating, including certain antidepressants, your entire medical history will need to be evaluated before a diagnosis or treatment can be considered.

• 2

  Apply antiperspirant to your palms to reduce sweating. According to the National Institutes of Health, strong antiperspirants, such as those that contain 15 percent or more aluminum chloride hexahydrate, help control sweating by plugging sweat ducts. For palm application, antiperspirant should be applied at night and washed off in the morning.

• 3

  Control your stress and anxiety with biofeedback or other means. Sweaty palms are a normal reaction to stress and anxiety, and chronic anxiety disorders may cause or worsen excessive sweating of the palms.

• 4

  Try iontophoresis, an FDA-approved treatment that requires immersion of the hands in a pan filled with water. During this treatment, a special device sends a current of electricity through the water, with the voltage being gradually increased until a tingling sensation is felt. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, iontophoresis treatments must be repeated every other day for at least a week before there is a noticeable decrease in sweating. Iontophoresis machines require a prescription, and side effects may include pain, blisters or cracking.

• 5

  Take an oral medication for cases of sweaty hands that fail to respond to home remedies or biofeedback. Several drugs are available that have proven to be effective at getting rid of sweaty hands, including glycopyrrolate, propantheline bromide, oxybutynin and benzatropine. The American Academy of Dermatology states that beta-blockers are effective in some cases, especially when stress or anxiety contribute to excessive sweating.

• 6

  Get Botox injections in the palms of your hands to treat excessive sweating. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, Botox is effective at controlling sweaty palms for several months at a time, and study results published in a 2001 issue of "American Family Physician" showed that Botox decreases perspiration in the palms by inhibiting the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in the stimulation of sweat glands.

• 7

  Ask your doctor about endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS), which is a surgical procedure performed with small cameras and incisions. According to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the surgery involves removing or destroying the portion of the sympathetic nerve, called the T2 ganglion, that is associated with sweating in the palms. While ETS surgery can cure some cases of excessive palm sweating, it carries a high risk of permanent and severe side effects, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society.