Are sweaty hands a constant problem for you? This is what causes sweaty palms and what you can do about them to make holding hands less awkward.
Sweat isn’t good in any situation. It also doesn’t matter what body part you’re perspiring from— it’s all annoying. We’ve previously talked about how to deal with sweaty faces, back sweat pits, and being a sweaty girl in general. As it’s going to be officially summer soon and the temperature is soaring, sweaty palms are an issue that most of us will probably be thinking about a lot more. That’s why today I’m talking about sweaty hands.
(Related: 10 Real Girls Give Tips On How To Deal If You Sweat A Lot)
Clammy palms might actually be something that you deal with on a regular basis, but in the summer, you might find that your fingers are dripping with sweat, and it’s all too much—nodding your sweaty forehead in agreement? Here’s how to deal with sweaty, sweaty hands.
Help! How do I stop my hands from being so sweaty?
First of all, let me say that sweaty palms is an actual condition. Sweathelp.org reports that it’s called palmar hyperhidrosis, and it’s characterized by uncontrollable sweating of the palms and hands. The good news is that there are a variety of things you can do that cut in an attempt to reduce the sweating.
Such as?
One of the simplest things you can do is wash your hands. Wikihow reports that washing your hands any time they start sweating can help. It immediately gets rid of any perspiration on hands because sweaty hands don’t dry up on their own. What’s more, they say that simply washing your hands with plain water will do the job. Just make sure you add soap after using the bathroom, and you’ve got into a mess.
No sink around? Wikihow suggests carrying an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (not antibacterial) around with you. Alcohol is a drying ingredient that people sometimes avoid because it’s too drying, but it works for sweaty hands because it helps dry up palms.
If you find yourself without hand sanitizer and sinks, having some tissues to sop up the moisture can be a big help, reports Degree.
Another hack is to try putting a bit of talcum powder in your hands.
Should I try putting deodorant or antiperspirant on my hands?
You might have said you were going to put deodorant on your hands because you couldn’t take your sweaty palms anymore. And you might have been half-joking about it. You know what? You can actually try putting antiperspirant on your hands. It’s a better option than deodorant because deodorant doesn’t control wetness. It only tackles odor. Antiperspirant handles both things. Sweathelp.org suggests it and even has a selection of fave favorite products. Be aware that the antiperspirant formula you use can make all of the difference. Some might find certain over-the-counter products still don’t work. Try upgrading to extra strength and clinical products. If those still don’t work, you could go see a dermatologist who can prescribe something stronger.
What if all of that still doesn’t work?
One thing to work on is managing your stress because that can make sweaty palms worse. I know that it’s a vicious cycle because you probably get stressed when your hands sweat more but try. Try to manage stress in all aspects of your life and see if it makes a difference to your hands.
Next up, make sure your hands breathe. I get the temptation to cover them with gloves or sleeves, but restricting hands will only make the problem worse. On that note, watch out for certain hand lotions or products that “trap” in sweat. For example, mineral oil, aka petroleum jelly, can do that.
Also, be aware that there are more intense treatments available such as iontophoresis which involves sticking your hand in water charged with a small electrical current. I know this sounds scary, but it has been proven to reduce sweaty palms. There are also oral medications doctors can prescribe, and you can get Botox injections in your hands to restrict sweat glands.
Whatever you do or don’t do, just try not to worry about your hands too much. And never let them stop you from doing things you love. At the end of the day, it’s just sweat.
Have you ever dated someone with sweaty palms? Let us know in the comments!
