[♩INTRO].

We all start sweating bullets if we run around outside on an especially hot, humid day. But if you’re always soaked when your friends are barely glistening, you might wonder if you sweat more than your fair share.

While we humans do have some natural variation in how much we sweat, there is a such thing as too much, or as doctors call it, hyperhidrosis. The good news is, if you are one of those people who is drenched like, all the time, there are some things you can do about it. As annoying as it can be sometimes, sweating is a necessary part of how your body regulates temperature.

When sweat evaporates from your skin, it cools you down so you don’t overheat. You also sweat in places like your palms as a part of your body’s automatic response to stress. And some people just sweat more than others whenever their sweat glands are triggered.

Your sex, age, fitness, and health all have a slight role in determining how much you sweat. Eating spicy foods, or drinking alcohol or caffeine can also increase your sweat levels. ...just trying to imagine the scientific research that was done on that... But usually, these factors make you sweat only slightly more.

If you sweat a lot more than other people you know, even when you’re not doing anything sweat-inducing; or the amount of sweat has changed dramatically all of a sudden; or your sweating is excessive to the point where it interferes in your daily life, you might have hyperhidrosis. Often, overactive sweat glands in places like your underarms, hands, feet, and face are to blame. But if the sweating is all over, the cause may be more temporary, like certain medications, or menopause.

And excess sweating can even result from other medical conditions like diabetes or an anxiety disorder. A 2004 study estimated that roughly 3% of US adults have some kind of hyperhidrosis, but less than half of them have talked to their doctors about it. And that’s a shame, because those doctors might actually be able to help.

Tests can help determine why you’re sweating so much, though often, the root cause is unclear. Even so, your doc will probably prescribe an extra-strong antiperspirant, a topical solution that plugs up your sweat ducts. And there are other ways to keep hyperhidrosis under control.

Oral medications called anticholinergics work by blocking the chemical messenger acetylcholine, preventing the body’s go signal for sweating. But you’ve got these receptors all over your body, so you can end up with some nasty side effects. So, to target the sweaty spots more precisely, doctors may deliver the same drug through iontophoresis, where an electrical current helps drive the medication directly into the skin.

And sometimes, just using the electrical current alone seems to do the trick. Though doctors aren’t really sure why. Local injection with Botox can also help, as the same paralyzing action that relaxes facial muscles can stop the nerves that triggering sweating.

And there are even surgeries that damage or remove the glands themselves or the nerves that trigger them, but they’re controversial and permanently alter your ability to sweat. That might seem like a lot of effort to stay dry, but there are plenty of ways too much sweat can interfere with your day to day life. So if you are concerned about how much you perspire, you might as well get checked out.

But, if you just notice that your shirt gets a little bit wetter than your friends’... don’t sweat it. Thanks to Allison DeVoe and Cristina from Mexico for asking, and to all our patrons that support this channel. If you want to ask us questions like this, help decide which questions we answer, or just get some awesome stuff that you can’t get anywhere else, please head on over to.

Patreon.com/SciShow to learn more about becoming one of our patrons. [♩OUTRO].