Why Do Hands Sweat And What Precautions Can Be Taken To Prevent It?

But what can be done to avoid a wet handshake with the other person? In other words, how can you get rid of sweaty hands, or at least reduce it?

Causes: psychological factors and physical disorders

It is important to know that “there are about 400 sweat glands per square centimeter on the hands, which is quite a lot,” says German dermatologist Marion Moers-Carpi.

Since there is no hair or sebaceous glands on the skin of the palms, sweat is neither distributed nor slowed down. The result: hands become quickly moist.

And where does this excessive sweating come from? “The causes of this are often found, for example, in the psycho-vegetative area,” says German dermatologist Jan-Olaf Piontek. In other words: the triggers can be fear, stress, or anger.

At the same time, some diseases cause increased sweating in the hands or feet. These include high blood pressure, thyroid diseases, diabetes, or autoimmune conditions.

“In 65 percent of cases, hyperhidrosis, i.e. increased sweating in the hands, feet or armpits, is genetically conditioned,” says Marion Moers-Carpi.

Avoid handshakes or recognize hyperhidrosis?

According to the dermatologist, how those affected behave in their daily lives or at work is the result of an individual decision.

One solution may be to justify not shaking hands with a potential risk of infection, even in post-pandemic times.

“You can also do it the Asian way,” suggests Moers-Carpi. That is, when greeting or saying goodbye, you put your palms together in front of the person, bow your head, and say in a friendly manner: “Please understand, I don’t shake hands because of the possible risk of infection.”

Possible alternatives are also, as in times of coronavirus, greeting or saying goodbye with the elbow or the fist.

But another way is to be frank, even if it is difficult, saying things like: “Well, I’m sweating a lot right now, so I’d rather not shake your hand.”

Solutions for those affected

1. Clean your hands discreetly

If you have no choice but to shake hands, it may be helpful to wash or disinfect your hands before contact and dry them discreetly with a cotton cloth or tissue.

2. Sage tea

For sweaty hands, spraying the palms with sage tea proved to be a good remedy. “This method is a bit complicated,” admits Moers-Carpi.

Make a tea from sage, let it cool, and put it in small spray bottles. Spray your hands with this liquid several times a day. The essential oils in sage inhibit the work of the sweat glands.

3. Iontophoresis

In many cases, direct current treatment of the hands can help.

“It sounds dangerous, but under medical supervision, it is absolutely harmless and often effective against sweaty hands,” says Piontek. More specifically, the procedure is called iontophoresis.

“The palms are moistened in a water bath or with a damp sponge,” explains the dermatologist. Using a small device, the palms are passed through high-frequency, continuous, or pulsed water.

“The important thing is to keep up the treatment, ideally for ten minutes a day,” Piontek advises. Often, the doctor can also provide patients with a device to use at home.

4. Botulinum toxin therapy

There is also the option of botulinum toxin therapy. In this case, the doctor injects the neurotoxin Botox under the skin in a highly diluted form.

“Injections into the hands are a bit painful,” admits Moers-Carpi. However, it is possible to perform the treatment under anesthesia. It should be noted, however, that this therapy does not guarantee long-term success. “After six months, the treatment must be repeated,” she warns.

5. Stress reduction

Since sweaty hands are often caused by emotional factors, including stress or anger, relaxation exercises can also be helpful in solving the problem.

“Yoga can help, but so can breathing exercises,” says Piontek. This not only calms the nerves but also the sweat glands.

6. Medications

There are also medications, in the form of pills, that affected people can take to curb excessive sweating. But, according to Moers-Carpi, these remedies are not the best therapy, “because they are not that effective.”

In some cases, sweaty hands can be prevented in an extremely simple way: “In summer, do not use hand creams rich in fats, and in winter, do not wear gloves, but always keep your hands cool and dry,” recommends this dermatologist.