The egghead term for excessive sweating is hyperhidrosis. For guys with soaked hands and palms specifically, it’s called palmar hyperhidrosis. You might refer to it as something else, like a genetic hex. Whatever you call it, the condition of sweating profusely is a real ball-buster that can be caused by lots of things, including jittery nerves, diabetes, obesity, and even infection.
Despite recent research showing that shaking hands spreads far more germs than a fist bump, it doesn’t seem as if our stubborn custom is going away any time soon. That means you’ll want to find a cure for your wet palms. Try these five remedies …
#1. USE ANTIPERSPIRANT
Products like Driclor ($17 @ Amazon.com) are specifically made to combat excessive sweating. However, in a pinch, you might reach for any deodorant or antiperspirant. We hope this is a gimme, but don’t use the same product you use on your armpits. Two, apply the product to your palms on the sly or at nighttime. It’ll save you a lot of explaining. (“Oh, that’s not my armpit? Jesus! I’d hate to tell you where I thought my femur was …”
And if you’re a weirdo about using deodorants or antiperspirants with potentially harmful chemicals like aluminum chloride, aluminum zirconium tricholorohydrex glycine, or aluminum chlorohydrate enter your body. If you’re looking for the best antiperspirants for men, we came up with a few in the link posted below.
#2. HYDRATE
Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature. The old “drink eight glasses of water per day” is a myth. But just how much you should consume depends on you, really. For us, the more water we pound the more we pee. So we go by this rule: If you’re thirsty, you’re already partially dehydrated.
Also: 10 Products You Should Have In Your Gym Bag
#3. REDUCE CAFFEINE INTAKE
Coffee, soda, and other caffeine-loaded drinks stimulate sweat glands. Coffee is also a diuretic, which means it makes you have to pee, so too much caffeine can lead to dehydration. If you rely on coffee for an energy boost but sweat excessively, perhaps it’s time to consider alternatives, such as cocaine or meth.
#4. AVOID SPICY FOODS
Like caffeine, spicy foods can get your metabolism moving and raise body temperature. This triggers the sympathetic nervous system to turn your body temperature down. Translation: You’re going to start to sweat.
Also: How To Speed Up Your Metabolism
#5. CONSULT A DOC ABOUT SURGERY
It’s not ideal, but it’s an option to stop excessive sweating. Going under the knife for Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) surgery essentially turns off your sweat glands. It will run you between $10,000 and $20,000. And the procedure is irreversible. And some people have died from it. So unless your palms are geysers, don’t do it.
