Lifestyle

10 Facts About Sweaty Palms That You Probably Didn’t Know Of

2019-11-18 , 9:00 pm

Last Updated on 2022-06-25 , 2:26 pm

Believe it or not, everyone has sweaty palms.

It can get quite embarrassing sometimes because you might shake someone’s hands and your palms are more saturated than a sponge in water.

Here are some facts about sweaty palms that you may not know of so that you won’t think that someone has just shaken your hand after he has visited the toilet.

1. Medical term

There is a medical term for sweaty palm called “Palmar Hyperhidrosis”. It can be either due to emotional stress and your body trying to control its temperature.

But of course, this is just for your info; don’t go around telling others that you’ve got Palmar Hyperhidrosis.

2. Eccrine glands

Eccrine glands make up most of your sweat glands and the highest concentration of it can be found on your forehead, soles of your feet and palms. Now, forehead; isn’t that the area where we sweat the most? Hmmm…

3. It Affects many

About 1.4% or approximately 4 million Americans are thought to be affected by this condition.

About 1/3 of those say it affects their daily life and is either barely intolerable or simply intolerable. In other words, out of 100 people you met, at least one of them has got this issue!

4. Treatment

If the cause is simply emotional, your doctor might prescribe medication to help keep you calm, like Diazepam.

Anticholinergic medications can also be prescribed to reduce the effect acetylcholine has on your sweat glands.

Topical antiperspirants that contain aluminium salts, such as aluminium chloride can also be administered.

5. Illnesses

Illnesses such as menopause, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and obesity may cause sweaty palms. Some anti-depressants may also have this side effect.

6. Overactive sympathetic nervous system

Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for controlling most of your internal organs. So if your sympathetic nervous system is overactive, it reacts to stimuli easily, causing you to sweat.

7. Botox as a treatment

Bet you weren’t expecting this, eh? Injecting botox on the affected area can actually inhibit excessive sweating. This is actually a preferred method to doctors because when you compared it to surgery, the results are better and there are fewer side effects

8. Sweating due to anxiety

The emotional sweating causes sweaty palms that can help control the humidity of the outer layer of the skin. This could improve the friction on the skin, thereby help you when you are about to climb a cliff or fight an enemy.

9. Diet plays a part

A reduction in your intake of coffee, tea and sweetened beverages can help to alleviate the problem of sweaty palms.

10. Lifestyle plays a part, too

Avoid hand lotions, creams and antiperspirant if you have sweaty palms. Heavy smokers should also quit smoking and they should be able to see an improvement quickly.

If sweaty palms are intolerable to you, following these tips can help alleviate the problem or at least help you find out the causes of sweaty palms.

Featured Image: Parkin Srihawong / Shutterstock.com