Excessive head and face sweating
Posted , 301 users are following.
I am 63 and for the last 22 years have suffered with excessive sweating on my head and face, which seems to be getting worse. This is uncomfortable and embarrassing. If I do anything even slightly energetic (hoovering, ironing etc.) it is worse, and it takes a long time for me to cool down. I was referred to a dermatologist who prescribed pills, which just dried up my eyes (red, sore and bloodshot within 30 mins) and mouth (making it impossible to eat or even speak). She point blank refused to consider any other treatment, even telling me botox does not work for the face, which i know is untrue. This condition, to other people, seems trivial but it is not. In the summer I cannot go outside, so I can't even play with my grandchildren. I certainly couldn't go out shopping or to a social event, the sweat drips off me and my hair is drenched within minutes. I obviously cannot use make-up, or even have a decent hairstyle, which zaps the confidence. I do have a thyroid problem but that is well controlled. I am a little overweight but not much. I have other non-related medical conditions (arthritis, fibromyalgia). Has anyone any experience of the new gadget around which includes a mask for the face, plugged into a machine - sorry I can't remember the name of it. I know they are very expensive but I am desperate. Any helpful tips would be great. Thank you.
29 likes, 808 replies
jojo2017 gill22568
Posted
Hi i too have Fibromyalgia and suffer with sweating, my upper lip, below my eyes and my back are the worst, it run's down my back making me feel so self conscious that others can smell or see it. I did have a roll on from the Dr which burnt me but not tried anything else. I will be speaking to my Dr again after reading this as I know see it could be related to my fibro. I know i struggle controlling by body temp, its always up and down without me doing a single thing. I hope you find something which works for you.
carol74749 gill22568
Posted
I am sorry that I do not have a solution but I have read many discusions on this subject and Fibromyalgia and thyroid issues come up regularly. I too have thyroid issue "under control" I too am overweight and I have myofacial pain syndrome, a sub category of fibromyalgia. I believe the answer is in these ailments or the medication for these ailments. Another issue that comes up frequently is depression. I significantly lowered my depression medication and even went off my thyroid medication for a month with no change. I also had some injections done in the back of my neck again with no change. I am 62 and have had this problem of head scalp and face sweating for seven years. I have asked about disorders of the Thymus gland in the chest which regulates temperature but was told that it is very rare and there are no noninvasive tests for disorders of this gland but rhumetroid arthritis is listed as a syndrome sometimes connected to thymus disoders as well as muscle weakness and fatigue.
ihavenonickname carol74749
Posted
carol74749 ihavenonickname
Posted
Yes I have read that and would be more than agreeable to have the operation to remove the gland if warranted but I can't get any Doctors to even consider checking into it. My Endocronologist just says it is rare and the only test for it is to do a biopsy of the Thymus gland.
david01972 gill22568
Posted
Another thing I found out on my own I used to get a very bad cold sore many times during the year. I thought something major was wrong with me. Doctors didnt have a clue and tried feeding me gels, pills, rubs, shots etc... I was dehydrated!! I sweat alot from the caffeine and nicotine, drank alot of coffee making it worse. Well I stopped smoking thank goodness. Since I have given up the coffee and ice teas I drink alot of water and guess what? I do not get the cold sores anymore. I do usually get a true cold once a year and I do get a cold sore but thats it.
Hope this helps someone who was clueless like me.
Megbow gill22568
Posted
Thank goodness I have found this link. It's helpful just to know I'm not alone with this head sweating problem. I'm 68 and have been having severe episodes of head and face sweating. It can happen in cold weather. It seems to just come on fast and takes a long time to stop and for me to,dry out. I use the hairdryer six times a day. I'm going to ask my doc about the drug you have all found to be helpful. Thanks
Mendel Megbow
Posted
Hi there, so I would just like to say I am 31 yo and about 5-6 yrs ago I started sweating excessively from my underarms, and it happened out of nowhere... After dealing with this very uncomfortable problem for close to a year I finally did enough research and found it to be hyperhidrosis and the remedy being a roll on medical strength anti-persperant called Certain-dri. Found at Wal Mart for less than 4$. And after using (apply to underarms only before bedtime) by day 3 my armpits were now not only dryer than you could imagine but it seemed to fix the issue completely after about a month of using I stopped but continued to use regular deodorant daily, I've never had a problem with it since. But now, as of a few weeks ago it's as if the problem came back but with my face and head instead of underarms... It's very imcomfortable not to mention embarrassing at work, and I'm wondering if the certian DRI I used for my arms will work/is safe to use on the face? Also read about the ice cube thing. I obviously need to do some more reading on the product I mentioned but just really wanted to share this with any and everyone who didn't know about Certain DRI.
Luckysjoy gill22568
Posted
Hello Gill
All I can say is I do suffer from the same issue I can do the smallest of things and my head is sweating my face is dripping face is red most of the time and cabin tissues under my eyes salt in my eyes from the sweat but I have rheumatoid arthritis fibromyalgia and neuropathy my doctor recently had to put me on a vitamin D supplement as I don't get outside very much in one of the issues was the correspondence of excessive sweating with lack of Vitamin D and fibromyalgia
No I don't know if that will help you only or not but that might be something you could look into I will say for the few months that I have been on the vitamin D although I'm still extremely wiped out the swearing isn't as bad now I deal with pain and share eggs Austin just absolute exhaustion .
Lisa
gail50725 Luckysjoy
Posted
Hello Lisa,
I thought I was the only person in the world that perspired badly. My head hair and face drip down my neck and onto my back! It also drips from my forehead down in eyes and it stings. When I go outside I put a hat on and start dripping almost immediately. After drying my hair wth hair dryer... it becomes wet again and starts dripping. Somehow.. I am not wet under my armpits???
Thank you for your advice with vitamin D .. it's worth a try.
I would love to know what is causing this excessive sweating??? Hopefully a simple answer!
Cheers for now,
Gail
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bonnie83199 gail50725
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margaret68374 gail50725
Posted
gail50725 margaret68374
Posted
Good luck Margaret!! Hope it's the answer. I'm totally over being constantly dripping. We really all need a break-through. It's great to be able to share and discuss this with other similar sufferers. I'm sitting here right now with wet hair/back/face/neck.
It seems to be when I am busy ... or even stressing bout something! My daughter has secondary cancer... so there's a bit to stress about! 😟 Cheers, Gail
margaret68374 gail50725
Posted
thats very stressful i had breast cancer 5 yrs ago so know what you are going through not easy thinking of you.I m off to work guess ill be soaked when i come home not sure if ill stay at this jobWas told vitiam D can help.Mine has just started in the last month but cant think of anything differant i have done.you take care talk soon.
kerri56 gail50725
Posted
Me too! I've been this way for 30 years. I wear my hair short, use a bandana daily to keep it from stinging my eyes, and just accept it as part of me. My grandmother was the same way until she passed at age 89. I know she had thyroid issues and congestive heart disease. The more I read about thyroid the more I believe the answer and cure will be found there if only I can get a Dr to test beyond the normal standard tests theyve relied on for the past 100 years.
maureen0919 gill22568
Posted
Hi Fellow sufferers,
after reading these posts, I thought this is me, I really thought I was the only on this earth that suffered.
i was sewing and ironing the other day, and it started full on, my hair looked like I had just got out of the shower, I was dripping on the ironing and dripping on my fabric as I was sewing....... no fun.
i went to the doctors this morning and fortunately I had a big sweat in his office. We discussed the research I had been doing and suggested the oxybutynin to him.
he is happy to let me give it a go, so hopefully I will have some good news to share in a little while........ I am finding it harder and harder each time. ????
Mandy2063 maureen0919
Posted
Got everything crossed for you Maureen, it will be lovely too hear from you letting us no if it's worked or no ????
maureen0919 Mandy2063
Posted
Thanks Mandy, it's early days yet, I've been on 1/2 tablet per day for the last fortnight. I was told by the chemist to keep going for 4-6 weeks, so far - I am still getting the sweats but it seems not quite so severe....... time will tell. I will keep on with them for the next month and see what happens. If I am not happy with the results, I plan then to go to a dermatologist and see if I can try something else.........
How are things going for you Mandy? 🌷🌷💐💐🌹
gail50725 maureen0919
Posted
Thank you Maureen for your reply to me. I'll wait to see your outcome with oxybutynin whatever that is?
It's comforting to know that we are not alone in this embarrassing situation.
Yep... gardening, sewing, ironing and particularly getting dressed and ready to go out!
Maybe it's anxiety... don't know! Would love to know both the cause and the remedy.
Cheers for now Maureen.
Gail
maureen0919 gail50725
Posted
Lovely to hear from you Gail, it is a struggle at times......fortunately I've got great friends who keep a check on me while we are out and about, as sometimes I get very light headed with it and have been known to pass out.
i will let you know in about 3 weeks if this is starting to work. I know my blood pressure gets pretty low, but to be honest I don't think they really know, its a bit of a mystery. It's just lovely to chat to people who really understand. 🌹🌹
gail50725 maureen0919
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Thank you Maureen. All the best to you, and I really look forward to hearing that things are going well.
Fingers crossed for you!
💐
bonnie83199 maureen0919
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Thanks, Bonnie
maureen0919 bonnie83199
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Hi Bonnie, I'm afraid I had to stop the oxybutynin, I think it was reducing the sweats marginally, but it made me feel like a zombie, I was so tired all I wanted to do was sleep, I got to stage I couldn't concentrate on things.........so for me.........disaster. Hopefully it may work for others.
so back to the drawing board 😰😰