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Excessive head and face sweating

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gill22568
gill22568

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

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  • WV-USA-MaeMae
    WV-USA-MaeMae gill22568

    Posted

    Hi Gill,

    Seeing your post gives me hope!!! I have been dealing with everything you and others describe, profuse head, face and chest sweating. My doctor put me on hormones, thinking it is from menopause. It changed nothing. I am 58/F with major depression and severe fibromyalgia. Until our winter temps get below 40 degrees F when I open my bedroom window, my air conditioning runs nonstop. (Got hubby heavy duty electric blanket.

    I cannot wait for tomorrow to come so I can call my doctor to order oxybuynin. After going to the mall yesterday and literally having to wring my hair out 3 times, I have to do something.

    Thanks for sharing, everyone!!!

    Elisa

  • Racingirl911
    Racingirl911 gill22568

    Posted

    Hello my fellow ESHAFS!!

    What?! You've never heard of "ESHAFS"??!! I'm shocked!😲 {tee hee!!!!}

    ESHAFS stands for "Excessive Sweating of Head And Face Sufferers", DUH!!!🙄 😂😂

    Okay, time to get serious. Have any of you, or do any of you know someone who has found a doctor who uses BOTOX to help with excessive sweating, specifically just the head and face?? (And, it would REALLY be cool if you know a doctor(s) who practices in Ohio!)

    By the way, I can not thank you all enough for sharing your own experiences (good or bad) in this forum!! After reading just a few of your stories, I have actually begun to feel as though a huge weight is beginning to be lifted off of my chest! And, for THAT, I will be eternally grateful! God bless each and every one of you!!!

    • altygirl
      altygirl Racingirl911

      Posted

      Hello Racinggirl911!  When I found a dermatologist who dealt with ESHAFS (!) she told me that she has never seen a situation where insurace will cover botox for the head/face.  She knows of people who had it done but paid out of pocket.  I'm in Boston but I don't suppose it would be any different for you.  If you're able to pay out of pocket you might be lucky!

  • kerri56
    kerri56 gill22568

    Posted

    the only machine I csn think of is a C-pap machine for sleep apnea. Your sweating sounds like what I deal with. I sleep with a fan directly on me, winter, spring, summrr and fall. i have a fan on my desk at work, and when I use any energy at all I sweat profusely from my head, face and neck. I too wear a bandana every day to catch it so it doesnt run into my eyes and down my back. Sometimes I have to chsnge out the bandana half way through the day because its dripping from the ties by the knot. I hide it under my hair as much as possible but I still get comments like Rambo, hippie, etc. Im 60 and have been dealing with this for 30 years. Im so tired of being this hot all the time. it could be 40 degrees outside, my hands get cold, so cold they hurt, but Im dripping from my head. Ive come to believe its a thyroid or pituitary issue thats never been discovered.
  • chris34121
    chris34121 gill22568

    Posted

    Hi there

    I am 38

    Stocky guy but very active

    I have always had extreme sweating and just delt with it

    But summer is now here

    And omg . Its off the wall

    My sweating has hit such an extremely super crazy

    Its beyond any doleratable level

    This pass week at work my.head is just pooring.i was reading here and people where talking about measureing it in grams:"wink)))))))))))))))))))))

    Welll it would be more like litters for. me

    I sweat just poors if i got paper work to do its soaked

    Cant even.work.its floods my eyes

    Shirt is dripping underware soaked man i even think if it gets hot enough ill flood my shoes

    I am a very very big drinker and not alcohol but pop water juice i drink way more then i eat anyday

    Me and wife have trouble being sexual case if i go on top ill poir a water fall on her

    Today i went shopping for clithes and it just wouldnt stop

    It wasnt even that hot . But.my shirt was soaked everyone was looking i could ieven.see the embrasment in my wife

    I would rake my hand and swipe my hand from eyebrows over top out to the back my hand would be soaked i could a flow run down my back

    Even think it flowed down my but crack

    I am feed up

    Its gross uncomfortable embarissing and shamfull

    My poor qute wife

    She never ssid a thing but could just see the sweet

    When i was paying could just see the cashiers looking at me in discuss

    And you my think i am over doing it but sadly not

    Got no clue what to.do

    Today it burnt the skin my be from sun to but top of my eyebrows has two blond white lines edgei g around my eyes and brow and around that skin is like a redish with hint of purple

    Werid colour

    And is now burning

    And with all this heat sweat when working hard active witch is often the more i go the mire st top of neck where head meets just under the bump in back of skull about 2 to 3 inches in diamter

    Turns ice ice ice cold

    And to anyone that will daee get close

    Cant belive it they explan it like touching ice

    At whits end i work suler hard but have wide three boys dog cat bills cars

    Dont just have money to just spend at prices i have seen

    Not sure what to do

    Even at work this mornig be fore shopping

    Was in shop building a backet for transport witch i run

    And not a live in truck driver home every second night work many hours at shop

    Pysical work

    But garage was closed and it was cool

    Was drilling.holes with a drill press

    So basicly puliing a lever down and standing

    My saftey glasses where soaked foggex dripping sweet pooring in eyes.couldnt even see

    Saw my boss watching.

    Just staring

    Its getting so bad i was starting to get worried he was going to say something stop me

    Cause ralky its a bad safty issue

    What the hell can i do

    Cause with what i see

    Its going to start costing

    Wife jobs

    Freinds

    I even think i sweeted so much it bleached my shur

    Guess to domeone reading this could take ut as i was makeing fun of being a jerk

    But this is truley

    Truly true

    And yes i am a big guy nope not a fat lazy job

    I clinb.latrers walk mills

    Dint eat mc donalds fast foods

    Like most truckers

    I.eat lots of subway

    Sandwitches

    Vegtables

    Always been.big

    I have many guys i work with that eat 60 times more then me

    They cant belive it

    What can i do

    • anne42438
      anne42438 chris34121

      Posted

      Hi Chris, I think you should see a Doctor, I have the exact same problem and im a woman thos its my head and neck where it starts first, i now take Probanthine tablets that a friend recommended and ive never looked back, the sweating is under control at long last, you will have to get them from the Doc so its a good idea to see what your Doc says first then go from there, let him know about the Probanthine because my Doc didnt think to offer me them when i went to him about my sweating problem, because they are for another complaint, but as long as your Doc says its ok for you to take the, and you are not taking any other meds that they will interfere with, they will change your life, just take one tab to start with, then two if you need them, i have been on them for 5 or 6 years now and i still only take 2 tabs most days, i am also on some heavy duty meds but can still take Probanthine so you should be ok as long as your not allergic or have another condition that could aversely affect you when you take Probanthine tabs, Good-luck Chris, bye bye sweating. Anne.
  • ltanya59218
    ltanya59218 gill22568

    Posted

    Hi. Are you still suffering from hyperhydrosis? 
    • Racingirl911
      Racingirl911 ltanya59218

      Posted

      Hi Itanya59219! I'm unclear as to exactly who you are directing your question to. Perhaps you can clarify? 😊

  • rebecca62804
    rebecca62804 gill22568

    Posted

    I just found this site! I went to the Dr. a year ago and he diagnosed me with Hyperhydrosis also, when I looked it up I didn't think I had this... as I only sweat on my head and face and some of my upper torso and ONLY when it is warm/hot and humid. Not in the winter.. he prescribed the Oxybutrin(sp?) also and I filled the prescription but never took it as I did not want to take another pill and it is listed as  a bladder control medicine and I take a diuretic for my blood pressure... seemed like not a good idea. However, now that summer is back in the USA I am sweating again! I don't have this problem in the winter, even in a heated home? I have contacted the Dr. after reading through this post and I am going to start the medication if he says it is still OK. Thank you so much for this Post!  

    • Racingirl911
      Racingirl911 rebecca62804

      Posted

      I would also like you to know that there are some dermatologists who can treat this problem with Botox injections at several places that ultimately will stop the sweat glands from working. As I just learned about this recently, I have not found a doctor yet. I live in Ohio, so I plan on checking out the doctors at the OSU Medical Center. It is a teaching hospital, so it's more likely that I'll find a few doctors who will treat my excessive head, face and neck sweating.

      I cannot tell you, and anyone else who happens along this website, how very relieved I feel to know that I am not the only person who's life is pretty much controlled by this horrible problem. I hate that you know how I feel, because I would not wish this on anyone...😪

    • mollydoug
      mollydoug Racingirl911

      Posted

      Racingirl911, I also live in Ohio (near Akron, OH) so if/when you find out that the doctors at OSU Medical Center have an option(s), please keep me posted! Just as you said, I was certain that I was the only person who struggled with this horrible problem - amazing to find we aren't alone! My life has been pretty much dictated by this issue for as long as I can remember. sad

    • Racingirl911
      Racingirl911 mollydoug

      Posted

      Hello Molly!

      Yes, it sure is great to know that I'm not alone, too! And, you can bet I will be posting any info I can get from OSU! We must support each other, because I'm betting that everyone here doesn't get a whole lot of support and/or understanding from family and friends.

      You said you're around the the Akron area. I'm almost on the other side of Ohio (a little south of Lima). You are actually closer to a place that is usually light years ahead of even OSU--Cleveland Clinic! I'm willing to bet that their dermatology department is doing, or has been doing the Botox procedure for quite a while! So, how about this...I'll check out OSU (I have an appointment there next week), and then you can get a hold of Cleveland Clinic's dermatology department, and we will meet back here to share whatever info we may have! And, it probably won't surprise you when I tell you that my excessive head and face sweating runs my life SO much, that I have no problem driving the 3 and a half to 4 hours it takes me to get to Cleveland Clinic to have that Botox treatment!

      By the way, I will reply here to my own original post, and I'm guessing that you should also reply here, because I must have set up something that alerts me via my email when someone replies on my post. But, to be on the safe side, I will check back here by the middle of next week (which will be after my OSU appointment--which, unfortunately, has nothing to do with my sweating issues.).

      Good hunting, Molly!!!👍🏼👍🏼😁

    • diana91800
      diana91800 Racingirl911

      Posted

      Hello ladies - I'm from Akron as well.  I did botox and it helps ONLY.  maybe 30%  The other drugs Proanthine tabs and Oxybutrin(sp?) - I tried the Oxy but my mouth was so dry and I couldn't speak and don't know whether this was worse than the sweating or not.  If you get Botox you have to go to a neurologist and should search who does the botox specifically for the head and face as well.    Insurance pays for under arm sweating and feet and handsl  When I start It's hard to breath at times and my nose runs like crazy.  Diana

    • mollydoug
      mollydoug Racingirl911

      Posted

      Sorry for my late reply Racingirl911 - somehow I missed your most recent message until today. I will check with Cleveland Clinic to see if they offer any suggestions for our problem. I've heard so many mixed reviews on Botox as help for this - but I'm willing to give anything a try! Like you, I'd happily drive 4 hours (or more!) if I found something that would help. Let's keep one another (and others) posted as to our findings! The last few days here have been miserable for me, temps in the 90's with high humidity, UGH!

    • Racingirl911
      Racingirl911 mollydoug

      Posted

      Hi!

      Yeah, I hear ya with regards to high temps with high humidity.😱 I am retired, so when it gets this hot I just stay inside my air conditioned house! 😥

      Let me know when you talk to Cleveland Clinic! I am SO crossing my fingers that you find good news!! 👍🏼👍🏼😁😁

      I'm not sure if I told you exactly when my appointment with a Lima dermatologist who, I was told by his staff that he has experience with Botox treatment, is on June 26th. I will let you know what happens then. I pray that he will be able to do away with my face and head excessive sweating. I'm 60 y/o, and have been dealing with this for almost 20 years, so I'm absolutely ready to try anything just to get my life back!

    • barb67
      barb67 Racingirl911

      Posted

      I just have a general question. Does this "excessive face, neck and head" sweating have an actual name? I've had MRI's, scans, etc and all I've been told is everything looks normal.

      Do any of you experience your face turning bright red on one side and (in my case) white on the other? The line is exactly down the middle of my face, nose and chin. Since no one has given me a diagnosis - they say: "That's weird, you'll have to live with it or I don't know." Very depressing😩😩

    • bill09319
      bill09319 barb67

      Posted

      All i have been told is hyperhidrosis as a result of overactive sympathetic nervous system. It took me a while to even get a doctor to take me seriously about treatment... they all said it was just anxiety... even though my sweating is the actual cause of anxiety that then snowballs as i get more self conscious about the sweating.
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