Are there really natural cures for excessive sweating? The answer is YES — and sometimes NO because it actually depends on what causes sweaty hands and feet.
In this article, we covered the possible reasons why you’re having problems with excessive sweating. We also shared the most popular home remedies and discussed how they are supposed to work.
Sweating is completely normal, especially during physical activity or when the indoor or outdoor temperature is high. However, excessive sweating can be uncomfortable, embarrassing, and even lead to health issues such as athlete’s foot, chest pain, and toenail fungus.
How to Avoid Sweaty Hands (While Holding Hands)
There are many ways to stop sweating or reduce chronic sweat, including natural remedies and moisture-wicking products which we will discuss in detail.
You may have already heard of some of this great home remedy. But are they really the solutions to stop sweat from dripping off your hands? We will talk about these natural treatment options and why they may not work for you while it works wonders for some.
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What causes sweaty hands and feet
Anxiety
Palms are sweaty? Knees weak and arms heavy? Your emotional state can make you break out in a heavy sweat, especially when you are feeling stressed.
When you have racing thoughts, you get an adrenaline rush and this in turn, causes sweaty palms along with jitters and a skyrocketing heart rate.
Elevated body temperature
Sweating is how our body cools itself when the weather is hot or when our muscles warm up after working out.
Spicy food and alcoholic beverages
Excessive sweating may also be a response to the beverages and food you consume.
Hot, spicy foods make your mouth feel like a flamethrower due to capsaicin. Once digested, the thermogenic ingredient activates certain nerve cells to raise your body’s internal temperature and metabolism. Consequently, your body sweats to cool you back down.
Alcohol intolerance can also cause you to sweat profusely.
Hyperhidrosis
Excessive sweating that is not related to spicy food, humid weather, or exercise often indicates hyperhidrosis, which is a chronic skin condition characterized by the malfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system.
There are two types of hyperhidrosis:
- Primary hyperhidrosis: Also known as focal hyperhidrosis, it is the excessive sweating observed in the hands (palmar) and feet (plantar). This medical condition is hereditary and usually occurs during the onset of puberty.
- Secondary hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating all over the body is called secondary or generalized hyperhidrosis. This condition is due to chronic health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Medications
If you’re sweating more than usual after starting a new prescription, your medications could be to blame. Some drugs cause hot flashes and excessive sweating as a side effect, and these include:
- antidepressants
- asthma inhalers
- calcium channel blockers
- diabetes medications
- prednisone
- proton pump inhibitors
15 home remedies for sweaty hands and feet
Wash your feet daily
Just like every other part of the body, your feet warrant special attention. At the bare minimum, you should be washing your feet at least once a day — make it twice daily if you have plantar hyperhidrosis to prevent feet sweating and control excessive sweating.
You would want to take your foot washing to the next level by using an antimicrobial soap, such as ClearZal Foot Cleanser. Ideally, you would also want to use a pumice stone to slough off dead skin cells that bacteria love to feed on.
No matter how pristine your feet look, there are minute bioforms taking up residence over there. The bacteria will feed on sweat and cause feet sweat with a funky, cheesy odor. So, lather up!
Make a lemon juice foot soak
Lemon is rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and citric acid. Its highly acidic properties make it an effective remedy for sweaty feet. It draws excess moisture from the skin and decreases the pH level to make it uninhabitable for odor-causing bacteria. Lemon juice also helps exfoliate dead skin cells.
To prepare a lemon juice foot soak, do the following:
- In a large bowl, prepare a warm footbath and squeeze out the juice from one to two lemons. You can also leave pieces of lemon peel in the water.
- Soaking your feet for 15 minutes does wonders, rinse, and pat them dry.
You can also use lime juice as an alternative.
Another natural remedy to stop sweating is mixing lemon juice with rubbing alcohol. The lemon makes a cooling impact on the skin, and rubbing alcohol helps keep the skin dry. You can apply this mixture to the affected area using an alcohol wipe.
Apply antiperspirant foot lotions & creams
Using antiperspirants, such as Carpe Antiperspirant Hand Lotion and Carpe Antiperspirant Foot Lotion, to reduce sweating, is a dermatologist-recommended remedy for sweaty hands and feet. While antiperspirants are often associated with underarm sweating, they can also be used to reduce excessive sweating in other body areas.
Should you apply deodorant at night and in the morning? Yes!
Actually, the best time to apply antiperspirants is before bedtime. As your body temperature drops, your overactive sweat glands become less active, making it easier for your skin to absorb the active ingredients than in the morning.
Use tea tree oil
If you don’t like the idea of using antiperspirants to treat sweaty hands, you can try rubbing a few drops of Handcraft Tea Tree Essential Oil on your sweaty hands and feet, instead. A natural astringent, it shrinks pores and curbs sweating by leaving a fine film on your skin.
Due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, tea tree oil also has the added benefits of preventing body odor and fungal infections.
However, you should only use a few drops at a time, as adding more might irritate your skin.
Soak your feet in black tea
Do you like sipping Twinings English Breakfast Black Tea in the morning? Don’t throw away used tea bags just yet! Just like lemon juice, it is good to soak your feet in warm water infused with black tea due to its astringent properties. The tannins in black tea tighten skin pores tight and draw out moisture, thus reducing sweating.
Make a coconut oil and camphor paste
The jewel of the tropics seems to treat just about every illness — sweaty hands and feet included. Coconut works like an antiperspirant and it contains antiperspirant properties like lauric acid that helps eliminate odor-causing bacteria. For best results to prevent sweaty feet, you’ll want to use virgin coconut oil, such as COCO & CO 100% Raw Coconut Oil.
To make a paste, add 10 grams of crushed camphor to a cup of coconut oil. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Rub the paste on the sweaty areas of your body and leave it on for 45 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
Spritz rose water
If you are in a situation where you can’t give your feet a thorough wash, use rose water to disinfect them.
Rose water is one of the best-smelling home remedies for sweaty hands and feet. We like Baja Basics Rose Water because its scent is not overpowering and it is 100% pure and organic. The sweet-smelling remedy is an astringent, so it shrinks pores and limits the amount of sweat produced.
Dab apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a natural astringent with antibacterial properties. Since it is cheap and readily available, it may be worth figuring out if it works for you. Viva Naturals, Kevala, and Bragg are a few brand options.
Use cornstarch to absorb sweat and keep feet dry
Cornstarch is a quick and inexpensive method to avoid hot, sweaty feet. Just like talcum powder, it absorbs moisture, keeps feet dry, and protects skin from irritation. So before you wear your best socks, it might be a good idea to sprinkle some cornstarch on those clean feet.
But unlike baking powder, cornstarch doesn’t help prevent foot odor or fungal infections since it lacks antimicrobial properties.
Drinking tomato juice
There’s no scientific explanation that supports the claim that drinking tomato juice or using it topically can help with excessive perspiration and sweating. However, you can hear most people vouching for it on the Internet, so we’re giving it the benefit of the doubt. After all, it’s a healthy drink that helps you stay hydrated, and when it comes to battling hyperhidrosis, hydration is a must.
Rubbing potatoes on your skin
The idea of rubbing potato slices on the palm of your hands and soles of your feet may sound ridiculous, but this home remedy just can’t be pulled out of thin air, right? So, we did some research into the origins of this claim.
It turns out that many people have mistaken potassium alum for potassium that potatoes contain. In cosmetics, potassium alum or tawas is used in antiperspirants due to its astringent and antibacterial properties.
So instead of using russet potatoes to solve excessive sweating, you are better off buying tawas and rubbing it on your feet after every shower.
Sandalwood powder
Another natural astringent we recommend is white sandalwood powder. Combine equal parts of white sandalwood powder, lemon juice, and rose water to create a paste. Apply the paste to your feet and let it harden. After 30 minutes, rinse your feet with lukewarm water.
Put baking soda in your shoe
The use of baking soda extends far beyond cooking and cleaning. You can use this versatile household staple like a foot powder. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, it shines when it comes to absorbing excessive sweat, and neutralizing body pH levels, preventing stinky feet.
Sage tea
One natural remedy for sweating is sage tea. This alkaline nature tea has natural astringents that can help lessen perspiration. To use sage tea, simply mix two to three tablespoons of sage leaves with hot water and let it steep for 10-15 minutes. Once the tea cools down, soak your feet in it for 15-20 minutes.
You can also use black tea bags as a natural astringent. Just soak the tea bags in hot water for a few minutes, let them cool down, and apply them to the affected area. Black tea bags can also be used to reduce wetness and trap moisture.
Witch hazel
Witch hazel is another natural antiperspirant that can be used to treat sweaty armpits, face sweating, and other affected areas. To use witch hazel, simply apply it to the affected area using a cotton ball.
Tips to cope with sweaty hands and feet
Excessive sweating in the hands and feet is not always related to hyperhidrosis. Sometimes, it’s simply a response to emotional stress or to the torrid heat of the afternoon. And on some occasions, it’s a cue that you had too many cocktails or you have bad eating habits.
Here are a few tips on natural ways to help manage mild cases of excessive sweating:
- If you are anticipating a big event, avoid ice cream, greasy fast food, pastries, etc. A diet high in refined carbs and fats leads to high levels of inflammation in the body, which impacts your mood. Comfort foods can actually provoke anxiety.
- Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks.
- Wear cotton socks.
- As much as possible, do not wear the same pair of shoes every day. Give your shoes enough time to dry. Spray a disinfectant on the insides of your shoes.
A healthy diet and more water intake can also help reduce sweating. Processed foods and other foods with high salt content can worsen sweating. Drinking more water can help regulate body temperature and reduce chronic sweat. There are also natural products like deodorants and antiperspirant lotions available in drug stores that work as effective ways to stop sweating.
Moisture-wicking products such as breathable shoes and moisture-wicking socks can also help prevent sweating. These products work by pulling moisture away from the skin and allowing it to evaporate, keeping the feet dry. Plastic shoes trap moisture, so it’s best to avoid them if you tend to sweat excessively.
FAQ
1. Why do sweaty feet cause funky odors?
Bacteria naturally reside on our feet where they feed on sweat and dead skin cells. In the process, these microorganisms produce propionic acid and volatile sulfur compounds that give off a powerful pungent smell.
2. Is hyperhidrosis a serious health problem?
Hyperhidrosis doesn’t usually pose a serious threat to one’s health. But if not properly managed, this condition can bring about emotional, psychological, and social ramifications. Patients with hyperhidrosis are more prone to developing skin infections.
3. Are sweaty hands and feet always a sign of hyperhidrosis?
It depends upon the duration and frequency. Patients with hyperhidrosis sweat roughly five times more than the average person, and the excessive sweating usually begins around puberty.
Final thoughts
The struggle is real for people with sweaty hands and feet! Fortunately, there are home remedies to help control excessive foot sweating, and prevent foot odor. Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, can be a symptom of an underlying condition, so it’s important to consult a doctor if sweating worsens or if you have other health issues.
Take note; these remedies may be sufficient for some people but if you have hyperhidrosis, you may need to use a prescription-strength antiperspirant as your first line of defense. In some cases, hyperhidrosis may be a sign of craniofacial hyperhidrosis, which requires specialized treatment such as botulinum toxin injections. Better yet, see a podiatrist to understand your condition better.