Excessive Face And Head Sweating: Causes And More

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat causes excessive face and head sweating?

Medically reviewed by Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP — Written by Jennifer Huizen — Updated on February 16, 2024

Hyperhidrosis
Causes
Why the head and face?
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Triggers
How to stop it
Summary

Sweating is a natural process that helps cool the body. However, excessive sweating of the face and head could indicate a condition known as hyperhidrosis.

The term “hyperhidrosis” means excessive (hyper) sweating (hidrosis). It can occur on its own, or as a result of another condition or medication. When excessive sweating affects the head and face, it is known as craniofacial hyperhidrosis.

Read on to learn more about hyperhidrosis, what causes excessive sweating of the head and face, and how to stop it.

What is hyperhidrosis?

Person sweating after a run. — Dougal Waters/Getty Images

Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down. It can help to prevent overheating during hot weather, when exercising, or when a person has a fever. However, sweating can also occur unnecessarily. When this happens frequently, it is known as hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis is not uncommon. It affects an estimated 3% of people in the United States. There are two main forms:

Primary focal hyperhidrosis: This is the most common type of hyperhidrosis. It causes a person to sweat more in one or several specific areas of the body, such as the face or hands. The term “primary” means that this does not occur due to another medical condition or medication.
Secondary hyperhidrosis: In this type, a medication condition or medication is responsible for the symptoms. This could also include dietary supplements.

Hyperhidrosis of the head and face could be primary or secondary.

Causes of excessive sweating

Experts believe that hyperhidrosis may occur due to a problem with the sympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that is responsible for controlling many bodily functions, including heart rate, breathing, and sweating.

Usually, the nervous system sends signals along nerves in the body to tell sweat glands when to produce sweat, and when to stop. This may be in response to stimuli such as heat or certain emotions, such as anxiety.

But in hyperhidrosis, this signaling does not work as it should. The reasons for this differ depending on whether it is primary or secondary.

Primary focal hyperhidrosis

Many people with primary focal hyperhidrosis also have a family member who sweats more in specific areas. This suggests there could be a genetic link, but scientists are still learning about this.

Secondary hyperhidrosis

Secondary hyperhidrosis has many potential causes. They include:

infections
hormonal shifts during puberty, menopause, or after pregnancy
diabetes
overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
low blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
obesity
gout
certain medications such as certain antidepressants, propranolol, pilocarpine, and bethanechol
Parkinson’s disease
drug or alcohol use
withdrawal from drugs or alcohol
head trauma or brain tumors
blood cell or bone marrow disorders, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma
diseases that impact the sympathetic nerves
certain rare inherited conditions

Sometimes, treating the underlying cause will reduce or stop secondary hyperhidrosis.

Why the head and face?

Hyperhidrosis often affects parts of the body that sweat the most, such as the underarms or feet. However, the face and head can also sweat a lot in hot weather. For example, some people develop a sweaty forehead, temples, or upper lip under those conditions.

As a result, hyperhidrosis can affect the head and face too. If a person has primary focal hyperhidrosis, the symptoms may only affect this area. In contrast, secondary hyperhidrosis may affect the whole body.

In primary focal hyperhidrosis, there is not always a clear reason why sweating affects one body part and not another. It may be that only some nerves are overactive.

Symptoms of craniofacial hyperhidrosis

People with craniofacial hyperhidrosis tend to experience sweating on the face, head, or scalp that:

is visible, soaks into clothing, or drips from the face
cannot be explained by heat or stress
interferes with daily activities, such as reading or working
smells different to usual sweat

If the cause is primary, symptoms will occur at least once per week and may:

begin during childhood or adolescence
only affect the head, or just the head and one or two other body parts
occur when a person wakes up, but not while they are asleep
cause the skin to wrinkle, become soft, or peel
lead to skin infections

If hyperhidrosis is secondary, the symptoms could begin at any time, and may affect many areas of the body. A person may also sweat at night.

In either case, hyperhidrosis can have a significant impact on quality of life and mental health. Some people may avoid contact with others due to embarrassment, particularly those with facial sweating, as this is more difficult to disguise than other types of hyperhidrosis.

Diagnosing hyperhidrosis

To diagnose hyperhidrosis, a doctor will ask someone about their symptoms and examine the affected areas. They may also perform a sweat test, which involves covering areas of the skin with a powder that turns purple when wet.

To identify the cause of excessive sweating, they may also recommend:

blood tests
urine tests
medical imaging tests, such as an MRI scan

A doctor will also review the medications and supplements someone is taking to determine whether they could be contributing.

If a medical professional cannot find an underlying cause, they may diagnose primary hyperhidrosis. If they do find a cause, it is secondary hyperhidrosis.

Triggers for excessive sweating

A range of factors may trigger symptoms of hyperhidrosis. These factors are typically those that would increase body temperature or the risk of sweating.

Common triggers include:

warm weather
alcohol
spicy foods
anxiety
wearing tight, thick, or restrictive clothing
exercise
caffeine
monosodium glutamate (MSG)

How to stop the sweating

Depending on the severity, people with excessive sweating may benefit from self-care strategies, medical treatments, or in extreme cases, surgery.

Self-care and management

There are a few strategies that may help reduce the symptoms of hyperhidrosis or make them more manageable. It may help to:

Regulate body temperature: Where possible, avoid hot weather and wear loose, lightweight clothing in natural fabrics, such as cotton or linen. These help keep the body cool. People can also carry mini fans to cool the face.
Avoid triggers: If a person knows certain things trigger their sweating, they may be able to avoid them entirely, or choose to avoid them at certain times. For example, a person might avoid spicy food before a meeting if they know this may cause symptoms.
Absorb excess sweat: People can use tissues, blotting paper, or soft face cloths to dab sweat away during the day. If sweat mainly comes from the scalp, it may help to use sweatbands to prevent moisture from dripping onto the face.
Reduce the appearance: People may be able to reduce the appearance of sweat by wearing the hair up, wearing light colors around the neck, or using absorbent face powders.
Reduce stress: Worrying about sweating, or experiencing stress more generally, may lead to more sweat. People may benefit from relaxation techniques or mental health support if they are struggling with this.

Medical treatments

The first-line treatment for craniofacial hyperhidrosis is a medicated face wipe that contains glycopyrrolate. This medication stops the sweat glands from becoming activated, reducing sweating.

Other options include:

antiperspirants, though these may not be suitable for the face
Botox injections
oral medications that prevent the sweat glands from working

Doctors tend to prescribe oral medications in cases where the symptoms are severe.

Another hyperhidrosis treatment is iontophoresis, which involves passing a weak electrical current through water or a moistened pad to temporarily stop the sweat glands from working. Usually doctors recommend this for the hands or feet rather than the face, though.

Procedures

In cases when symptoms do not respond to any other treatment, doctors may suggest medical procedures or surgery.

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

This surgical treatment for hyperhidrosis involves cutting or clipping the nerves responsible for triggering sweating in the affected area with very small incisions. This stops the nerves from being able to sending signals.

However, because the body is unable to sweat in one location, the procedure may cause compensatory sweating in other areas.

Removal or destruction of sweat glands

Some treatments involve destroying sweat glands themselves. Doctors can do this in various ways, but many techniques, such as surgically cutting out sweat glands, have high complication rates.

A newer approach involves using microwave energy to create heat in the skin, destroying sweat glands without making incisions. Early trials of this treatment have been promising, but none have focused specifically on face and head sweating.

Summary

It is typical for the face and head to sweat when a person feels hot. However, if sweating occurs for no apparent reason, this could be hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.

Hyperhidrosis of the face and head can be uncomfortable and challenging. If there is an underlying cause, addressing this may reduce the symptoms. If there is no treatable cause, people may benefit from medical treatments to improve quality of life.

People should contact a doctor about excessive or unexplained sweating, especially if it develops fairly suddenly or after starting a medication.

People should also contact a doctor about sweating that causes excessive embarrassment, reduces self-esteem, or interferes with daily activities.

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How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Hyperhidrosis. (2023).https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis: Overview. (n.d.).https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/hyperhidrosis-overview
McConaghy JR, et al. (2018). Hyperhidrosis: Management options.https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0601/p729.html

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Medically reviewed by Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP — Written by Jennifer Huizen — Updated on February 16, 2024

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