Sweaty palms -- do you got them?

[Akimbo752]

OK. So when I am in an intense situation, my palms sweat uncontrollably, and profusely, enough so that I can't leave them on paper or a table for a long time either because the paper starts to curl, or once I move them off the table, voila, there's a palm mark.

But I can fake being comfortable very well, and interview like a charm, they always just end with a *firm* yet ... swampy handshake.

For some reason they only sweat when it's important people too.

It's like how old people's joints predict the weather, my palms predict someone's importance.

So ... who else has this?

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[stoppushingit]

me

 

[carn311]

I have this. I typically try to predict when the handshake will come and try to dry my hands on a pant leg. If you time it just right you'll have as dry a handshake as ever...that is of course unless your interviewer is nervous.

 

[armybound]

My hands get clammy. I bet I look like a nervous wreck when I meet someone new.

 

[Robizzle]

Here's what happens to me:

Slightly nervous or slightly warm - palms sweat
Fairly nervous or fairly warm - head sweats
Really nervous or really warm - entire body sweats

I have sweat glands everywhere, it sucks. I have learned not to get nervous too much anymore, if at all though. Still sucks when it's hot out though.

There's gotta be a cure for this somewhere...

Woot, thank goodness for anonymous forums!

 

[sprinkibrio]

There's a sugery where they cut a nerve in your back that keeps your arms/hands/armpits from sweating. Lots of surgeons with this condition get the surgery done. But it's not for just a nervous sweat... it's for a constant hands sweat which some people do have.

 

[baylormed]

Here's what happens to me:

Slightly nervous or slightly warm - palms sweat
Fairly nervous or fairly warm - head sweats
Really nervous or really warm - entire body sweats

I have sweat glands everywhere, it sucks. I have learned not to get nervous too much anymore, if at all though. Still sucks when it's hot out though.

There's gotta be a cure for this somewhere...

Woot, thank goodness for anonymous forums!

Actually there is. They can cut out the sweat conducts to some areas of the body that are sometimes particularly troublesome to some people (like the palms of the hands, or the axillae, etc). However, one of the secondary effects is that you start sweating more from other places...the body's gotta get rid of that liquid either way.

 

[Robizzle]

Actually there is. They can cut out the sweat conducts to some areas of the body that are sometimes particularly troublesome to some people (like the palms of the hands, or the axillae, etc). However, one of the secondary effects is that you start sweating more from other places...the body's gotta get rid of that liquid either way.

Awesome. I'm gonna have them cut all my sweat conducts.. Everywhere but my palms. That way I can be like a super-hydro-man hero and fight fires/crime.

 

[Funky]

Actually there is. They can cut out the sweat conducts to some areas of the body that are sometimes particularly troublesome to some people (like the palms of the hands, or the axillae, etc). However, one of the secondary effects is that you start sweating more from other places...the body's gotta get rid of that liquid either way.

for me probably lose sweaty palms but get even more sweatier back. I don't know if that tradeoff is worth it.

 

[seadizzle]

my hands sweat, it's a huge pain when rockclimbing, i need to chalk up quite often

why would it be an issue for surgeons though? nitrile (or whatever they are using) gloves would seem to void the problem

but i do the casually wipe hand on pant leg if a handshake is coming up

 

[etf]

for me probably lose sweaty palms but get even more sweatier back. I don't know if that tradeoff is worth it.

lol, me too. actually, i'm not sure what sweats more - my palms or my back. both are gross - especially the back, since then your shirt is gross for a while. however, in interview situations i also get a dry mouth. i'm thinking of asking for a prescription for inderal before my next interviews.

 

[seadizzle]

in an interview pausing to take a drink of water is a natural way to buy yourself a few seconds

 

[Robizzle]

I love how the disgusting truth is coming out for everyone!

Head sweat is the worst of the worst. Not too many seem to have this though. I am considering shaving my head bald but that would just look funny.

 

[hmm...]

you could always have surgery
http://www.or-live.com/umm/1191/content/description.cfm

 

[DrBowtie]

Go see a derm. They give you a script or use botox injections to limit the sweat glands.

 

[msundi83]

just sodium load and take diruetics prior to the interview. you'll not only have no water to sweat, but you'll look ripped and really intimidate anyone at the interview. Of course the dehydration will cause light headedness and decreases concentration, but hey...we gotta make sacrifices when we sweat too much.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Yeah I'm lucky - I don't sweat much. Probably because I don't drink enough water...

So thats one (unhealthy) option - drink less water and you'll sweat less.

 

[45408]

um, don't drink a lot of water, rest your hands on your pant legs, and try to dry your hand off a little before you shake hands. Maybe Gold Bond or baby powder would help. Your interviewer won't think less of you if you've got sweaty hands. They know you're nervous.

 

[Xotica]

I have this same problem (albeit probably much worse than you do). I told me doctor about it and he was prescribed me prescription strength anti perspirant. All I do now is apply the anti perspirant to my palms before I sleep and I have no problem with palmer sweating. The only negative aspect of this treatment is that it dries out your palms to the point where you may develop cuts in the space between your fingers. If you want to know more let me know.

 

[etf]

I love how the disgusting truth is coming out for everyone!

Head sweat is the worst of the worst. Not too many seem to have this though. I am considering shaving my head bald but that would just look funny.

i have face sweat, particularly my upper lip. damn, i'm just a sweaty guy. gross.

 

[karmega5]

Me- not terribly sweaty hands, but always want to make a good impression.
At the end of the interview, as you stand up (shake hands standing up!), put your hands on the edge of the (hopefully cloth) chair as you stand. A quick, inconspicuous way to dry the hands.

 

[Anjlprincezz]

my palms sweat when im nervous.. but thats the only place i sweat, ever.. so i guess its ok... i just wipe them on my pants as inconspicuously as possible...

 

[triplerox]

its called hyperhydrosis, i have it too =[

sadly there is no cure for such a thing. botox and surgery are options for treatments but u should really look into the side effect, especially the surgery. A lot of people regret having that surgery done. Just research into it. What i realize is that the least i think about it, the less my palm sweats.

This is actually pretty interesting because hyperhydrosis is one of the reason that makes me want to be a doctor.

 

[degoo_]

For my summer job interview I was sweating litres. I was so embarrassed, I felt like wiping my forehead off and drying my hands constantly. Yet, for my meds interview, I didn't sweat one bit. It was great, I was expecting to leave a puddle and came out dry.
But as everyone else says, anticipate the handshake and get a quick wipe off before hand.

 

[Robizzle]

For my summer job interview I was sweating litres. I was so embarrassed, I felt like wiping my forehead off and drying my hands constantly. Yet, for my meds interview, I didn't sweat one bit. It was great, I was expecting to leave a puddle and came out dry.
But as everyone else says, anticipate the handshake and get a quick wipe off before hand.

I was just liek this! I was anticipating the sweat so much that I didn't sweat.

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

This is actually pretty interesting because hyperhydrosis is one of the reason that makes me want to be a doctor.

Please tell me you wrote about this in your personal statement.

 

[Xotica]

its called hyperhydrosis, i have it too =[

sadly there is no cure for such a thing. botox and surgery are options for treatments but u should really look into the side effect, especially the surgery. A lot of people regret having that surgery done. Just research into it. What i realize is that the least i think about it, the less my palm sweats.

This is actually pretty interesting because hyperhydrosis is one of the reason that makes me want to be a doctor.

SLU has a world leader in hyperhydrosis Dr. Glaser. One of the main reasons I am thinking of attending SLU in the fall.

 

[dantt]

There's a sugery where they cut a nerve in your back that keeps your arms/hands/armpits from sweating. Lots of surgeons with this condition get the surgery done. But it's not for just a nervous sweat... it's for a constant hands sweat which some people do have.

I am curious about this situation. I'm pretty interested in surgery and may see myself going into it in the future. However, I have a major problem with sweaty hands as well, not just when I'm nervous but when I get excited too. Do these surgeons get the operation before or after they start becoming surgeons and find a better way to deal with it?

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

SLU has a world leader in hyperhydrosis Dr. Glaser. One of the main reasons I am thinking of attending SLU in the fall.

Seriously? Huh, I have to admit that I'm surprised you feel so strongly about... well... sweat.

If you don't mind me asking, why are you so passionate about hyperhydrosis? I'm truly curious.

 

[Hednej]

I get sweaty palms all the time. All my scantrons are a mess

 

[Mikel Jackson]

I have the problem too, and actually have been getting the botox treatments for 4-5 years now. They are very effective for ~6 months. DO NOT get the surgery.

 

[Mikel Jackson]

In my hands that is.

 

[Robizzle]

Crowded bar/club = bad news bears. Thank goodness for cold brewskis.

 

[deleted106503]

My palms sweat as well, but for some reason not as much at the interview as I think (a good thing!). I'm thinking in my head about it, but in the end, it's nothing much. However, they really sweat when I play basketball, exercise, etc. I tried moving a desk upstairs once and couldn't do it. Wasn't a problem lifting it up, but my hands would slip all the time.

I have this same problem (albeit probably much worse than you do). I told me doctor about it and he was prescribed me prescription strength anti perspirant. All I do now is apply the anti perspirant to my palms before I sleep and I have no problem with palmer sweating. The only negative aspect of this treatment is that it dries out your palms to the point where you may develop cuts in the space between your fingers. If you want to know more let me know.

Does the antiperspirant have Aluminum? I heard that using it frequently can lead to some health problems down the road.

 

[Vvandenn]

My forehead sweats ALL the time in rather large amounts. It's so annoying.

 

[Xotica]

Seriously? Huh, I have to admit that I'm surprised you feel so strongly about... well... sweat.

If you don't mind me asking, why are you so passionate about hyperhydrosis? I'm truly curious.

I am passionate about hyperhydrosis because it has greatly my social life until just recently. In my case, my hyperhydrosis was so severe that my palms would literally sweat (continuously and in large amounts) from the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep. If you can imagine that you can understand why I feel so strongly about this.

 

[tacrum43]

My forehead sweats ALL the time in rather large amounts. It's so annoying.

Me too, well at least whenever I'm the slightest bit warm. I'm a little worried about being in a surgery and needing to wipe my brow every five minutes. I wonder if they make sterile sweatbands. Kind of a gross topic, but what can you do?

Is there a surgery for excessive sweating of the head too?

 

[HCW212]

My palms began to sweat while reading this.

If I just THINK about them sweating...then they will. I hate it.

 

[Xotica]

Does the antiperspirant have Aluminum? I heard that using it frequently can lead to some health problems down the road.[/QUOTE]

Yeah it has aluminum. I think that active ingredient in all anti perspirant is Aluminum Chloride. I have never heard of the negative side effects by the way. I know there are other treatments for this but I have found this one the most cost effective and convenient.

 

[freetheyaz]

Not to plug a product, but http://www.alphamaleskincare.com/ has a product to stop hand sweating...it seems to help.

 

[SurgeonUFO]

I get sweaty palms -.-
My first girlfriend in 8th grade wouldn't hold my hand because of them. It was pretty traumatizing. At the time.

 

[Heimerfink]

this happens to me. in fact, i even had one of the interviewers at a top 10 school say "oh, no need to be nervous" after the interview because of sweaty hands... mine are just constantly wet. including right now.

anyways. there's an Rx only hyperhidriosis dabber that works great. you wear it overnight on palms or underarms. Hypercare 20% Ammonium Chloride...

try it out

 

[prmdbeach17]

Wow, is this like a trait of people that want to be doctors...I had no idea there were so many people with hyperhidrosis. I have it too but my dermatologist gave me Drysol which is one of the prescription antiperspirants, and yes it has aluminum chloride. You put it on at night. For me it helps a lot.

 

[EBI831]

this guy next to me at the mcat had it. he had to bring in an extra wad of napkins from the bathroom to rest his hand on to take the test unless it would screw up the scantron. by the end of the test, the napkin was disgusting looking. but good luck finding a cure to whoever wants to go into derm or whatever to fix those overactive sudiferous glands or whatever.

 

[sashie19]

I have this problem with my palms and it was a major concern of mine at the interview. I kept thinking, "Crap! My interviewer is going to think my palms are sweaty because I'm really nervous, when really I feel ok!" I just try to do the wipe-hand-on-pants-as-you-bring-it-up-to-shake move in these kinds of situations. I want to be a surgeon too, but this shouldn't be a problem since every time I put on gloves the problem is taken care of.

My cousin ended up having the surgery and it worked well for him (and he didn't have a noticeable increase in sweat in other areas). He resorted to this after years of having to take a washcloth to class every time he took a test (kinda like the guy with the napkins) and then trying the injections (said they hurt a LOT and didn't last as long as they should have).

 

[dantt]

You're lucky, when I put gloves on, the gloves tend to get very uncomfortable and gross really quickly from the sweat. It's not even nervousness, just playing video games gives me a sweaty controller.

 

[deleted106503]

It's not even nervousness, just playing video games gives me a sweaty controller.

The same thing happens to me. I was playing my friend's Nintendo Wii the other day and we used the same controller for Wii Sports. I handed it back to him and got pissed I got it sweaty again and changed controllers.

 

[medfool24]

I get sweaty palms.

 

[triplerox]

The same thing happens to me. I was playing my friend's Nintendo Wii the other day and we used the same controller for Wii Sports. I handed it back to him and got pissed I got it sweaty again and changed controllers.

i know how u feel man, thats one of the things ihad to deal with =/

i didnt know so many premed student has hyperhydrosis! i guess im not alone

 

[triplerox]

SLU has a world leader in hyperhydrosis Dr. Glaser. One of the main reasons I am thinking of attending SLU in the fall.

Is SLU a good school? I have never heard of it before. Are there any doctors in California med schools specializing in hyperhydrosis as well?