Facial Sweating

Facial sweating, also known as facial hyperhidrosis or just simply a sweaty face, is a particular problem for many people. It is often uncontrollable and can lead to acute social embarrassment and severely affect the sufferers confidence and quality of life.

Facial sweating is considered by some to be the worst type of excessive sweating to live with, purely because it cannot be hidden. It can be a particular problem for women, as it can cause makeup to run and go patchy. Like most instances of hyperhidrosis, facial sweating can often happen without warning or reason. This can cause much anxiety and easily lead to a vicious cycle, as the anxiety of getting a sweaty face, will often lead to a sweaty face.

If a sweaty face is a problem for you, please take a look at our facial sweating information section further down the page.

About Facial Sweating

Facial sweating usually appears as excessive sweating of the forehead, sides of the nose, upper lip and chin, but excessive sweating of the scalp is also common. Excessive sweating of the scalp can lead to hair that looks constantly damp and a constant stream of sweat running down the forehead and into the eyes, which can be a particular nuisance.

Facial Blushing

Facial blushing (Idiopathic Craniofacial Erythema) can appear alone or in tandem with facial sweating, but it is much more common occurring in combination with sweating of the hands (Palmar Hyperhidrosis). All of us blush from time to time, after all, it is a natural reaction, but excessive blushing, often for no reason at all can can be a difficult condition to live with. For more information on facial blushing, please visit our facial blushing page.

Gustatory Hyperhidrosis

Gustatory hyperhidrosis is the excessive facial sweating after eating certain foods. It is often associated with the consumption of hot, spicy food, but can also be triggered by things such as tea, coffee and chocolate. Individuals prone to gustatory hyperhidrosis regularly experience sweating on the forehead, nose, upper lip and around the mouth. In some cases, even just smelling the food can set off the condition.

Treating a Sweaty Face

There is no complete cure for facial sweating but there are treatments out there, some drastic and some not so drastic.

Towards the drastic end of the treatment spectrum are medicines containing beta-blockers or anticholinergics and botox. Botox has been found to be effective but the treatment only lasts for 6-12 months and can cause stiffness of the face. A less drastic treatment is a good quality, pharmacy-strength antiperspirant such as Odaban. Odaban is a 20% aluminium chloride antiperspirant that can be used on all areas of the body. Its natural pump spray is chemical free and suitable for use by all the family.

Please note that when applying Odaban to the skin near or on the face, use a cotton pad to apply to the skin. DO NOT spray directly onto the area. Using on antiperspirant on the face can lead to dehydration of the skin, so be sure to use a facial moisturiser alongside Odaban.