# Thinking about having sweat glands removed... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382 "2002-07-23T14:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MarcAnthony7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@MarcAnthony7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcAnthony7)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/1 "2002-07-23T14:43:57Z")
I live in what used to be a swamp, and man, is it hot. Hot and steamy - kind of like living in a dog’s mouth, but not as pleasant. This isn’t a problem for most people, but since I’ve lived most of my life in cool northern climes, my body just cannot cope. Now I live my life in anticipation of persperation - I don’t go anywhere without something to soak up the gallons of sweat that just pours out of me. And it sucks. My question is this: is there something that I can do to stop it? I’ve used anti-persperant, but it doesn’t work. Sweat keeps a comin’. I’ve heard about surgery to cut the nerve that controls your sweat glands. Is this true? Is it safe? Can I do it with my X-acto knife and some Elmo Band-Aids? Thanks for any suggestions; I’ll be here in my AC’d office guzzling Gatorade waiting for replies. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/2 "2002-07-23T14:58:02Z")
Sweat is a natural way for your body to cool down. Without sweating you will need to wallow in the mud like pigs do in attempt to stay cool. So don’t remove any glands just yet. 😉 Don’t have anything further to add, except try cold showers and linen shirts. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/3 "2002-07-23T15:06:24Z")
I’m with **Aro**. You may be less wet and possibly less stinky if you remove your sweat glands but you’d be in for a world of trouble getting stuck outside on a hot day. Sweat is how you cool off and frankly your body can’t withstand all that great of a rise of its core temperature. IIRC once your core temp reaches 104 or 105 you move into teh realm of brain damage not to mention a bunch of other problems. That’s only 5-6 degrees you’ve got to play with so if you can’t regulate your body temp you could get into trouble quick. Living in a hot place as you say you do the whole notion probably isn’t a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/4 "2002-07-23T15:17:54Z")
For excessive underarm sweating, there is a product called Drysol. It’s a more concentrated form of an anti-perspirant. Need a prescription for it and it’s a little hard to use. I don’t think you can use on other body parts. It probably won’t work for that sweaty-ass you get in those humid climes. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/5 "2002-07-23T15:29:08Z")
Yeah. Be thankful you’re not a dog. Those poor critters were baking up here in NYC all weekend, while we sweaty humans were comparatively cool. ---
**Author:** ![elfoldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@elfoldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfoldo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/6 "2002-07-23T15:54:58Z")
Drysol can be used on the underarms, hands and feet. It will stop perspiration almost completely in those areas. ---
**Author:** ![benson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@benson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benson)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/7 "2002-07-23T18:29:40Z")
Yes there is a surgery to remove some sweat glands but I think you can only have it if you sweat excessively, as in more than the average person. My cousin had it done because on a day that wasn’t even that warm, she’d be sweating buckets. I suppose you could always talk to your doctor about your options if it bothers you that much. Surgery would probably be the last resort though! ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/8 "2002-07-23T19:15:27Z")
I just gave up on Drysol after a month. Don’t know what it is about me, but I can be outdoors in a t-shirt in February and soak right through the armpits. Drysol stings, and can’t be used with other products (like deodorants, for example. Remember, Drysol is only an anti-persperant) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/9 "2002-07-23T19:52:40Z")
Sucks, dude. For what it’s worth, I’ve kinda been there. Growing up, my hands sweated so badly that I was constantly embarassed, and petrified to hold hands with anyone. My mother would say things like “Don’t worry, it’ll go away,”–I didn’t believe her, but eventually, it did. I was also considering the surgery you were talking about, called Endoscopic Transthoracic Sympathectomy. [Here](http://www.hyperhidrosis.com/faq.htm) is a page with some information on it. You didn’t mention where you sweat on your body–if it’s confined to your hands and feet, I believe that the ETS is a better option. I’m not sure if it carries the same guarantees when you have full body sweating, because one of the side effects of the ETS is supposedly increased sweating on places like your stomach and on the back of your legs. After perusing the Internet and looking at sites like that, I decided that the surgery sounded too extreme for me. I read about people who were overjoyed with the results, and I read about people whose lives were ruined because of the surgery, and to me, it wasn’t worth the risk. So, look around the Internet for “hyperhidrosis” and the ETS operation, and see what you think. Best of luck to you, whatever you decide. ---
**Author:** ![elfoldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@elfoldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfoldo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/10 "2002-07-23T21:57:32Z")
I had sweaty pits and palms all the time. It didn’t matter what the temperature was. I could be naked in snowbank and I’d still be sweating. I’m talking big underarm sweat rings all the time. I used Drysol for a few years and, although it does sting, it worked great for me. I would only have to put it on every other week or so. I haven’t used it in 10 years, but my pits and hands no longer sweat at all. I do 10K runs in 90 degree weather and my t-shirt will be completely soaked except for under my arms. It’s like I no longer have sweat glands there. I’m very happy with it, but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/11 "2002-07-24T03:26:34Z")
See [http://www.sweating.net/](http://www.sweating.net/) ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/12 "2002-07-24T06:52:45Z")
This may seem unrelated, but perhaps you should get an objective analysis of what your level of stress is on a day to day basis and if it’s high see what you can do to reduce it which may effect how much you sweat. ---
**Author:** ![PosterChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/13 "2002-07-24T07:34:17Z")
Dermatologists deal with this pretty often, but there aren’t that many options. For excessively sweaty hands (which can be pretty debilitating) botox injections are an option, but they’re pretty painful and only last about 6 months (IIRC). As **The Wrong Girl** said the sympathectomies can help, but have side effects/risks so be sure to be fully informed. PC ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-about-having-sweat-glands-removed/120382/14 "2002-07-24T12:47:21Z")
Since the OPer mentioned that he grew up in a more northern climate, I thought I’d mention that a few years ago, I read somewhere that the sweat glands develop in early childhood (say up to 4 or so) and the number depends on the climate where you grow up, so the locals ought to have more, not fewer sweat glands. Makes sense to me. I think it likely that you simply react more violently to the weather. I would never consider such an operation. Hell, I don’t even use an antiperspirant. And I do sweat a lot. And shower a lot.