Hi all,
I wanted to post about this because years ago, I thought I was alone in my suffering until I googled excessive sweating and discovered that there are so many people out there going through the same thing as me. Even just knowing that my problem has a name made it easier to deal with.
I sweat excessively under my arms and have done since about the age of 13. I also get it a bit on my face and head, mainly just when it's hot but also when I am embarrassed. Although I have found ways to deal with it, it has RUINED my life. I constantly smell, I have had girls break up with me due to personal hygiene even though I shower twice a day.
I settled for a career in carpentry because in a workshop, most people sweat and I can use the labour as an excuse. You can't use the same excuse in an air conditioned office! As I'm sure most people here do, I sweat all the way through winter.
I have read about medical treatments but have always been too embarrassed to even go to the doctor.
At the age of about 19, I started using wads of tissue under my arms. They would stop the sweat patches to some extent but the smell is usually still there. They also need to be changed very regularly. If I go out at the weekends, I know what kind of toilet roll most of the pubs have, whether it is on a roll, or contained in a casing or if they have the ones where you can only get a sheet at a time. And this will ALWAYS be at the back of my mind when I'm out.
I have done this for years – I'm now 31.
Recently my partner decided that she wanted to try and go zero waste, ie. not buying food that comes in non-recyclable wrap or containers etc. We are both vegan (for many reasons but a change in diet didn't help the sweating like I was secretly hoping) so we started looking at cosmetics that were cruelty and waste free. The high street shop ‘Lush' are pretty much 100% vegan and waste free so we started shopping there, and they do a deodorant called Aromaco Deodorant. It comes as a bar, a bit like a bar of soap and you just rub it on. I have always been very cynical when it comes to deodorants as nothing has ever made the slightest bit of difference, but my girlfriend bought me a sample block and I tried it because it smells quite nice – it has petchuli or something in it.
Anyway, I liked it and because of the zero waste and vegan thing I bought a whole block of it and I really think it might have changed my life. I know I am going to come across as a salesman for Lush here, but I don't sweat any where near as much when I use it as I did before. Maybe it's just me, maybe it won't work for everyone. Maybe I used it and had a couple of days where I didn't sweat as much and I've just connected the two. Maybe it's psychological like the placebo effect.
Whatever it is, I don't care, I have only been using it a few weeks and this week, two people at work have commented that I smell good. I have NEVER been told that before. Two days ago, I went out for the first time since I was 19 without wads of tissue under my arms and didn't need to worry about them falling out or the little bits of tissue that come out when they get sweaty.
I cycle to and from work, and have to cycle up a hill to get home. I am obviously always sweaty after doing this but yesterday, I cycled home and even though my face, head and back were sweaty… my armpits were totally dry. I really cannot explain the feeling, other than saying that I think my life has changed.
Sorry for the long post, and sorry if I sound like I'm selling Lush products. As I said, I really wanted to share it because forums really helped me years ago, and if my post can help anyone out there then it would be a shame to not say anything.
Take it steady,
Danny X
