While estimates of its prevalence vary, the International Hyperhidrosis Society estimates that the condition affects nearly 5 percent of the world’s population, or about 367 million people. In the United States, the rate of hyperhidrosis appears to be about the same at 4.8 percent, according to a study published in December 2016 in Archives of Dermatological Research. That study also found that only 51 percent of people with excessive sweating had discussed it with a healthcare professional, and that only 27 percent had received a formal diagnosis of hyperhidrosis. About 3 in 4 people with the condition reported that it negatively affected their social life, sense of well-being, or emotional health. Based on these results, it’s clear that the personal toll of hyperhidrosis is often enormous, yet many people aren’t seeking or receiving the help they need. This means they’re often left to cope with the condition on their own. One way that many people with hyperhidrosis adapt to their condition — whether or not they’re also receiving medical help — is by making strategic wardrobe choices. These choices can help enhance comfort and minimize visible sweating. If someone with hyperhidrosis is “at a point where they’re becoming embarrassed by the signs of sweat on their skin, then they could consider making changes to their wardrobe,” says Alisha Plotner, MD, a dermatologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Even if your sweating is mostly under control as a result of hyperhidrosis treatment, making smart clothing choices can help you stay confident. Try these eight strategies to adjust how you dress to minimize the sweat marks.
1. Dress in layers.
In order to avoid overheating or getting cold once you start to sweat, it’s smart to wear several different layers of clothing. That helps to make it “really easy to cool down if you need your body to cool down,” says Dr. Plotner. Layering is a key clothing strategy for Maria Thomas, a Colorado resident with a background in marketing and medical publishing and a hyperhidrosis advocate for the International Hyperhidrosis Society. Her blog, My Life as a Puddle, chronicles her struggles and thoughts on living with hyperhidrosis. “I find that I get hot and sweaty very quickly, and I never know when it’s going to happen,” says Thomas. “So I like to start off with a tank top and a blouse, and add either a cardigan or a blazer, and then add a scarf if it’s colder outside. That way, as I start to sweat, I can take off layer by layer until I’m down to my tank top.” As a part of her job, Thomas sometimes has to speak on stages before large groups, which triggers her sweating and requires her to remove warmer layers. Yet once she’s standing up there sweating, she often gets cold. “It’s kind of a fight back and forth to try and maintain a neutral temperature,” she notes.
2. Cover your tracks, and yourself.
If you often find visible sweat marks on your clothing and you’re worried it will attract attention, it can be helpful to have an additional article of clothing handy to cover yourself up. This strategy can be used to cover both the underarms and the groin area. “I might have a cardigan on, and then I might take it off and put it down on the seat and then sit on top of my cardigan,” says Thomas. “So number one, I’m not leaving a sweat mark behind on the chair. And number two, as I’m getting up from the chair, I can tie it around my waist.”
3. Experiment with colors and patterns.
It may seem strange that both black and white would be good clothing colors for avoiding visible sweat marks, but Thomas has found this to be the case. Sweat on black clothing, she says, is “easier to hide than on a bright blue or fuchsia-colored top.” At the same time, she says, black can be hot if you’re outside in the sun, so you have to be strategic about wearing it. White fabrics also don’t tend to change color much when they get wet. With certain darker colors, “when they become saturated with the moisture from sweat, it tends to be more apparent,” says Plotner. Patterns can distract the eye from areas of sweat — but choosing the right pattern matters, according to Thomas. Even though patterns can hide sweat marks, “If I’m wearing something that’s very bold and outgoing or boisterous, then it also simultaneously draws attention to my wardrobe,” says Thomas. The key, she adds, is to experiment with different patterns and find ones that work for you.
4. Choose loose-fitting, breathable items.
Plotner suggests looking for clothing items made from “a light, breathable fabric — something that’s very thin and lightweight” whenever possible. Many commonly used fabrics, and the clothing items commonly made with them, simply aren’t very breathable and can increase sweating. “Wearing dress pants or a satin dress can be problematic,” Thomas laments. She suggests wearing mostly cotton fabrics, and making sure that your clothes aren’t too tight and allow ventilation. But tighter-fitting, synthetic, moisture-wicking clothing — like yoga tops and bottoms, and other exercise apparel — can also be good options, says Thomas, depending on your aesthetic and comfort preferences.
5. Wear jeans when you can.
“I would say that jeans are my best friend,” says Thomas. “They’re very sweat-friendly. It’s easy for me to wipe my hands on my jeans and have it be absorbed right away.” And because denim is typically made of cotton, even thicker denim tends to be relatively breathable, which helps keep any sweating underneath your jeans under control. But jeans aren’t necessarily appropriate for every occasion, so you’ll most likely also need to invest in lighter, more breathable pants that you can also tolerate.
6. Pay attention to undergarments.
Finding the right underwear for people with hyperhidrosis involves “more than just having a tank top that’s sweat-friendly,” Thomas notes. One strategy that Thomas suggests for women is wearing men’s boxer briefs under a dress or skirt. This, she says, can help increase airflow and prevent sweat from dripping down your legs. “We definitely need more sweat-friendly undergarments for women,” says Thomas — but in the meantime, men’s underwear can be a “good life hack.” Another potentially useful option is Thompson Tee, a company that sells men’s and women’s undershirts that include special ventilation stitched into the armpits to reduce sweating and sweat marks.
7. Choose shoes that grip your feet and let them breathe.
Mesh tennis shoes tend to be the most light and breathable footwear option. And even though they can show sweat marks, leather shoes cause less sweating than certain synthetic options for many people with hyperhidrosis. Thomas notes that if you can get away with wearing them at work, darker tennis shoes worn with cotton socks are vastly more comfortable than dress shoes worn with synthetic-blend dress socks. Another good option? Ballet flats. They look professional, can be worn with no-show socks, and are easy to slip on and off, says Thomas. Thomas finds it difficult to wear high heels, flip-flops, or any sandal with a smooth bottom. “So I prefer shoes like Birkenstocks that have that suede bottom, or anything that has a fabric bottom,” she notes. But if you absolutely need to buy shoes with a smooth bottom, Thomas recommends a brand of peel-and-stick nonslip insoles called Summer Soles. “Those allow me to wear some cuter shoes,” she notes, while avoiding “that slip-and-slide factor going on.”
8. Keep backups handy.
Thomas always keeps backup shoes handy, since her feet sweat a lot throughout the day. And she isn’t alone among people with hyperhidrosis. “I know a lot of people who buy multiple pairs of the same shoe,” she says, “so they can just swap them out as needed.” If she’s at a conference or other destination that involves separate daytime and evening events, Thomas will often bring extra clothes along and change between events. Most people won’t notice you’ve changed, she says, if there’s a break between your different activities. And if you’re going to be moving around more than usual on any given day, Thomas recommends taking along an extra shirt, just to be safe.
