Excessive head sweating: what it could be and what to do

Excessive head sweating can occur due to excessive heat, physical activity or be indicative of a condition known as hyperhidrosis, which corresponds to excessive sweat production.

Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling itself and it is a process that happens throughout the day, but you don’t notice it. In the case of hyperhidrosis, for example, the glands release much more sweat than the body needs to cool down, and you may notice an increase in sweat on your head. Learn about other common causes of excessive sweating.

In most cases, excessive sweating on the head does not require specific treatment, however, if it is frequent and causes discomfort, it is important that a dermatologist is consulted so that an assessment can be carried out and the most appropriate treatment can be initiated, if necessary.

Main causes

The main causes of excessive head sweating are:

1. Excessive heat

Excess heat can encourage the production of more sweat, which can be noticed in various parts of the body, including the head. In this case, in addition to sweat, you may also notice itching on your head, and it is recommended to wash your scalp well to relieve itching.

2. Practice of physical activity

Practicing physical activity promotes an increase in body temperature, which leads to increased sweat production, which can be noticed on the head, in addition to other parts of the body.

3. Stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety are also situations in which excessive head sweating may be noticed in some people, as sweat production is increased in these situations as a response to increased blood circulation and the body’s stress.

4. Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is a situation in which there is excessive sweat production, even when it is not hot or the person is not practicing physical activity, which can be noticed mainly on the hands, feet, armpits and head. Learn more about hyperhidrosis.

What could be baby head sweat?

Babies tend to sweat a lot from their heads, especially when breastfeeding. This is a normal situation, as the child’s head is the place on the body with the greatest blood circulation, making it naturally hotter and prone to sweating.

Furthermore, babies make a lot of effort to breastfeed, and this increases their body temperature. The proximity of the baby’s body to the breast during breastfeeding also causes the temperature to rise, as the baby does not have the mature thermoregulation mechanism, which is when the body can cool or heat to maintain the temperature as close as possible. 36º C possible.

To avoid excess sweat on the baby’s head, parents can dress the child in lighter clothing when breastfeeding, for example. However, if the sweat is very intense, it is recommended to take the child to the pediatrician, as Tests may be needed to check that sweating is not a symptom of another disease that requires more specific treatment.

How the treatment is carried out

Excessive sweating on the head is usually a normal situation, however if it causes discomfort or is frequent, it is important that a dermatologist is consulted. Therefore, depending on the intensity of the situation, the doctor may recommend the use of some medications, such as:

• Aluminum chloride, known as Drysol;
• Ferric subsulfate also known as Monsel’s solution;
• Silver nitrate;
• Oral glycopyrrolate, known as Seebri or Qbrexza

In the case of hyperhidrosis, the doctor may recommend the use of botulinum toxin type A. In these cases, it is applied by injection in the area where the sweat is most intense, the procedure lasts about 30 minutes, and the person returns to their routine. normal on the same day. Sweating tends to decrease after the third day after applying botulinum toxin.

If treatment with medication or botulinum toxin does not produce the expected results, the dermatologist can refer you to surgery, which is performed with small cuts in the skin and lasts around 45 minutes.