How to Stop Sweaty Palms Temporarily

Keep your palms sweat-free to prevent cold, clammy hands.

If you're one of the millions of Americans who suffer from sweaty palms, you understand the persistent nature of the problem. Regardless of temperature, mood or humidity, your hands won't stop sweating. Causes of sweaty palms include anxiety, hyperhidrosis and more serious conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Temporarily stopping sweaty palms is relatively easy.

Things You'll Need

• Baby powder or corn starch
• Clear antiperspirant

Instructions

1. Apply antiperspirant to your palms. Antiperspirant prevents sweat not just on your underarms but on your hands as well. Select a clear, non-greasy antiperspirant product that won't leave your hands drenched in gooey white residue. Check the back of the product for the percentage of aluminum, the active anti-sweat ingredient. Effective antiperspirants contain 15 percent aluminum or more. Roll the product onto your palms and in between your fingers. Let your hands dry for a few minutes before handling smooth or easily stained items.

2. Sprinkle powder onto your palms and rub your hands together. Cornstarch is an effective powder because its thick and chalky substance quickly absorbs moisture. However, if you're attending a job interview, "thick and chalky" might not be what you want. Baby powder is also effective, though it will require more frequent reapplications. Carry a travel-sized bottle of powder with you to work, in the car or wherever your sweaty palms are most bothersome. Reapply the powder throughout the day whenever you feel your palms becoming moist again. Prevent leaving powdery fingerprints by avoiding the handling of items such as hard wood or metal.

3. Dab talc paper on your palms. Talc paper offers immediate, although short-lasting, relief for sweaty palms. Buy a small package of talc paper sheets from any drugstore and gently dab the paper onto your palms, onto the pads of your fingers and in between your fingers. The paper sheets absorb excess moisture from your hands, leaving them dry and fresh without any powdery or greasy residue. You'll need to re-blot with talc paper every ten minutes or so, depending on your level of perspiration.

Tips & Warnings

• Check with your doctor if your sweaty palms become more severe or you begin excessively sweating in new areas of your body, because this could be a sign of a serious illness.

References

• International Hyperhidrosis Society: Hyperhidrosis Treatments
• American Academy of Dermatology: Hyperhidrosis
• American Psychological Association: The Different Kinds of Stress