Excessive Sweating in UAE Heat: What Can Help

Excessive sweating means sweating more than your body needs to cool down, often enough to soak through clothes or get in the way of everyday life. For most people, a good antiperspirant used the right way, plus a few simple habits for hot days, often helps, and if that is not enough, a stronger pharmacy antiperspirant or a chat with your doctor is the next step.

In the UAE, long summers, coastal humidity and the constant move between hot streets and air-conditioned rooms keep your sweat glands busy. Here is what counts as heavy sweating, how deodorants and antiperspirants differ, and what helps with underarm sweating in summer.

Sweating is normal, so when is it excessive sweating?

Sweat is your body's cooling system: as it evaporates, it carries heat away. Sweating heavily at midday in August, at the gym or in a hot car is normal.

Sweating becomes "excessive" when it happens far more than the situation calls for. The medical name for this is hyperhidrosis. There are two main types:

• Primary hyperhidrosis has no underlying medical cause. It usually affects specific areas such as the underarms, palms, soles of the feet or face, and often starts in childhood or the teenage years. It can run in families.
• Secondary hyperhidrosis is caused by something else, such as a medical condition or a medicine. It tends to affect larger areas of the body and may start suddenly or happen at night.

Signs include changing your shirt during the day even in air conditioning, avoiding handshakes, or planning your clothes around sweat marks. Hyperhidrosis is not about poor hygiene, and it is worth taking seriously.

Deodorant vs antiperspirant: what each one does

Deodorant: for odour

Fresh sweat has very little smell. Odour develops when bacteria on the skin break sweat down. A deodorant works on the odour side, using fragrance or odour-neutralising ingredients. It does not reduce wetness. For example, Arm & Hammer Essentials Deodorant Stick, Juniper Berry is an aluminium-free deodorant that uses baking soda to help neutralise odour, so it suits people who mainly want freshness rather than sweat control.

Antiperspirant: for wetness

An antiperspirant contains aluminium-based ingredients that temporarily reduce the amount of sweat reaching the skin's surface. Many products are an antiperspirant and deodorant in one. Arm & Hammer UltraMax Active Sport is an invisible solid antiperspirant deodorant stick that helps control sweat and odour, made for everyday use, with an Active Sport scent.

If wet patches are your main concern, look for the word "antiperspirant" on the label. A deodorant on its own will not keep you dry.

How to use an antiperspirant so it works better

• Apply to clean, completely dry skin. Moisture on the skin makes antiperspirants less effective and more likely to sting. After a shower, pat your underarms dry, or wait a few minutes.
• Try applying at night. Your sweat glands are less active while you sleep, which gives the active ingredient time to settle into the sweat ducts before the next hot day.
• Avoid freshly shaved or broken skin. Applying straight after shaving can cause stinging and redness. Shave at a different time of day if you can.
• Use it regularly, not only on the hottest days, and follow the directions on the pack.

Stronger pharmacy options for heavy underarm sweating

If a regular product is not enough, you may want an antiperspirant for heavy sweating. Pharmacies stock stronger antiperspirants made for hyperhidrosis, which usually contain aluminium chloride and are used differently from everyday sticks and roll-ons.

Drysol Solution 50ml is an extra-strong antiperspirant containing aluminium chloride hexahydrate, used for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) of the underarms, palms and soles in men and women. It is applied at bedtime to clean, completely dry skin and washed off in the morning. It can sting, itch or irritate the skin, especially if the skin is damp or freshly shaved, so do not use it on broken or irritated skin and keep it away from the eyes. The leaflet explains how often to use it. Read the leaflet before use.

If you are not sure whether a stronger antiperspirant is right for you, our pharmacist can talk it through with you before you buy.

Sensitive skin: avoiding irritation and choosing gentler formulas

Underarm skin is delicate and deals with shaving, friction and heat, which can all make irritation worse. If your underarms often feel itchy, red or sore:

• Choose products made for sensitive skin, and consider fragrance-free options.
• Try a new product on a small area first and check how your skin reacts before using it more widely.
• Stop using any product that causes a rash, burning or swelling.

Some gentler options for everyday use:

• BioNike Defence Deo Roll-On Sensitive 48h is a deodorant roll-on formulated for sensitive and delicate underarm skin, with up to 48 hours of odour control.
• ISDIN Lambda Control Fresh Roll-On is an underarm deodorant specially formulated for sensitive skin, with up to 48-hour protection and a fresh feel.
• ISDIN Ureadin Deo Comfort Roll-On is a hydrating deodorant with urea to help keep underarm skin moisturised, giving 24-hour protection with a dry, soft finish. It suits people whose underarm skin tends to feel dry.

These three are described as deodorants, so check each label. If wetness rather than odour is your main concern, choose a product labelled "antiperspirant".

You can browse more deodorants and everyday essentials in our personal care range.

Everyday tips for hot days in the UAE

• Wear breathable clothes. Loose cotton or linen lets air move around your skin. For sport, moisture-wicking fabrics help. Tight synthetic fabrics tend to trap heat and sweat.
• Pick colours that hide marks. Black and white show sweat less than grey or light blue.
• Shower daily and dry well, especially under the arms and between the toes. Change socks and underwear often in summer.
• Keep a spare top at work, and consider underarm sweat pads to protect your clothes.
• Stay hydrated. Sweating means you lose fluid, so drink water regularly through the day, more when you are outdoors or exercising. Never drink less to try to sweat less.
• Notice your triggers. Some people find that spicy food, hot drinks or stress set off sweating. If you see a pattern, cutting back may help.

When to see a doctor or ask our pharmacist

Ask our pharmacist if you need help choosing between a deodorant, an antiperspirant or a stronger pharmacy product, if a product irritates your skin, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or buying for a child.

See your doctor if:

• sweating disrupts your daily life, work, sleep or mood
• you have tried a stronger antiperspirant as directed and it has not helped enough
• you have started sweating much more than usual, suddenly, without a clear reason
• you regularly wake up drenched in sweat (night sweats)
• sweating comes with weight loss you cannot explain, a fever, or a racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
• the sweating affects only one side of your body, or began after starting a new medicine (do not stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your doctor first)

A doctor can look for any underlying cause and talk you through other treatment options. If heavy sweating comes with chest pain, shortness of breath or feeling faint, or if someone in the heat becomes confused or very hot and unwell, call an ambulance on 998 straight away.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to sweat a lot in the UAE summer?

Yes. Heavy sweating in high heat and humidity is your body cooling itself. It becomes a concern when it happens without heat or exercise, or when it affects your daily life.

What is the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant?

A deodorant helps with odour. An antiperspirant helps reduce wetness. Many products do both, so check the label for the word "antiperspirant" if sweat is your main concern.

Will drinking less water make me sweat less?

No. Cutting back on water can leave you dehydrated, which is risky in UAE heat. Keep drinking regularly and focus on antiperspirants, clothing and cooling down instead.

This article is general information, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to your doctor or ask our pharmacist at Bait Al Dawaa Pharmacy.