Ecrina
Menu

Body area · underarms

Excessive underarm sweating: symptoms and treatments

Underarm sweating has more approved treatments than sweating in any other body area. Options include strong antiperspirants, Qbrexza, Sofdra, pills, Botox, miraDry, and Brella.

When another cause may need to be checked

  • Underarm sweating that starts in adolescence or early adulthood and stops during sleep often fits the common pattern. Sweating that starts later may have another cause.
  • See a clinician if sweating affects one side, covers most of your body, happens at night, or comes with fever or weight loss.

Common patterns and symptoms

  • • Visible sweat marks on clothing in cool environments
  • • Sweating on both sides that begins in adolescence
  • • Daily clothing changes or wardrobe limitations driven by sweat
  • • Sweating that stops during sleep
  • • Yellow staining on light fabrics or odor concerns concentrated under the arms

Start with how much it affects you

The four-choice HDSS check measures how sweating affects daily life. Lower scores often start with a strong antiperspirant. Higher scores may call for a prescription skin treatment, pills, Botox, miraDry, or Brella.

Treatment options

Most people start with an over-the-counter or prescription antiperspirant. Qbrexza and Sofdra are daily prescription skin treatments approved for people age 9 and older. Pills can help several body areas but may cause dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, or trouble urinating. Botox, miraDry, and Brella are given in a clinic. Surgery is rarely used for underarm sweating.

How Qbrexza and Sofdra differ

Both are once-daily prescription treatments for underarm sweating in people age 9 and older. Qbrexza comes as a cloth. Sofdra is a gel. Their directions, study measures, and side effects differ. See the comparison page for the details and sources.

When to see a clinician first

Get checked before treating the sweat if it began suddenly, started after a new medicine, happens at night, affects one side, or covers most of your body. Fever, weight loss, chest pain, fainting, or trouble breathing also need medical care.

Where to start

Use the sweating check for a short summary. Then compare Qbrexza and Sofdra or browse all treatments. If any warning sign applies to you, see a clinician first.

Sweating check

How does sweating affect you? Get clear next steps.

Answer four short questions about how sweating affects your daily life.

Check my sweating

Treatment options for this type of sweating

Step 01

Antiperspirants applied to the skin

first line
1 option
Step 02a

Prescription skin treatments that reduce sweating

early escalation
2 options

prescription skin treatment that reduces sweating

Qbrexza

Used for
underarms
Type
Prescription skin treatment
Read Qbrexza →

prescription skin treatment that reduces sweating

Sofdra

Used for
underarms
Type
Prescription skin treatment
Read Sofdra →
Step 02b

Iontophoresis

selected cases
1 option
Step 03

Pills that reduce sweating

2 options

pill that reduces sweating

Robinul

Used for
underarms, hands, feet, face and scalp, several areas, most of the body
Type
Pill
Read Robinul →

pill that reduces sweating

Ditropan

Used for
underarms, hands, feet, face and scalp, several areas, most of the body
Type
Pill
Read Ditropan →
Step 04

Injectable and in-office procedures

established
3 options

Botox

Botox

Used for
underarms, hands, feet, face and scalp, groin and skin folds
Type
Injection
Read Botox →
Step 05

Surgery (ETS), last-resort context

rarely recommended
1 option

Frequently asked

Is this different from normal sweating?
Yes. Excessive underarm sweating keeps happening when you are cool or at rest and gets in the way of daily life. The sweating check helps measure its impact.
Will Qbrexza or Sofdra work for hand or foot sweating?
They are approved only for underarm sweating. Hand and foot sweating have different options, including iontophoresis and off-label Botox.
When is Botox a reasonable choice?
Botox is approved for excessive underarm sweating. It may help when skin treatments are not enough. Results often last several months, then treatment is repeated.
How is miraDry different from Brella?
miraDry uses microwave energy and often takes one or two sessions. Brella uses a short heated patch treatment that can be repeated. Both are for underarm sweating. See the comparison page for study results and side effects.

Read next

·Read next

Keep reading.

Treatments for this body area

Compare options

Study measures