How much head/facial sweating is normal?

[Sweatilicious]

I'm 49, menopausal, and about 3 stone overweight (but in the process of losing it via a low carb way of eating).

I've always been someone who "runs a bit hot" in the mornings - getting up and getting ready for work was problematic even when I was young and slim as I was always so bloody hot when trying to apply make-up. My inner thermostat seems to settle during the day, but since I've become menopausal the overheating has been a lot worse, particularly with any form of exercise.

I sweat profusely from under my hair, to the point that it runs down my face into my eyes or drips onto my top - and that's just walking the dog for 40 minutes on normal terrain, in 6 degree temps wearing just a wicking base layer and a thin cheap fleece. I don't have much sweat on any other part of my body (well, okay maybe the groin area, but I never seem to sweat from my armpits or back).

I end up looking almost like I've washed my hair, it's ridiculous and can be really inconvenient if I need to go somewhere after walking the dog. Plus it wrecks my already fragile thinning hair, and it's embarrassing stopping to chat to people while I'm wiping sweat off my face. I've been known to have sweat dripping down my back out of my ponytail.

I know I'm a bit fat but I'm quite active, I walk 4-5 miles at a decent pace most days so I can't be too hideously unfit. Is head and face sweating a thing?!

Sweaty bump

That sounds really inconvenient. I’m 45 and my hair has suddenly become greasy after 45 years of being dry. But your situation sounds excessive.

Have you considered HRT?

I have this and im 64 now - come back from walking the dog and unless its actually cold i break out into a sweat as soon as i get home so i sit down in front of a fan for about 20 minutes!

All summer i end up tying my hair up as it drips down my back and if ive been gardening for an hour i have to stop and shower as i am soaking wet - but all from the head and face - body not so much.

Ive always suffered in the heat and i am a couple of stone overweight these days but i still sweated easily 30 years ago before putting on the weight.

I get this. Think it's hormone related. First had it during puberty and now again during perimenopause.

I get this, much the same as you I am a bit overweight but would say I am reasonably fit. I am 54 but had this problem for about 15 years. I walk the dog as soon as I get up to give myself time to cool down and would never wash my hair before as It would be a sweaty mess. I get a really sweaty top lip and nose which is really attractive and don't get me started on the mask and glasses problems. Conversely though, although I get hot when doing anything I never have "hot flushes" for no reason. I have recently gone gluten free to try and help my Rheumatoid Arthritis and I have noticed I am less sweaty so wondering if it is Insulin linked?

I'm already on HRT, and beta blockers for chronic migraine.

I remember getting terribly hot when younger and slimmer, but feel like I've only sweated excessively from my scalp and face in the last 5 years or so. I have to factor it in to all plans, I hate having an appt or something after I've walked the dog because I know my glasses will be full of condensation and I'll be really self conscious of the sweat running down. It's not necessarily during an activity, it's definitely worse when you stop - that sensation of being flooded with heat is horrible. I have several fans in my office but the only way to cool down is sit still and do absolutely nothing for about 20 minutes.

I also get the same when doing even the smallest bit of gardening, housework etc. So annoying.

Oh sorry, yes meant to agree - could be insulin linked. But I've been eating an awful lot less sugar of late, and I'm still super soggy!

I had this when I was on betablockers for a heart arrhythmia. The cardiologist changed my medication to a calcium channel blocker and the sweating completely stopped.

Hyperhidrosis

Even before the menopause, I had problems.

Hmm so the beta blockers could be a factor - I've taken them for many years but our systems change don't they.

I found hyperhydrosis when googling, which is also a good fit, right down to it being more troublesome in the mornings...

Sorry @Gingernaut, meant to ask how you manage it?

I don't, really.

I know what's wrong and can't have botox, am allergic to many of the 'strong' antiperspirants and I'm not suitable for any other treatment. 😳🙁

Oh no, that's disappointing for you. 😕 How did you get a diagnosis - do you have to make adjustments to normal life because of it? I mean, I don't personally need to do anything too dramatic but I'll make sure DH is on dog duty if I have a morning appt, so I have a chance of not showing up looking soggy. Walking any distance to a work meeting is a bit of a nightmare too, I used to carry carefully pressed cotton hankies to dab at my face but it's so embarrassing. The sweating is less profuse later in the day, but I recall having to rush for my train home every night when I worked in London and the sweat running down my face and back. That's when I developed a hanky habit. Fortunately I don't sweat from my armpits, just my scalp and face and groin.

I've been eyeing up the botox for the chronic migraine, wonder if I could kill two birds with one stone - although I guess those jabs are in different areas!

Have you checked your vitamin d levels? Sweating from the head is a symptom of low levels I think.

Had a full blood count a couple of times in the last few years, I've only ever been low in folates. And I'm taking vitamin supplements to help with menopause and brain fog anyway, so it seems unlikely (but worth knowing, thanks!)

It's not worth going to the GP for anything trivial at the moment is it, people are struggling to get treated for life threatening symptoms so complaining about being sweaty seems trite while primary care is struggling. I do have insurance though, I can ask for a referral. To who though, what specialty is sweating?! Will Google...

Sweating tends to be endocrinology or dermatology - depending on the cause.

I arrived late to a GP appointment for an entirely different problem, had rushed and ended up pouring with sweat from my head as I bustled in and started talking to him.

He asked a few questions, sniffed me (for bromhidrosis) and told me that I was probably suffering from hyperhidrosis.

I have sweaty feet - shoes have to dry out before I put them into boxes, otherwise they go mouldy

Sweaty hands - long periods wearing rubber, vinyl or latex gloves leave me with pruning

My groin and armpits sweat heavily too. If I wear the wrong fabric, I end up looking like I've wet myself and get big damp stains under my arms.

Botox is off the cards, surgically removing so many sweat glands would be dangerous, antiperspirants are rarely effective, the strong prescription ones cause allergies and the weird galvanic process doesn't work on me.

It's not infected and I don't smell.

I take my time to get places, try not to rush and give myself a cool shower after exercise.

I get this. It's so embarrassing. I used to work in a posh clothes shop. I would have to be well groomed and wear clothes from the shop.
I would start out looking normal but by the time I arrived I was a sweaty mess. My face and head would drip with sweat. It would drip off my fringe (nice). I honestly looked a complete sight within minutes of arriving.
I don't sweat anywhere else, just my head and face.
I think it's menopause. I'm now 60 and coming out of the other side of it.
I couldn't take hrt as past breast cancer. However, I found that sage tablets helped. I took twice what they recommended though.

I get this after even a few minutes of anything even vaguely strenuous, vacuuming the carpet for example. My hair drips, my clothes are soaked and it's really embarrassing when I meet people dripping with sweat. I'm immunosuppressed and thought it was that but my doctors think it is a common anti depressant side effect. It's awful and I really sympathise with anyone else suffering with it. There doesn't seem to be anything to help either.

I have this too. I don't think it's hyperhidrosis, because it's only my head. If anything I sweat less than most people on other areas of my body. I've always had it to a certain extent, but it's interesting what posters are saying about beta blockers - I've been on them for years for borderline high bp.

You need to lose 3 stone. Obce you've done that, the excessive sweating will be less of a problem, may even go aeay completely.

Any other solution you seek will be a bind and temporary at best. You need to lose weight to resolve this.

I'm not sure that's necessarily true @DeeCeeCherry. I've been everything between a healthy weight and a couple of stone overweight in the last 15 years and it's made zero difference to my sweaty head.