Stepping Out of Hiding: My Battle with Craniofacial Hyperhidrosis

A guest post by Melissa, a sweaty girl who has been living with hyperhidrosis for as long as she can remember.

Hi, I’m Melissa

My name is Melissa and I have hyperhidrosis.

My hyperhidrosis is predominantly an issue on my scalp and head/neck, which is known as craniofacial hyperhidrosis.

My parents always used to tell me I was a sweaty baby and that I required more baths than my sisters because I was sweating all the time.

As a child, Physical Education (PE) class was hard

My first experience realizing that I sweat more than my same aged peers was in the 6th grade. We had to take PE as a class, and up until that point I enjoyed it as a time to play games and compete with others.

One day, we were playing basketball and I was gettin’ it! I was playing hard and running hard.

And I got very sweaty.

My next class was English, and as I sat in the classroom, I was profusely sweating. My other peers that had PE with me had gotten sweaty, but by the time we were in English class their sweating had significantly reduced whereas I was literally dripping on my desk.

And it only got worse the more I worried about it. I was so embarrassed.

In middle school, I started holding myself back

The sweating only got worse as I got older.

Middle school was a difficult time where my hyperhidrosis began to take over my decisions and the activities that I allowed myself to participate in. My hyperhidrosis affected my self-esteem and how I interacted with people.

At a sleep-over at my best friend’s house, we were play wrestling and having a good time. I got sweaty because of the summertime heat and small room we were all playing in. I immediately excused myself and went outside where the night time, cool air cooled me down.

From my friend’s perspective, I was MIA, and when they finally found me they were so confused why I left that I made up some lie as to why I was outside.

When I was younger, I found that I had to lie a lot about why I was doing what I was doing to alleviate being noticed for sweating profusely.

Throughout my teenage years, I stopped being active and doing activities that were outside. I gained weight during that time, some of which was self-soothing with unhealthy food as well as doing zero physical activity. Anything to prevent myself from sweating with other people around.

As adulthood came around, my sweating made me feel miserable! There were so many activities that I did not allow myself to do that I would have loved to learn how to do, such as Flamenco dancing, belly dancing, various sports, hiking, and many more.

But, then I discovered hot yoga.

Hot yoga made me feel at home — until it didn’t

Hot yoga was the first activity that I allowed myself to do, since sweating profusely was acceptable.

I did have to take extra precautions that others didn’t have to, such as extra towels and lots of water, but no one looked at me strange for my sweating.

Some years later, I realized my body did not like getting that hot, but I continued to love yoga. I took a regular yoga class with my community center. I was doing well, but was sweating far more than any other person.

Then, in one class, my yoga teacher came up to me and asked if I was okay.

I was mortified!

I appreciated her check-in, since to her it probably looked like I was about to have a medical emergency, but it made me feel so terrible. I never went to a community yoga class again. From that point, yoga at home only!

(My sister is a yoga teacher and sometimes she does yoga in the park events that I occasionally attend, but it took me at least 10 years to be comfortable with doing that after this particular yoga experience.)

Hyperhidrosis impacted my college experience

Physical activity and hot weather were not the only places I struggled.

Public speaking, or anything that required me to perform in front of people, was the biggest challenge for me and the most taxing.

It was my first year in college and I was taking an Eastern religions class. We were expected to group-up and research the particular religion we were assigned. I did the necessary work, but was feeling so nervous about presenting the information.

The day came when we were to present.

I was the first to go.

Immediately, I began sweating profusely despite it being a nicely air-conditioned classroom. The sweating made me so uncomfortable and embarrassed that I forgot everything I was to present.

One of the group members noticed my struggle and thankfully interrupted to share a random experience she had in India. I will always be thankful for that girl.

After that presentation, I dropped the class.

My embarrassment was too much for me to face those people again.

The thing was, no one said anything to me! It was my own embarrassment that I could not tolerate.

From then on, I always registered for one extra class each semester so that if I reviewed a rubric and saw that a presentation was required, I would be able to drop that class without going under full-time status.

This is another example of extra things I would do to prevent a sweaty experience.

Thankfully, I went to a large university so class presentations were not common for my undergrad. However, graduate school was a different story.

My journey to diagnosis & treatment

Graduate school was the first time I reached out for medical advice regarding my sweating.

That is when I received the diagnosis of hyperhidrosis.

Up until that point, I was not aware that it was an actual diagnosis. I just always thought I was disgusting (I say this jokingly, but somewhat serious as well).

My doctor prescribed me glycopyrrolate. I only took the medication when I needed to do a presentation for class and it worked!

I had to make sure I had a lot of water during the presentation due to the dry mouth, but that was nothing to me. I was just glad to be able to present my information with a stable mind instead of the freak out train where I would lose all rational thought.

Glycopyrrolate got me through graduate school and the public speaking I was required to do. Glycopyrrolate was only effective for me for these moments of public speaking, but was less effective for physical activities and hot weather. 

Battling through job interviews

Job interviews were another place where I would sweat profusely.

I didn’t want another experience like the one with the yoga teacher who thought I was getting ready to pass away, so I began telling people during job interviews that I have hyperhidrosis and will be utilizing a paper towel if I start sweating.

Everyone was cool with it, but I still hated having to say it and it continued to make me feel so embarrassed. But at least this way I could dab my face and neck when streams of sweat beads came down from the top of my head, and I could maintain my nervous system enough to provide meaningful responses.

Where I’m at today

Now, I’m 38, and it’s been a lifetime of hyperhidrosis and the experiences that come along with it.

I still have embarrassing moments. Sweating during a conversation with a colleague because the room is slightly hotter than I’d like. Sweating anytime during the winter.

Vacations can be a challenge, especially in humid areas. I live in a desert and I’m no where used to being in humid climate. Even humidity when it’s cold will trigger the sweats.

I’ve also perfected the art of managing hyperhidrosis.

Fans are a must. Sweat towels, as well, and hair ties.

I’ve learned that I manage my body temperature better when my ankles and neck can breathe, so I buy and wear clothes accordingly.

I also avoid gray or any color where sweat can be easily seen. Fortunately, I’m a bit of a dark soul so I enjoy wearing black, and utilize color in other ways such as my shoes, colorful earrings, and other colorful accessories.

Catching up on lost time

I’m also becoming more comfortable with joining in on activities that I once would not allow myself to do, like dance.

I’m still a little hesitant and can experience a great deal of anxiety, but I must push through!

I cannot live my life any longer that way. It is what it is and leaning into the sweats will be the only way I can expand my comfort zone and live a life I want to live.

This has only been in the last few years.

So I have much to catch up on!

– Melissa

(PS – Thank you for creating this space for women who sweat, and calling it Sweaty Girl Society is genius. Because I’ve been a sweaty girl and I no longer want to hide that and feel the immense shame I have felt in the past. Especially being a girl/woman who sweats has felt so shameful because girls are supposed to be dainty, sweatless little things. I’ve never been that and perhaps I’m okay with that.)