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I may ask “are your hands often, or always moist?” Sometimes sweaty palms signify a temporary emotional crisis (for example, a recent shock, or divorce, or substance withdrawal) and in time, with the integration and healing of the impact of the situation, the perspiring stops. Rules of conduct in society define a firm, dry handshake as signifying a trustworthy and confident type, and a moist, damp or clammy handshake to generally indicate anxiety, nervousness, vulnerability and stress. Much of your success in life depends on how other people perceive you, and the negative effects of a condition over which you have no control inhibits both social and professional aspects of life. Sweaty hands are interpreted as a sign of insecurity and lack of self-confidence. This can prove disastrous in business, for example, when shaking results in literally wetting the other person’s hands and is embarrassing. Sweaty palms also affect intimate relationships and increase the tendency to withdraw.
People with palmar hyperhidrosis have hands that sweat spontaneously, without necessarily any outside stimulus such as emotional distress, although the condition is aggravated by stress. There is a constant need to wipe your hands, and this interferes with grasping of objects. Writing, putting on makeup, handling documents or money, typing etc are stressful, which aggravates the situation further.
Some people turn to certain medical treatments to eliminate the condition. Oral medications, astringent ointments and antiperspirants may help to dry the sweat glands. A treatment of electrical stimulation, called iontopheresis, which requires the hands to be placed in water though which an electrical current is passed, “stuns” the sweat glands. This treatment can decrease the secretion of sweat for temporary periods. A more recent treatment is the injection of botulinum toxin (Botox) into the area of excessive sweating. This reduces the transmission of the nerve impulses to the sweat glands resulting in decreased sweating, but repeated follow-up injections are required to maintain dryness. When less invasive medical treatments fail, severe cases of heavy hand sweating can be treated with more invasive surgery. Sweating is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. The Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy entails clamping, removing or cauterising the appropriate segments of nerve and ganglion near the back, top and inside the chest. Young people with this condition are advised to avoid surgery of any kind, as I know of two cases where hyperhidrosis spontaneously retracted as their confidence and emotional maturity developed.
Our skin is the membrane between our self and the outer world. We experience much of life through our skin. In chirology there are four skin types, and each corresponds to an element. The elemental quality of your skin represents your element of impression (how you receive) and gives information as to the type of environment to which you are best suited and attuned. Moist palms aspect the water skin type. Some descriptions that define this skin type are: moist, soft, fleshy, podgy, pale and mostly warm, although some water skin feels cold and clammy. When running the fingertips over the palmar surface, we notice that, besides the moisture, the skin ridges cannot be felt, and that the pores are fine and almost invisible.
Whether your palms are mildly moist, or if you suffer from the more extreme condition of palmar hyperhidrosis, a chirologer will recognise that you experience life in terms of feelings. You have enormous emotional sensitivity to moods and vibes, and you need a loving, kind environment where there is co-operation, not conflict. Crudeness and vulgarity are loathed, discord hurts you, your ideals are strong, and you are more than likely caring and considerate about how others are feeling.
Unredeemed aspects of your water skin personality are less pleasant. Water skin types are acutely sensitive therefore are also easily offended, but if you have the courage and honesty to reflect upon the reasons for your unconscious shadow and your negative character traits, much self awareness can be gained. These are: the tendency toward egocentric self absorption, manipulative attention seeking, dependency, neediness, moodiness and (if the truth be told) an underlying complete disinterest in what others are experiencing. When provoked, your emotional responses can also be very volatile, expressed in an uncontrolled rage and temper that may frighten and amaze.
In chirology sweaty palms show that your water element is rampant and out of control. Whether this is a slight bother, or a challenging affliction needing medical intervention, healing can be aided by becoming more conscious of two aspects of your soul’s needs. One is to activate the yang, drying fire element within yourself, for example to engage in a dynamic sport or martial art, and to increase your commitment to creative endeavour, all of which will help manage your underlying anxiety. The other is to use the water element more consciously, by swimming and bathing and applying gentle, forgiving nurturing to yourself. Relaxation methods, meditation and quietly attuned visualizations aimed at comforting your acute levels of sensitivity are advised. Lastly, any form of empathic emotional encouragement from therapists, family and friends can help you to manage this challenging condition.
Comments:
“My mother, who is 70 years old now, has always suffered from sweaty palms. She used to tell me how she wrote her exams when she was still at school with a handkerchief under her hand. And throughout our growing up she had wet wet hands and feet. I am a reflexologist who used my mother as a guinea pig with the Vacuflex boot therapy treatment and she said it was the first time in her life that her hands had stopped sweating. They would literally stop for the rest of the day and be very minimal for about two days after. She lives in Greece and visits South Africa over Christmas. Now this year she said she can’t wait till she comes over so I can do the boot therapy on her. I will try and give her treatments twice a week and see if we can get the sweating to stop for longer.” – S. L.