Excess sweating behind the ears is annoying, but can it mean a serious illness?
There is a life threatening condition that might lead to excess sweating of the head: thyroid disease.
“We have sweat glands everywhere,” says Dr. Tess Mauricio, MD, FAAD, a leading board certified dermatologist from Stanford University Medical School and CEO of MBeautyClinic.com.
“The distribution is genetically programmed,” continues Dr. Mauricio. “Some people have sweat glands ‘behind the ears’ which is part of the head.”
If you just happen to have a concentration of sweat glands behind your ears, there is nothing that can be done to thin them out or deactivate any of them.
Causes of Excess Sweating Behind the Ears
“It can be caused by heat, stress and anxiety,” says Dr. Mauricio.
“Excessive head sweating can be caused by certain medications or an underlying condition such as a thyroid problem, and so it is important to seek a medical opinion for any excessive sweating, especially if it is a new problem.”
If it’s always been an issue—for as long as you can remember—it’s very likely just the way your genetic blueprint has concentrated your sweat glands.
But if it’s a new-onset situation that has no explanation such as a new job in a hot environment that makes you perspire a lot elsewhere too, then a visit to your doctor is in order.
Untreated thyroid disease can be fatal.
Excessive Sweating Is Called Hyperhidrosis
“In most cases, this is a chronic problem that is caused by an overactive sympathetic nervous system for which there is little known cause,” says Dr. Mauricio.
