Research
How Common Is Axillary Hyperhidrosis? Prevalence and Severity
Axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating) is the single most commonly reported site of focal hyperhidrosis. In the most-cited US survey, an estimated 1.4% of the whole population (about 4.0 million adults) had axillary hyperhidrosis, and roughly one third of them rated their sweating as barely tolerable or intolerable. A later, larger US survey put overall hyperhidrosis prevalence at 4.8% and found that 65% of affected people had underarm involvement, with about half of those rating underarm severity as HDSS 3 or 4. This page compiles the verified prevalence, severity, and help-seeking figures for axillary hyperhidrosis. It is educational, not diagnostic advice.
By the Sweat Explained Editorial Team · Published 2026-07-19 · Last reviewed 2026-07-19 · Educational information, not medical advice.
Key statistics at a glance
1.4%
of the US population had axillary hyperhidrosis (about 4.0 million adults) in the Strutton mailed-survey study
Strutton 2004 (n=150,000 households)
65%
of US hyperhidrosis sufferers reported underarm involvement (10% underarm only, 55% underarm plus other sites)
Doolittle 2016 (n=8,160)
52%
of people with underarm hyperhidrosis scored HDSS 3 or 4 (barely tolerable or intolerable)
Doolittle 2016
5.75%
site-specific prevalence of primary axillary hyperhidrosis in a Japanese general-population survey
Fujimoto 2013 (n=5,807)
19.0 years
mean age of onset for underarm hyperhidrosis in a US survey
Doolittle 2016
51%
of people with hyperhidrosis had ever discussed the sweating with a healthcare professional
Doolittle 2016
How common is axillary hyperhidrosis?
Two large US surveys anchor the estimates. In a 2004 study that screened 150,000 US households by mailed survey, the projected prevalence of hyperhidrosis was 2.8% (about 7.8 million people), and 50.8% of those affected reported axillary hyperhidrosis, meaning underarm hyperhidrosis alone or combined with another site. That works out to 1.4% of the entire US population, about 4.0 million adults.
A larger 2016 survey (8,160 respondents on a nationally representative online panel) put overall hyperhidrosis prevalence at 4.8% (approximately 15.3 million people), and among those with hyperhidrosis, 65% reported axillary involvement (10% underarm-only and 55% underarm plus other sites). The underarms were the most commonly reported body area, ahead of the head and face (52%), hands (44%), and feet (48%).
A Japanese nationwide questionnaire survey (5,807 respondents, ages 5 to 64) reported a site-specific axillary prevalence of 5.75%, close to its palmar figure of 5.33%. Taken together, these three studies place axillary hyperhidrosis in the low-single-digit percent of the general population, and consistently the most common focal site.
Prevalence figures at a glance
The three headline numbers are not measuring the same thing. The 1.4% is axillary hyperhidrosis in the whole US population; the 65% is the share of people with any hyperhidrosis whose underarms are affected; the 5.75% is site-specific prevalence in a Japanese sample. Read each with its denominator.
| Group | Value |
|---|---|
| Axillary Hh, US whole-population (Strutton) | 1.4% |
| Underarm site prevalence, Japan (Fujimoto) | 5.75% |
| Share of Hh sufferers with underarm involvement (Doolittle) | 65% |
Source: Strutton 2004 (JAAD); Doolittle 2016 (Arch Dermatol Res); Fujimoto 2013 (J Dermatol). Chart is an original rendering of the cited data.
How severe is axillary hyperhidrosis?
The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) asks people to rate their sweating from 1 (never noticeable, never interferes) to 4 (intolerable and always interferes). Scores of 3 or 4 are conventionally categorized as severe.
In the 2004 Strutton survey, about one third of people with axillary hyperhidrosis, roughly 0.5% of the US population (about 1.3 million adults), reported sweating that was barely tolerable and frequently interfered, or intolerable and always interfered, with daily activities. The 2016 Doolittle survey found that 52% of respondents with underarm hyperhidrosis scored HDSS 3 or 4, and overall 70% of people with hyperhidrosis reported severe sweating in at least one body area. The two studies differ in method and denominator, but agree on the direction: severe underarm sweating is common among those affected.
The HDSS categories
Clinicians frequently use the four-point HDSS to describe severity. It is not a diagnosis; it is a way of standardizing the impact question.
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sweating is never noticeable and never interferes with daily activities |
| 2 | Sweating is tolerable but sometimes interferes with daily activities |
| 3 | Sweating is barely tolerable and frequently interferes with daily activities |
| 4 | Sweating is intolerable and always interferes with daily activities |
Scores of 3 or 4 are conventionally described as severe. HDSS was validated by Kowalski and colleagues and is widely used in hyperhidrosis research and specialty care.
When does axillary hyperhidrosis start?
Underarm hyperhidrosis characteristically begins in adolescence, later than sweaty hands and feet but earlier than craniofacial hyperhidrosis. In the Doolittle survey, the mean age of onset for underarm hyperhidrosis was 19.0 years (SE 0.6), compared with 16.6 years for palmar and 25.4 years for craniofacial in earlier clinic data. Adolescence and early adulthood are the peak years in the general-population estimates as well: in the Strutton survey the highest prevalence was among people aged 25 to 64 (3.5 to 4.5%), and in the Doolittle survey it was highest among adults 18 to 39 (8.8%).
Early onset is a feature clinicians look for when distinguishing primary focal hyperhidrosis from secondary (later-onset, generalized, or drug-related) causes.
Most people never mention it
Both large US surveys documented a gap between how common axillary hyperhidrosis is and how rarely it is discussed with a clinician. In Strutton 2004, only 38% of people with hyperhidrosis had discussed the excessive sweating with a healthcare professional. In Doolittle 2016 the figure had risen to 51%, but roughly half still had not talked to a clinician, most commonly because they did not consider it a medical condition or thought no treatment options existed.
That gap matters because axillary hyperhidrosis is a recognized medical condition with a range of clinical care options. This page describes epidemiology, not treatment; anyone bothered by underarm sweating can reasonably discuss it with a clinician, who can also help rule out other causes.
How to read these numbers together
The estimates come from surveys with different methods, populations, and definitions. Keeping the following in mind makes the figures easier to interpret:
- Strutton 2004 used a mailed household survey and screened for any excessive or unusual sweating, then asked location; Doolittle 2016 used an online panel and asked specifically about body areas.
- Higher headline prevalence in Doolittle (4.8% vs 2.8%) partly reflects increased detection and possibly better awareness, not necessarily a sudden rise in the underlying condition.
- Percentages of people with axillary involvement (65% in Doolittle, 50.8% in Strutton) count anyone affected in the underarms, alone or with other sites.
- None of these studies is a diagnostic gold standard: they are self-report population surveys, not clinical case series.
Methodology and limitations
The two headline US prevalence figures come from Strutton et al. (2004, mailed screening of 150,000 US households, J Am Acad Dermatol) and Doolittle et al. (2016, online panel of 8,160 US adults, Arch Dermatol Res). Site-specific Japanese figures come from Fujimoto, Kawahara & Yokozeki (2013, J Dermatol, n=5,807). Severity uses the four-point Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) validated by Kowalski et al. Each figure on this page was traced back to its source.
Limitations: all four studies rely on self-reported symptoms, not on objective sweat measurement (e.g., gravimetry). Prevalence is sensitive to how the question is worded, and to whether the survey asks about lifetime, current, or bothersome sweating. The 2004 and 2016 US surveys are not strictly comparable because of methodological differences. Nothing here is diagnostic advice; new, asymmetric, or later-onset excessive sweating should be discussed with a clinician who can also consider secondary causes.
Frequently asked questions
- How common is axillary hyperhidrosis?
- In the 2004 Strutton US survey, about 1.4% of the whole US population (roughly 4.0 million people) had axillary hyperhidrosis. In the 2016 Doolittle survey, 65% of the estimated 15.3 million US adults with hyperhidrosis reported underarm involvement, making the underarms the most common focal site.
- How severe is underarm hyperhidrosis, typically?
- In the Doolittle survey, 52% of people with underarm hyperhidrosis scored HDSS 3 or 4 (barely tolerable or intolerable). In the Strutton survey, roughly one third of people with axillary hyperhidrosis rated their sweating as barely tolerable and frequently interfering, or intolerable and always interfering with daily activities.
- At what age does axillary hyperhidrosis usually start?
- The Doolittle survey reported a mean age of onset of 19.0 years (SE 0.6) for underarm hyperhidrosis, later than sweaty hands or feet but earlier than craniofacial hyperhidrosis. Adolescence and early adulthood are the peak years.
- Do men and women differ?
- Population surveys have generally reported roughly similar overall prevalence between men and women, though details vary by study. Peak prevalence in Strutton was in the 25 to 64 age band, and highest in Doolittle among adults 18 to 39.
- How many people talk to a doctor about it?
- In Strutton 2004, only 38% of people with hyperhidrosis had discussed the sweating with a healthcare professional. In Doolittle 2016, 51% had done so; most who had not said they did not consider it a medical condition or thought there were no treatment options.
- Is axillary hyperhidrosis the most common focal type?
- In US survey data, yes: the underarms are the most commonly reported affected site, ahead of the head and face, hands, and feet. Japanese survey data likewise places the underarms at the top of site-specific prevalence.
Sources
Primary peer-reviewed studies and official sources first, then reviews and institutional framing (secondary).
- Strutton DR, Kowalski JW, Glaser DA, Stang PE. US prevalence of hyperhidrosis and impact on individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis: results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;51(2):241-248. PubMed
- Doolittle J, Walker P, Mills T, Thurston J. Hyperhidrosis: an update on prevalence and severity in the United States. Arch Dermatol Res. 2016;308(10):743-749. Full text
- Fujimoto T, Kawahara K, Yokozeki H. Epidemiological study and considerations of primary focal hyperhidrosis in Japan: from questionnaire analysis. J Dermatol. 2013;40(11):886-890. PubMed
- Kowalski JW, Eadie N, Daggett S, Lai PY. Validity and reliability of the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS). Poster P198, American Academy of Dermatology 62nd Annual Meeting; J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;50(3, Suppl):P51. (secondary) Reference
- Walling HW. Clinical differentiation of primary from secondary hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(4):690-695 (age-of-onset by focal subtype). (secondary) PubMed
How to cite this page
Sweat Explained. How Common Is Axillary Hyperhidrosis? Prevalence and Severity. Published 2026-07-19; last reviewed 2026-07-19. Available at: https://sweatexplained.com/research/axillary-hyperhidrosis-prevalence-severity
Please cite the original studies for the underlying figures. Journalists are welcome to link to this page; the charts are original renderings of the cited data.