Woman forced to stay out of work for six months because she could not stop sweating

For Esme De Silva her school days were a living hell - every day she would come home soaked with sweat.

The reason was she suffered from a debilitating condition which led her to produce excess sweat.

In adulthood the horrific problems continued made worse by synthetic fibres in clothes and travel on the tube and drove the 25-year-old to quit her job.

She said: “I got teased at school because of my sweating and, over the years, I built up a paranoia that people were talking about or laughing at me.

“The sweating took over my life. At school, I had to wash my uniform every single night and make sure I always had spray, deodorant, perfume and a change of clothes in my bag.

“Shopping can be a nightmare. I have to be really careful with materials as anything synthetic makes the problem ten times worse, but that’s what most high street clothes are made from.

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“Travelling also had an effect. I’d come up from riding on the Tube feeling soaked and really self-conscious.”

Esme, from Maidenhead, Berks, said in 2014 her anxiety around her hyperhidrosis – or excessive sweating – had become so unbearable she took a six month sabbatical from work.

With her confidence in tatters she began to feel depressed, and the long term relationship she was in at the time broke down.

She said: “I was a nervous wreck at work.

“I felt like I couldn’t do my job to the best of my ability.

“All I could think about was whether or not people were staring at me. I was so paranoid the sweat was visible through my clothes and on my hands and face.”

Over the years, Esme has had a string of consultations with doctors, who tried everything from changing her diet to wearing armpit shields to absorb excessive sweat, but nothing worked.

When medics suggested the next step was to explore the option of injecting Esme's armpits with Botox, she began researching alternative treatments.

“I couldn’t bare the idea of injections,” she said.

She said a friend taught her about Odaban, an antiperspirant applied overnight to help combat excessive sweating.

Since using it, Esme says she has found a new lease of life.