It is one of the more distressing symptoms of the menopause<\/a> that women rarely talk about.<\/p>\n And for Helen Barnard, the impact was so great that it left her, as she puts it today, \u2018a shell of myself\u2019.<\/p>\n It was three years ago that Helen, 56, the global events manager for a surgical robotics firm, started sweating so profusely overnight that she would wake up, her hair drenched, and have to flip over her pillow.<\/p>\n Putting it down to her stress from her successful career, she was soon left exhausted by the effort of managing the problem.<\/p>\n At work, a heavy dampness would spread throughout the day around the back of her neck and behind her ears.<\/p>\n Talking at meetings or making presentations she became convinced that her colleagues were focused on her sweating rather than listening to her speak.<\/p>\n Eventually, she began to alter her schedule at conferences so she had time to have a shower between long days of presentations and evening networking dinners.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s really difficult to describe what sort of impact this sort of thing has,\u2019 she says today.<\/p>\n Helen Barnard says she felt like ‘a shell’ of herself due to suffering from menopause sweats<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Talking at meetings or making presentations, Helen became convinced that her colleagues were focused on her sweating (posed by model)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2018I became a different person because of it. I\u2019d wear my hair down to try to disguise it, but it would stick to my head and neck. I\u2019d be conscious of this heavy, spreading dampness during the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘I\u2019d wear a hat in Zoom meetings and laugh it off as a \u201cbad hair day\u201d but it was so much worse than that \u2013 it affected my mental health.<\/p>\n \u2018I became a shell of myself, and was so focused on it not affecting my performance because I felt like I\u2019d be judged negatively \u2013 that was exhausting in itself. And I couldn\u2019t tell anyone what was going on. I didn\u2019t know myself.\u2019<\/p>\n What Helen was experiencing is a common symptom of menopause which affects as many as 80 per cent of women in midlife.\u00a0<\/p>\n The drop in oestrogen levels affects the hypothalamus, the body\u2019s temperature sensor in the brain, which can make the body much more sensitive to small temperature changes.<\/p>\n This is what leads to hot flushes \u2013 intense sensations of sudden heat which can spread throughout the body. And for a smaller proportion of women, it triggers noticeable sweating, particularly on the face, underarms, back and chest.<\/p>\n In some cases, symptoms can be so severe they are comparable to a clinical condition known as hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, which can persist for years as women\u2019s hormone levels fluctuate and decline.<\/p>\n And while there are treatments \u2013 including HRT, which can be highly effective in treating sweating and hot flushes \u2013 these are not always suitable for every woman.<\/p>\n For Helen, from Northampton, the \u2018lightbulb moment\u2019 came when she had a conversation with Dr Sabika Karim, a GP and founder of Skin Medical, an aesthetics practice in Northwood, Middlesex.<\/p>\n \u2018She suggested the sweating was menopause related and the penny dropped \u2013 that meant I could actually do something about it,\u2019 Helen says.<\/p>\n Helen opted not to take HRT because she did not have other significant symptoms.<\/p>\n Instead, she had a Botox treatment which is often used to treat hyperhidrosis.<\/p>\n It involves using tiny microdoses of botulinum toxin \u2013 more commonly known for its cosmetic use in promoting a more sculpted, youthful complexion \u2013 to paralyse the sweat glands in problem areas, effectively stopping them from producing sweat.<\/p>\n Studies show that it can significantly reduce sweating and improve quality of life. The evidence is more limited when focused specifically on menopausal sweating.\u00a0<\/p>\n But one small Swedish study from 2019, based on just eight patients, showed benefit on the face and scalp.<\/p>\n Dr Sabika Karim said: \u2018There\u2019s a huge emotional side to this kind of problem for women. When you stop looking and feeling the way you used to, that has a massive emotional and psychological effect, and it can really knock your confidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n Botox treatment is often used to treat hyperhidrosis as it paralyses the sweat glands in problem areas,\u00a0effectively stopping them from producing sweat<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Helen opted not to take HRT \u2013\u00a0which can be highly effective in treating sweating and hot flushes \u2013 because she did not have other significant symptoms<\/p>\n<\/div>\n ‘It comes at a time when many women have made huge strides in their careers and family lives and suddenly feel they can\u2019t be taken seriously because their hair or face or underarms are sweating uncontrollably.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ve had patients who have resorted to spraying their hair with antiperspirant.<\/p>\n \u2018The Botox can be injected all around the scalp, the forehead, and the underarms. Some women have it for lifestyle reasons \u2013 sweating less means they have to wash their hair less, so it\u2019s often termed the \u201cBotox Blowdry\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n Botox is not permanent, and wears off after three to four months, which means patients need to repeat the procedure regularly<\/a>. It costs \u00a3350 for a scalp treatment at Skin Medical, \u00a3250 for the forehead and \u00a3500 for the underarms.<\/p>\n Helen noticed a difference after a week, and describes it as \u2018lifechanging\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018That sounds like an exaggeration, but it isn\u2019t,\u2019 she says. \u2018I instantly felt more confidence and felt like myself again. People might see it as cosmetic, but for me it was about my mental wellbeing.\u2019<\/p>\n The procedure is not available on the NHS because of the cost, but Doncaster-based GP Dean Eggitt says it is a very effective option to combat menopause-related sweating.<\/p>\n \u2018It can be very useful for some women, particularly if sweating is their primary menopause symptom,\u2019 he says. \u2018Botox works brilliantly to paralyse those muscles that contract to produce the sweat, switching off that sweating response<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n But he adds that there are other options which may be significantly cheaper.<\/p>\n![\"Helen](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/17\/10\/107948447-15739681-image-m-1_1776418549718.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Talking](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/17\/10\/107965173-15739681-image-m-16_1776419711695.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Botox](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/17\/10\/107964675-15739681-image-m-4_1776418728017.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Helen](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/17\/10\/107964701-15739681-image-m-5_1776418738126.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n