Will excessively sweaty hands hurt me in law school? Forum

[fit2practice]

Ever since I was little my palms sweated excessively, like to the point of leaving puddles wherever my hands are, like on a desk. They're frequently sopping wet. It's an anxiety thing but it also affects me if a room is too hot (as classrooms often are).

It's frustrating handling paper, because it gets literally soaked or tears from being wet, also can't easily use a laptop computer because the touchpad goes berserk when my fingertips are wet, and lastly, shaking hands is embarrassing...which I am afraid will hurt me come time to get a job/SA.

I've tried applying anti-perspirant to my palms but doesn't work, and I eventually will need to wash my hands during the day anyways. Right now I carry a stack of paper towels in my backpack and have to constantly dry my hands during class.

I've looked into solutions which amount to botox injections or surgery, which has a risk of leaving my hands and wrists paralyzed without any ability to function.

Can I claim this is a disability and ask for accommodations at my school? I even suspect I've bombed job interviews in the past because of the initial handshake. Under the ADA can I do anything if I suspect I'm discriminated against because my palms are soaking wet?

[LawyerBrah]

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[Jimbo_Jones]

Ground floor

[3ThrowAway99]

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If serious OP, that sounds like something that a medication could definitely help with (either to reduce sweating or to reduce anxiety or both). It sounds like you have hyperhidrosis. There may be non-medication treatments for it as well. It shouldn't hurt you in law school unless it messes up your computer, but I would get treatment if you are serious and it has been a problem before.

[Ludo!]

I think Adam Corolla had this condition and he had to get surgery to get it fixed. How did you take the LSAT? You can ask for accomodations I guess, but if you can't use paper or a laptop how are you gonna take the exam? For job interviews just dry your hands right before you walk in the room

[fit2practice]

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If serious OP, that sounds like something that a medication could definitely help with (either to reduce sweating or to reduce anxiety or both). It sounds like you have hyperhidrosis. There may be non-medication treatments for it as well. It shouldn't hurt you in law school unless it messes up your computer, but I would get treatment if you are serious and it has been a problem before.

Yes I assure you all that I am dead serious and if I were trying to troll I would have been at least a tad more creative. In addition, how would an anxiety diagnosis or being on medication affect C&F?

On the LSAT, my hands sweated buckets and I think I had an ink stain on the side of my hand from the booklet. As far as wiping my hands off, it doesn't really work, it's like trying to put your hand over a faucet to stop it from flowing.

[badaboom61]

Go see a dermatologist if you haven't already.

I can't see the paper / computer issue being that problematic if you've made it this far. Use a wireless mouse if you have trouble with the keypad.

The sweaty hands legitimately might be problematic come employer interviews; they will judge if you shake their hands with your soaking ones. Not much to do other than figure out how to get them not-soaking for the 2 seconds it takes to shake hands. Wiping them on a rag in your pocket right beforehand might do the trick.

[Stupe]

Get something like this for your computer problem.

[cinephile]

If you're serious, you can get botox to paralyze your sweat glands. People (actors) do this all the time.

[KremeCheez]

If you're serious, you can get botox to paralyze your sweat glands. People (actors) do this all the time.

and pianists....

[BigZuck]

Basically the only real "cure" for this is a pretty major surgery where they make four small incisions in your back and remove a nerve to disrupt your sympathetic nervous system. You wouldn't sweat from your hands, armpits, or anywhere from your chest up but your body would most likely compensate with moving the excessive sweating to other parts of your body like your torso, lower back and legs. Still most people find this preferable to the sweaty hands.

[somewhatwayward]

Basically the only real "cure" for this is a pretty major surgery where they make four small incisions in your back and remove a nerve to disrupt your sympathetic nervous system. You wouldn't sweat from your hands, armpits, or anywhere from your chest up but your body would most likely compensate with moving the excessive sweating to other parts of your body like your torso, lower back and legs. Still most people find this preferable to the sweaty hands.

yep....they do this same surgery for people with severe blushing problems.

OP, what interventions have you tried other than just wiping them? beta-blockers (eg, propanalol)? also, how did you get through undergrad?

[fit2practice]

Undergrad: just carrying paper towels in my backpack and getting weird looks when I wipe my hands ever 5 min. when using my laptop. Sometimes I'd excuse myself to the bathroom and run cold water over my hands for a few min.

[spleenworship]

Srsly, get medical advice and help.

[Swimp]

Srsly, get medical advice and help.

This. You may feel like everybody's giving you weird looks and wondering what's up with the sweaty-hands guy, but you're not the only person who has this problem, and a doctor may have some options for you that the medical experts at toplawschools.com/forums aren't aware of.