Sofpironium Gel for Underarm Sweat: What the Trials Found
Odor & SweatArticleSofpironium (Sofdra) is a prescription gel for heavy underarm sweating, applied once a day at bedtime. In two 6-week trials of about 700 people, 49% and 64% of users improved by at least 2 points on a sweating scale, against 29% and 48% on a placebo gel. Dry mouth affected 14% and blurred vision 9%. Here is how it compares, who should avoid it, and what to ask.
In this article
Sofpironium, sold as Sofdra, is a prescription gel for primary underarm hyperhidrosis, heavy underarm sweating. It’s approved for adults and children 9 and older, and it’s applied once a day at bedtime.1
The trials
Two 6-week trials, called CARDIGAN 1 and 2, enrolled about 700 people with heavy underarm sweating; 56% were female.1 People used the gel or a placebo gel each night.1 Success meant improving by at least 2 points on a 0 to 4 sweating severity score.1
| Sofpironium | Placebo gel | |
|---|---|---|
| CARDIGAN 1 | 49% improved1 | 29%1 |
| CARDIGAN 2 | 64% improved1 | 48%1 |
The gel also reduced the amount of sweat measured in the lab more than the placebo.2 The trials were short, which the authors listed as a limitation.2
Notice the placebo results: nearly half improved on the fake gel in one trial. The difference the gel itself made was about 17 to 18 percentage points.1
Side effects
Sofpironium is an anticholinergic medicine applied to the skin2, and medicines of that type can cause effects elsewhere in the body:1
| Side effect | Sofpironium | Placebo gel |
|---|---|---|
| Dry mouth | 14% | 0.6% |
| Blurred vision | 9% | 0.3% |
| Enlarged pupils | 7% | 0 |
| Trouble emptying the bladder | 2% | 0 |
| Underarm pain | 8% | 2% |
| Underarm redness | 7% | 0.3% |
Who should be careful
The label says:1
- Don’t use it with conditions that this type of medicine can worsen, such as glaucoma.
- Keep it away from your eyes; if vision blurs, stop and don’t drive until it clears.
- Watch for overheating in hot weather if you stop sweating generally.
- Don’t shave your armpits within 8 hours before applying.
Where it fits
It’s one rung on the ladder after clinical-strength antiperspirant. Others include wipes, iontophoresis, Botox and microwave treatment. See microwave treatment for underarm sweat, underarm Botox questions and four application checks for sofpironium.
Try: “Clinical-strength antiperspirant hasn’t controlled my underarm sweating. Would sofpironium gel suit me, given my eyes and bladder, and how does it compare with Botox?”
Arms Up covers this in Chapter 10, “Hot Under Pressure,” in a section called “The Step-Up Ladder,” which lines up each treatment’s results against its placebo group. Its Fresh Log records where and when you sweat, so you can judge whether a new treatment is working. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. Sofpironium is a prescription medicine; follow your prescriber's instructions. Stop and get help for eye pain, sudden blurred vision, trouble peeing, or overheating. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2025SOFDRA (sofpironium) topical gel: prescribing information (opens in a new tab)abcdefghijk
- Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (abstract via PubMed), 2025Sofpironium topical gel, 12.45%, for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis: Pooled efficacy and safety results from 2 phase 3 randomized, controlled, double-blind studies (opens in a new tab)abc
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