In the UK, start with a pharmacy antiperspirant, not a US import. NICE's clinical knowledge summary recommends a 20% aluminium chloride hexahydrate preparation for primary localised hyperhidrosis, alongside lifestyle advice. Driclor, Anhydrol Forte and Odaban are that strength and are sold under a pharmacist's supervision. Perspirex is the gentler roll-on many people tolerate better. Certain Dri, SweatBlock, Carpe and Duradry are US brands: useful comparisons, not the default buy.
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Start with your country and body area
| Your situation | Start here | What to check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| UK underarms, hands or feet, and you want the NICE CKS first step | Driclor, Anhydrol Forte or Odaban | Pharmacist advice, the leaflet, and the pack size actually in stock |
| Skin that stung on a 20% roll-on | Perspirex | Original, Comfort and Strong are different products |
| Hands or feet are the main problem | Sweaty hands or sweaty feet | Odaban's spray is easier on soles; ask before using a strong product on the face |
| You already use a US brand | Certain Dri, SweatBlock, Carpe, Duradry | These are imports. A 15% US product is not stronger than a UK 20% pharmacy medicine |
For facial sweating, use our face-sweating guide and seek advice before applying a strong underarm product near your eyes.
Check buying options
Driclor:
Check the formula, pack size, seller and delivery country. Search results may include alternatives.
Perspirex Original:
Check the formula, pack size, seller and delivery country. Search results may include alternatives.
Odaban:
Check the formula, pack size, seller and delivery country. Search results may include alternatives.
Anhydrol Forte is not on a verified Amazon UK listing. Check it at a UK pharmacy (a Chemist.net product page, not an Associates link).
UK pharmacy options: Driclor, Anhydrol Forte and Odaban
These deserve a place in a UK comparison instead of being overlooked in favour of imported bundles. Anhydrol Forte contains 20% aluminium chloride hexahydrate and is indicated for underarms, hands and feet. It is a pharmacy medicine: ask whether it suits you and follow its own leaflet. Its product information specifies nighttime application and washing off in the morning.
Driclor needs a pack-size check. The June 2026 HSC notice concerns the 60ml pack, not every Driclor product. It lists 20ml and 75ml packs as remaining dispensing options at the time. Do not assume an old marketplace listing is current stock.
Read the Driclor review for the pack notice and the Anhydrol Forte review for the alternative. If you are weighing Driclor against the other roll-on UK readers ask about most, we have a head-to-head: Driclor vs Perspirex. If you want to compare stronger formulas, continue to our strength guide.
Perspirex: compare the exact variant
Perspirex Original is a perfume-free roll-on. The UK manufacturer lists aluminium chloride and calcium lactate among its ingredients and markets protection lasting three to five days. That is the manufacturer's claim, not a promise that every reader will get the same duration.
Do not treat Original, Strong and Comfort as interchangeable, or buy purely from the star rating on a marketplace. The Perspirex review explains the range, and Driclor vs Perspirex sets it against the 20% pharmacy medicine. Follow the instructions supplied with your version; the manufacturer advises applying at night to completely dry, unbroken skin.
US imports: Certain Dri, SweatBlock, Carpe and Duradry
These are not first-line in the UK. Certain Dri, SweatBlock and ZeroSweat publish 15% aluminium chloride, which is below the 20% pharmacy medicines above. Duradry does not publish a concentration. Carpe uses aluminium sesquichlorohydrate, a milder salt aimed at hands and feet.
SweatBlock's packaging says one wipe can last up to 7 days. That is the manufacturer's claim. Aggregated owner reports on the SweatBlock review are often shorter, so do not treat 7 days as a result you will get. Duradry's own pages describe the 3-step system as clinically tested and recommended by dermatologists. We have not seen that testing, and a multi-step bundle is not evidence it works better than a UK 20% pharmacy medicine. Carpe's "dermatologist-recommended" line is also the brand's wording, not a check we have done.
Buying links on this site default to Amazon UK with our UK Associates tag, or to the retailer's own site. Where we have no verified Amazon listing, the button says Search Amazon UK. Check the formula and pack rather than assuming the first result is the product discussed here. A US shelf price is not what a UK buyer pays once delivery and import charges are added.
Carpe and Duradry: only for a specific gap
For hands, start with the sweaty-hands guide: a UK 20% pharmacy medicine first, then a home iontophoresis device if that is not enough. Carpe is a US lotion for mild clamminess, not a replacement for Driclor or Anhydrol Forte.
If you are considering Duradry, compare the full routine against buying just the sweat-control treatment. Multiple steps may suit your preferences, but the number of items in a bundle does not establish clinical superiority. Our SweatBlock vs Duradry comparison covers the different formats.
How to compare without wasting money
- Identify the active ingredient. Deodorant and antiperspirant serve different purposes. See antiperspirant vs deodorant.
- Read the instructions for that formula. Do not copy the application schedule from a different product.
- Compare delivered cost and pack size. A larger bottle or an imported multipack is not necessarily better value for something you have never tried.
- Consider your skin tolerance. A product you cannot use comfortably is not a practical choice, whatever its advertised strength.
- Keep track of the result. Note what you used, how often, and any irritation so a pharmacist or clinician can help with the next step.
When to get help
The NHS recommends speaking to a GP when sweating disrupts daily activities, self-help is not working, or you have night sweats, among other reasons. You do not need to keep buying stronger products indefinitely, and that includes the whole body deodorant brands, which our Mando review explains are mostly odour products rather than sweat treatments. Our NHS treatment guide explains the UK route; US readers should discuss local options with their healthcare professional.
How this comparison was prepared
If you are trying to work out whether a given percentage is strong enough, the salt matters more than the number, and antiperspirant strength explained sets out the ranking. For the US drugstore brands, best clinical strength deodorant compares Secret, Degree, Dove and Gillette label by label.
This is a research-based buying guide, not a hands-on trial or a clinical head-to-head study. We reviewed public medicine information, manufacturer instructions and the sources below. We have not established that one brand is most effective for every person. Retailer stock and prices change, so check those at the point of purchase. Our evidence policy explains the editorial approach.
