The present study concerns a 28-year-old Japanese man with acquired generalized anhidrosis. The patient's ability to perspire was investigated in an artificial climate room maintained at 40 degrees C and 40% humidity. Although the body temperature rose to 38 degrees C, the patient did not sweat. Neither did sweating occur when the patient was given an intradermal injection of pilocarpine or nicotine. The serum IgE level was elevated. Atrophy and degeneration of the sweat glands, as well as infiltration by lymphocytes and mast cells around the sweat glands, were observed in skin biopsies. Anhidrosis in this patient was suggested to be the result of reduced function of the sweat glands themselves with possible underlying immune-mediated basis.