Most people find sweat annoying for two reasons — the odor and excess moisture. Both can impact your confidence and comfort. They can also affect the impression you leave on others. If you're wondering how to stop sweating underarms, keep reading. This guide explains the mechanics behind armpit sweat, plus how you can keep it under control.
Sweat isn't a bad thing. It's a normal part of living in your body and is designed to prevent overheating. Your nervous system triggers your body to sweat at certain times. With these two to four million sweat glands, your body has an efficient way to cool down.
Your body has two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine.
By the time you're an adult, your body has developed all its sweat glands. While both eccrine and apocrine glands produce sweat, they do so in two different ways.
Sweat consists of water — about 99%, to be precise — along with salt, ammonia, urea and lactic acid. Despite its primary composition, sweat can sometimes smell. A quick look at skin anatomy can explain why this happens.
Most sweat with body odor comes from the armpits. Apocrine sweat glands appear in denser concentrations in the underarm area. They produce a fatty type of sweat that stays in the glands' tubule walls. When something makes you sweat, such as hot weather or hormones, apocrine glands' tubule walls contract. This releases any fatty sweat that's already built up inside them.
Bacteria live all over your body, including near hair follicles on the surface of your skin. Some bacteria break down the fatty sweat released by your apocrine glands onto your skin. This process yields fatty acids and bacterial waste that lead to body odor.
The amount of sweat produced varies from person to person. Hyperhidrosis can make your body produce too much sweat. This can occur even if you're not overheated or exercising. For some people, that excess sweat soaks through clothes or drips off the skin. If you suspect that you may have hyperhidrosis, your best bet is to consult your physician.
“Hyperhidrosis can make your body produce too much sweat. This can occur even if you're not overheated or exercising.”
No one can permanently stop sweating, but typical amounts of sweating are nothing to worry about. If you sweat too much for your liking, you do have options for reducing or eliminating it.
Armpit sweat can be caused by a variety of factors, and sometimes more than one may be playing a part. Figuring out the cause can help you combat sweat in your everyday life.
No one likes smelly armpit sweat, but you can do something about it. Take a look at some useful tips on how to not sweat as much:
1. Use antiperspirant deodorant. Antiperspirant's chief purpose is inhibiting sweat before it can form. For best results, apply antiperspirant to your armpits when they're clean and dry.
2. Shave your underarms regularly. Moisture, oil and odor tend to cling to body hair. By shaving under your arms, you reduce the likelihood of body odor. Antiperspirant can also more easily reach your sweat glands.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated helps your body's thermoregulation system. Besides water and other fluids, you can eat foods with high water content, like strawberries, bell peppers and cucumbers.
4. Explore relaxation techniques. Meditation, yoga and biofeedback are some popular options. These can help you better respond to stress and reduce excess sweating.
5. Use astringents. Look for over-the-counter products containing tannic acid. Applying these to your underarms can help constrict the sweat glands.
6. Shower or bathe every day. This reduces the number of bacteria under your arms.
Hyperhidrosis might be a little harder to fix on your own, but solutions exist to relieve your discomfort. Some beneficial treatment options to explore:
“Hyperhidrosis might be a little harder to fix on your own, but solutions exist to relieve your discomfort.”
While sweating is a natural biological function, there are ways you can reduce sweat to stay cleaner and drier. Applying antiperspirant deodorant, healthy lifestyle choices and good hygiene habits can control it. Medical treatments may help manage conditions such as hyperhidrosis. With so many options available, cool confidence is within your reach.