Why do we sweat?

The simple answer to the question of why we sweat is that this is how our body cools itself. When the body gets overly warm, it sends moisture to the surface of the skin, where it evaporates; taking the heat with it to cool the body.

But what about when we sweat because we’re nervous? Why do we sweat then? Essentially, what you are experiencing is increased sympathetic nerve activity and elevated epinephrine levels secreted by your adrenal gland. These chemicals send signals to your sweat glands telling them to produce sweat.

Why do we sweat under our arms?

Actually, we sweat everywhere. Most people have over two million sweat glands distributed all over their bodies. The sweat glands in our underarms are a different kind though, and are larger than the sweat glands in other places, and therefore can produce a greater volume of sweat.

What is sweat made of?

Most of our sweat is made of water with a little dash of salt. Some sweat glands also produce sweat that contains proteins and fatty acids as well, particularly the sweat glands in our armpits.

Why does armpit sweat smell bad?

When it first comes out, it doesn’t smell any different than sweat that comes out elsewhere on your body. But as mentioned in the previous answer, the sweat glands in our armpits produce sweat with proteins and fatty acids in it, as well as water and salt. As the sweat collects in our nice, warm armpits, bacteria from the skin start to act on the sweat, metabolizing the proteins and fatty acids, and an aroma develops. Depending on what culture you live in, the smell might be considered good or bad. In the American culture, the smell is not considered to be socially acceptable, and a multi-billion dollar industry has developed with products to treat the outward signs of sweaty armpits.

Why do we have hair under our arms?

Like sweat glands, hair exists all over our bodies too. But the special sweat glands in our armpits typically ends in hair follicles, not pores like elsewhere on our bodies, and where you have hair follicles, you’re going to have hairs…naturally!

Should I shave the hair under my arms?

That is a personal choice. It’s true that keeping the hair under your arms to a minimal amount can help keep your armpits clean and smelling good. Most antiperspirants and deodorants work better on shaved skin too. However it is not entirely necessary and some cultures may frown on it. Most of Western culture does believe in shaving the armpit hair regularly.

How can I keep from getting a rash under my arms?

This depends on what kind of rash it is, which can only be diagnosed by a doctor. If it’s a rash that develops after shaving, try shaving with a new razor blade and never shave dry. Always wet the skin and use a shaving cream or gel to help minimize irritation.

Some underarm rashes are actually yeast infections. Yeast is a fungus that grows in warm, moist environments…just like your armpits. If your armpits get damp and stay damp all day, yeast can develop very quickly. It will probably require a prescription cream to get rid of it. Your doctor will probably also advise you to use a stronger antiperspirant like Certain Dri, and to wash and dry your underarms several times a day.

What is better: spray, roll-on or solid deodorant?

Actually, if you are concerned with excessive armpit sweat, you need to use an antiperspirant, not a deodorant. Antiperspirants contain aluminum as an active ingredient. When the aluminum ions travel into the cells of your sweat glands, they take moisture with them. Soon enough water has gone into the cells to cause them to swell shut, effectively stopping sweat from coming out.

Deodorant, on the other hand, contains ingredients that neutralize the odors caused by bacterial action on sweat, either by fighting the bacteria directly or covering up the odor with a fragrance, or both.

A lot of the personal hygiene products available today contain both antiperspirant and deodorant ingredients. There is no difference between the spray, roll-on or solid formulations in terms of whether one works better than the other. You can feel free to use whichever is most comfortable and works with your lifestyle the best.

What causes excessive sweating, even when we’re not hot or nervous?

Excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis, and can be caused by several different things. Hormonal imbalance or an overactive thyroid gland could be the culprit. Some foods, like high-caffeine pop and energy drinks cause hyperhidrosis. Some medications cause it too, like certain antidepressants. An overactive sympathetic nervous system could be to blame as well. Whatever the cause, the condition is treatable with both non-surgical and surgical remedies.

Axillary hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive armpit sweat. It is an embarrassing and odorous condition that western society deems to be socially unacceptable, leading to emotional trauma for the sufferer. Additionally, other medical conditions can arise from it, like yeast infections and bacterial skin infections. However, the inconvenience of having to deal with constantly wet underarms is bad enough by itself.

A vast array of antiperspirants and deodorants for men exist to treat the problem of axillary hyperhidrosis. The deodorant and antiperspirant industry is a $2 billion dollar market in the U.S. alone. For most people, these products work as intended: they keep the armpits reasonably dry and odor free, except when the person is engaged in sports or other strenuous activity in which the body needs to sweat in order to cool itself. All of the mens deodorants in the world is not going to help with underarm sweat. Using deodorant for body odor control is great but to control excessive armpit sweat you have to use a form of antiperspirant. But for all of the antiperspirants and types of deodorants for men out there, some people just are not able to control their sweat production with these off the shelf options.

For a person with axillary hyperhidrosis, the first line of treatment would be to try an extra-strength antiperspirant, or clinical strength deodorant, that is available over the counter. Brands like Certain Dri and Degree Clinical Strength are specially formulated to stop excessive sweating. Certain Dri actually makes two products for underarms: an antiperspirant to stop sweating for up to 72 hours, and a non-irritating deodorant to keep the underarm area smelling good.

These types of “clinical strength” antiperspirants were originally available only by prescription, but are now over-the-counter. They contain aluminum chloride, which stops sweat by passing aluminum ions into the cells that produce sweat. The aluminum ions carry water into the cells with them, causing them to swell shut and trap the sweat inside the cells. A 12% concentration of aluminum chloride is most effective at stopping sweat this way.

Stronger yet, are prescription antiperspirants like Drysol and Xerac. These formulations also consist mainly of aluminum chloride, but in a much stronger concentration, usually about 40%. To avoid irritation, treatment is started at about a 10% solution, and increased slowly until the sweating is under control. This type of treatment is usually applied to clean armpits at bedtime, and washed off after six to eight hours.

Oral medications can also be prescribed to cut down on the excessive underarm sweating, or axillary hyperhidrosis. Anticholinergic medicines and psychotropic drugs have helped some patients, but the side effects of dry mouth, dry eyes and urine retention can be extremely bothersome.

It should be noted here that some anti-depressants actually cause excessive sweating. Always discuss all your medications with any doctor that you are seeing, so he or she can properly diagnose what is causing your symptoms.

Another treatment for excessively sweaty armpits is called iontophoresis. Also known as Drionics, this treatment method sends a very weak electrical current through a wet pad which is applied to the armpit. The mild shock temporarily disables the sweat glands, which leads to drier armpits. Some people find this procedure painful, and some find that it’s tolerable or feels good. There’s no way to know without trying.

Your doctor may also recommend Botox injections to alleviate the axillary hyperhidrosis symptoms. The botulinum toxin is injected into the skin where you sweat the most, and can provide relief for up to a year in some cases.

For those who are not keen on electrical current or Botox, some alternative medicine therapies may help. Acupuncture, for example, can relieve or eliminate a lot of conditions because it works on your body as a whole. Acupuncturists believe that many physical conditions result from the flow of energy through the body being disrupted; restoring the flow of energy to its proper force and pathways cures conditions that were untreatable by other methods.

Herbalists believe that an imbalance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems can cause hyperhidrosis, and can prescribe a number of herbs to restore your balance. St. John’s Wort, Valerian root, Astragalus and Sage, or a combination of them, all might be just what you need. There are usually no ill effects from taking herbs in a tea or tincture form, but use your common sense.

Homeopathy is another thing to check out for relief of your symptoms. A good homeopathic physician will prescribe one or more remedies based on a careful evaluation of your symptoms. You might be surprised at the questions that you are asked though. You may feel that the excessive sweating is the symptom, but instead find yourself talking about the taste in your mouth or the color of your tongue. This is nothing to be alarmed about; it is simply the way this type of medicine is done.

In general, there is a wide array of treatment options available for excessively sweaty armpits. Thoroughly exploring all of them may net you the solution that works for your situation. Never give up hope that you will find relief! And always know that you are a valuable person no matter what your outside looks like or smells like. It’s what is in your heart that matters, and anyone who thinks differently doesn’t matter at all.