It’s summer. And it’s hot.
So you’re going to sweat.
Everybody does it, and everybody needs to do it, say dermatologists. Sweating is a natural function designed to cool the body in response to changes in heat, stress, emotion or physical activity.
“You want to control it when it’s excessive, but you don’t want zero sweat,” says Sylvia Wright, an Atlanta dermatologist. If you don’t sweat, you run the risk of overheating your body and suffering heatstroke, she says.
Whether you glisten with a dewy glow or you’re sopped in streams of sweat depends on variables such as hormonal imbalances, overactive thyroid gland (which increases body metabolism and heat production), certain foods and medications and overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system.
And if you exercise frequently, you’re likely to work up a big sweat. But don’t be fooled by large pools of perspiration; wetness does not equal fitness.
Sweating means that you’re getting rid of body heat generated by your muscles during a vigorous workout, says Robyn Stuhr, exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. It does not necessarily reflect how hard you’re working or the amount of calories burned. Since everyone sweats at different levels – some people sweat profusely due to body weight, poor conditioning or heredity – sweat should not be used as an indicator of how hard a person is working, she says. Instead, indicators such as heart rate, perceived exertion and the “talk test” are more commonly used.
“Exercising until you break a sweat is a general rule of thumb that doesn’t work for most people,” says Stuhr. “‘Sweating’ just means your body is hot. It could be that you’re working or exercising hard, or your body could be hot because it’s just a hot day.”
Jeannine Crowe often approached the blackboard with her hands by her side. The middle-school teacher wanted her students’ attention directed toward her, but not at her.
Crowe’s underarms and back were often soaked with perspiration caused by hyperhidrosis, a condition characterized by sweaty palms, feet, underarms and face. An estimated 3 percent of the population has the condition, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
“In the mornings … by the time I got to school I would have water under my arms,” says Crowe, who dried her clothes with a hair dryer throughout the day. “I was always very self-conscious about it, especially in front of middle-school children.” Crowe wore layered, cotton clothing and jackets over every item.
After trying various prescription antiperspirants and medicines, Crowe received Botox injections, which were approved in 2004 to block the transmission from the nerve endings to the sweat glands.
In about two weeks, the excessive sweating was gone.
“It was socially the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” says Crowe, who now wears a variety of clothes, attends events and does not fear raising her hands.
For underarms, Botox is a “great treatment, and very effective,” says Atlanta dermatologist Rutledge Forney, who does not recommend the treatment for the hands. “It’s safer than surgery,” she says.
Injections, which average about $900 and are administered every six to nine months, may cause bruising of the underarms and muscle weakness in the hands, she says.
Treatments to keep you dry
Antiperspirants. Your first line of defense, antiperspirants block sweat ducts in the underarms, hands, feet and sometimes face. They contain aluminum chloride; concentrations of 10 percent to 15 percent are recommended for excessive sweating of the underarms.
Iontophoresis. Uses water to conduct a mild electrical current through the skin’s surface, thicken the outer layer of the skin and block the flow of sweat. Performed on the hands and feet by a dermatologist.
Botox. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration approved the injections of Botox to temporarily block the secretion of the chemical messenger in the nervous system responsible for “turning on” the body’s sweat glands.
Surgery. Recommended only for severe cases, procedures include liposuction to remove the sweat glands and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) to interrupt the transmission of nerve signals to the sweat glands. The procedures are permanent and not reversible.
Control measures
Whether you suffer from regular or excessive perspiration, follow these tips to stay drier:
Bathe often to reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin.
Dry thoroughly after you bathe. Bacteria and fungi (which can cause body odor and infections on irritated skin) thrive in damp spaces, like between your toes.
Apply antiperspirants morning and night. Gently massage them into underarms, hands and feet.
Dress appropriately. Wear natural fabrics, such as cotton, wool and silk, which allow your skin to breathe.
Shield your garments. Use small pads or dress shields that go in your armpits to absorb sweat.
Try relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or biofeedback. These can help you learn to control the stress that can trigger perspiration.
Alter your diet. Take note of any foods or beverages that cause you to sweat more than usual and consider eliminating caffeinated beverages, alcohol, hot spices and foods with strong odors.
Don’t forget your feet. If you have trouble with sweaty feet, slip out of your shoes frequently or go barefoot as often as you can. Wear socks made of merino wool or a synthetic blend that help wick moisture away from the feet.
True or false?
A few things you thought you knew about sweat:
Sweat stinks.
False. Sweat is actually odorless. When bacteria on the skin and hair metabolize the proteins and fatty acids, they produce an unpleasant odor, especially where there is heavier hair growth, like under the arms.
Stress increases sweat.
True. As part of the flight-or-fight response, when you get in a stressful situation, your heart rate goes up and your nervous system stimulates your sweat glands.
Sweating rids the body of toxins.
False. Certain chemicals are excreted, but there’s no scientific proof that you’re getting rid of toxins, says Atlanta dermatologist Rutledge Forney. “It sounds appealing, but there’s not a lot of evidence,” she says.
Deodorants prevent sweating.
False. On their own, deodorants cannot prevent sweating, but they can reduce odor by limiting odor-causing bacteria. Some antiperspirants also contain deodorants.
Men have more sweat glands.
False. Actually, men and women have about the same number of sweat glands.
Exercising in a plastic suit makes you lose more weight.
False. You will sweat heavily and lose water weight immediately, but the pounds will return when you replenish your fluids by drinking after the workout.
You sweat more in humid weather.
False. You sweat more in hot, dry weather than in cool, humid weather. You may feel as if you’re sweating more in humid weather; but that’s because moist air slows the evaporation of sweat.
Eating hot peppers can make you sweat.
Possibly. Certain foods – such as spicy, hot or caffeinated ones – may increase body temperature, thus making some people sweat.
