Excessive sweating also can be driven by emotion or special circumstances: If you've ever soaked your shirt under the arms while making a presentation to a group or meeting your future in-laws, you've experienced situational sweating.
With more than 2 million sweat glands located throughout the human body, why does sweat seem to primarily occur underneath the arms? The apocrine glands, which are particularly efficient sweat-producers, are located in the armpits. The sweat produced by these glands contains proteins and fatty acids that make it thicker and give it a milky or yellowish color. That's why underarm stains on clothing appear to have a yellow tint.
Although sweat itself is odorless, when bacteria on the skin and hair metabolize the proteins and fatty acids in sweat, they produce an unpleasant scent. Preventing and controlling underarm sweat is important to good hygiene, comfort and your social life. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent or minimize this condition, as well as the wetness and odor that accompany it.
Wear an Antiperspirant
Make it a daily habit to use an antiperspirant. Many people apply an antiperspirant or deodorant before leaving the house to help control underarm sweating and the potential for embarrassing odor.
What's the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants, anyway? Deodorants help to cover up odors, while antiperspirants contain ingredients designed to stop perspiration. Deodorants have been around for more than 5,000 years, as people in ancient cultures applied natural scented oils to mask body odor. Over time, these concoctions evolved to become more complex perfumes. Antiperspirants, which use aluminum chloride to actually prevent sweat production, were introduced in the early 20th century and caught on quickly. Since then, their format has evolved from pads and squeeze bottles to sticks, gels, roll-ons and soft solids.
Today, there's a dizzying array of antiperspirants and deodorants on the market, so there's something for everyone. Formulas for men, women and teenagers are available on store shelves. In addition, you can pick up newer and stronger formulations that contain more aluminum compounds, the active ingredient that temporarily blocks sweat glands.
Adjust Your Routine
The skin under the arms is delicate, even if it is a powerhouse of sweat production. Unfortunately, antiperspirants are known for causing skin irritation, especially those that contain higher levels of aluminum chloride as an active ingredient. To help combat the itching and stinging that some sweat-blockers cause, take a few precautions. Don't apply products to your underarms within one to two days of shaving them, and don't take a hot shower that opens the skin's pores right before applying antiperspirant.
Instead, massage the antiperspirant onto dry, cool underarm skin right before you go to bed. People typically sweat less at night, when they are resting, so it won't get washed away before it has time to be absorbed into your glands. Make sure to leave the antiperspirant on your skin for at least eight hours; it works more effectively that way, and its effectiveness will build if you follow your nighttime antiperspirant application by a second application the next morning.
Of course, even the strongest antiperspirant won't do much good if your skin is covered with heat- and moisture-trapping fabric all day.
Wear Materials that Breathe
You can help combat sweat by taking stock of your closet. Your choice of clothing can either make you more comfortable or more prone to sweat. Clothing made of natural fabrics, such as cotton, wool, hemp, silk or linen, often have a looser weave than synthetics; this results in a more breathable fabric that allows air to pass through to your skin. Plus, the fibers these fabrics are made from absorb moisture well, which prevents bacteria from feeding on your sweat and causing a stink.
In contrast, synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, rayon and polyester, are made with much tighter weaves that tend to trap heat and cause your body to sweat more. To make matters worse, the accumulated moisture doesn't evaporate as easily when you wear synthetic fabrics. They create a greenhouse effect for your armpits, trapping heat and moisture against your skin.
Not all man-made fabrics are off-limits for those who perspire heavily, though. Bamboo, lyocell and modal are made from plant cellulose and pulp, and so these materials function similarly to natural fabrics. There are also microfiber fabrics designed to draw moisture away from the skin and to the outside of the clothing, where it evaporates more quickly.
Change Your Diet
Some people find that certain foods and beverages make them perspire more profusely than usual or cause an unpleasant body odor. Caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, garlic and onions are among the most common culprits.
If you like to jump-start your day with a cup (or two) of coffee but don't like how much you're sweating, you've got a decision to make. The beverage's heat will raise your internal temperature and signal your body to start producing sweat, and the caffeine will send your central nervous system -- as well as your sweat glands -- into overdrive. Of course, you could switch to iced, decaf coffee and avoid the problem altogether.
Avoiding certain foods can help control underarm sweat, too. When you eat spicy foods, like peppers that contain capsaicin, it sends signals to your sweat glands. And, because the glands think your body needs to cool off, they'll begin to produce sweat.
Try a Natural Remedy
The sweating process begins in the hypothalamus in the brain. This sensitive gland knows when the body's core temperature rises, and it sends out the signal to other glands to start sweating. By drinking cool water, however, you can short circuit this cycle. Staying hydrated will keep the body's internal temperature lower, reducing the call for sweat production. You should drink as much water throughout the day as it takes to prevent thirst (a sign you're already dehydrated) and keep your urine more clear than yellow. Which means that you'll need to increase your usual amount of water intake under certain circumstances, like hot weather or rigorous exercise.
If you know you'll be in a sweat-prone environment, you can also boost your antiperspirant by applying talcum power or baking soda to your underarms to soak up moisture and prevent odor.
You can also turn to a common fruit to help control underarm sweat. While limes are a common ingredient in many cuisines (do margaritas count as a cuisine?), they may reduce sweating, too. Before going to bed, cut a lime in half and rub it under your arms until the skin is coated in juice, then let it dry. The citrus will work as a natural deodorant, and the acidic juice may help stop sweat from being produced.
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