Sweaty Situations

Picture this, you’re in your science class and the teacher has just asked a question. You raise your hand to give the answer because hey, no one else is right? As your arm extends and your hand is in the air, you feel something cool and wet against your skin. Embarrassed because all eyes are on you to give the answer, your face goes red and you feel as if they all know what’s going on. You discretely move your shirt sleeve over and look at the splotch of dampness that you have produced. You swore you put on about 10 swipes of antiperspirant this morning and it’s winter. Here’s the situation though, you’ve just sweated through your highly noticeable red shirt. So what are you to do now?

Sweat, perspiration, B.O., wetness, a production of fluids secreted by sweat glands in the mammal body: whatever you call it, many people experience it everyday. To understand why we get it in certain conditions, it’s first important to understand what it is and how it is created. Sweat or perspiration is a fluid secreted through the pores of one’s skin. It is a substance containing mostly water, a small amount of chemicals like ammonia and urea (which are both waste products created by bacteria breaking down proteins in your gut), salts, and sugars. As the sweat leaves your body and touches air, it evaporates from its liquid form into a vapor, which is the residue you find on your skin and clothes after you go for a jog, sit in a stuffy room, or lounge at a pool in the summer heat.

Your body begins to produce sweat when your core temperature goes above 98.6ºF. The brain produces signals that it sends out to the sweat glands located in the dermis in the middle layer of skin telling the body to cool down. Areas of the body that are known to produce sweat are the armpits, areola and nipples of the breast, ear canal, eyelids, palms, wings of the nostrils, etc. The sweat acts as a cooler for the body and eventually brings the core temperature back down to the appropriate temperature.

If you are unsure why you sweat at certain times of the day, month, specific season during the year, or even time in your life, it is good to know what you can do to possibly limit or cut back on so that you sweat less. Some things that could possibly cause sweating are anger, fear, embarrassment, anxiety, emotional stress, spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, alcoholic beverages, cancer, illnesses, infections, menopause, exercise, etc. When you get angry, scared, embarrasses, or anxious, your body releases stress hormones that raise your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, which all contribute to sweating. Spicy foods tend to have chemicals in them that trigger the nerves that make your body feel warmer, so you sweat to cool it back down. Caffeinated beverages like coffee use caffeine as a stimulant, which revs up the nervous system, making the body sweat so as to “mellow out” the heightened response on the body. When drinking alcoholic beverages, your heart rate can increase and your blood vessels will widen in your skin, triggering perspiration. When you get sick with the cold or fever, you may sweat as a response to your body fighting a virus or infection while it tries to keep your core temperature down. Like most of the other situations, when exercising, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, which in turn cause the body to pump out more sweat.

If these changes are made but you still find that the sweat does not cease to exist, then a change in deodorant or antiperspirant might be your best option. For guys who sweat in heavy amounts, dermatologists recommend Certain Dri Prescription Strength Clinical Antiperspirant Roll-On (most efficient when applied the night before and can be bought at Target for $7 or Amazon for $6), SweatBlock Antiperspirant — Clinical Strength (one wipe can be effective for seven days- $20 on Amazon). For moderate to heavy sweating, Mitchum Advanced Control, Clean Control (very effective in controlling wetness and odor for most men- $3 Amazon, $4 at Bed Bath and Beyond). The best choices for moderate sweating include Dove Men+Care Antiperspirant Deodorant Stick (good-smelling scent and less irritating than most sticks- $8 Amazon, $4 Target), Degree Men Dry Protection Antiperspirant Deodorant, Cool Rush (a solid choice for everyday wear if you’re not an excessive sweater- $10 Amazon, $6 Bed Bath and Beyond). For sensitive skin, intended products are Dove Advanced Care Sensitive Antiperspirant Deodorant (good for skins that don’t tolerate stronger formulations- $5 Walmart), Jack Black Pit Boss Antiperspirant and Deodorant (contains moisturizing vitamin E and aloe-leaf juice for softening the skin and soothing inflammation- $19 Nordstrom). The best natural deodorants are Jason Unscented Deodorant for Men (don’t really reduce sweat but decrease odors- $10 Amazon), Jason Tea Tree Oil Deodorant Stick (perfect for sensitive skins- $4 Amazon), Tom’s of Maine Mineral Confidence Deodorant Crystal, Fragrance Free (puts a temporary layer of mineral salt on the skin that prevents growth of bacteria).

Ladies, don’t worry if you as well are finding it hard to hide those messes of sweat on your favorite shirts in the summertime. For women, dermatologists recommend Tom’s of Maine Natural Powder Scent Naturally Dry Antiperspirant Deodorants (natural antiperspirant that’s gentle but tough on odor- $4 Target or Amazon), Mitchum Antiperspirant and Deodorant Power Gel (quick-drying gel formula and is effective on wetness protection- $13 Amazon), Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant (subtle scent and long-lasting- $26 Nordstrom and Sephora), Fresh Sugar Roll-on Deodorant Antiperspirant (ideal for sensitive skin- $19 Nordstrom and Sephora), Secret Outlast Xtend Completely Clean Invisible Solid Antiperspirant (effective antiperspirant that is also dark shade friendly, 48-hour odor protection- $4 Amazon and Target), Dove Antiperspirant Deodorant (24-hour protection, unscented- $17 Amazon), Degree Women Clinical Antiperspirant Deodorant Cream (long-lasting and odor-preventing, vibrant scent and 48-hour protection), Estée Lauder Youth-Dew Roll-on Antiperspirant Deodorant (easy application, gentle but strong effectiveness, and fresh scent- $20 Nordstrom and Bloomingdales), Secret Clinical Light and Fresh Smooth Solid Antiperspirant (great for those with sensitive skin- $8 Amazon and Target), Certain Dri Antiperspirant (doctor-recommended, non-prescription, colorless and fragrance free- $15 Amazon).

Regular perspiration is not a big deal in the long run, so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about something that occurs to everybody naturally. If you don’t feel like going out and buying new deodorant or antiperspirants as well, you can always use some simple home remedy hacks such as using coffee grounds to soak up that sweat and smelling like a morning run to Dunkin. If smelling like a drive-thru Starbucks isn’t the way you want to go, you could also lather on some baby powder or baking soda. If opposed to any smearing whatsoever, it may be smart to wear shirts that have large armholes so as to minimize the chances of brushing against the fabric and sweating through it. Lastly, you can always use feminine hygiene products such as pantyliners to stick onto the area of the shirt you usually sweat through and as Viola Hastings says in the movie She’s The Man, “It absorbs right up!”