How to Stop Sweating: Tips to Stop Embarrassing Sweat
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Sweating is the same as having to eat, drink water, or go to the bathroom. Producing sweat is one of those completely normal yet annoying things that the human body does. It is a daily occurrence, hence why it can annoy us most of the time.
Probably, the first thing we associate with sweat is body odor. Despite our first association, our sweat itself has no smell we can detect.
The cause of the bad smell is bacteria that reproduce and then break down in the presence of our sweat. If the bodies of bacteria break down, they release certain acids which are to blame for the unpleasant smell.
When we think of sweat, we might also think of workouts, as well as hot and sunny summer days. And it’s true, we sweat when we’re doing different physical exercises, as well as when our environment is warm.
We can also sweat more when we’re sick, nervous, or stressed.
Some people might even start perspiring when they’re drinking hot drinks or consuming spicy food.
Why do we sweat?
The human body uses sweating as a mechanism to alter and adjust its own temperature.
The process goes like this: Your body sensors will notice when there is a rise in your body’s temperature. This can happen because of an intense workout routine, stress, the temperature of your environment, or something else.
Your sensors will then notify your brain, which will then lead to your brain’s quick reaction. The brain will send a signal through your body, which will then react by pouring a certain amount of liquid through your pores to regulate body temperature – sweat.
No matter how natural, and common sweating is, it still can be uncomfortable. Excessive sweating, especially, can be awkward when you’re facing different social interactions and public situations.
If you’ve ever struggled or still struggle with excessive sweating, you’ve probably already tried every deodorant out on the market. If you still haven’t found a solution to your problem, there are many things you can consider.
Here are some of the many tips you can use to deal with sweat more successfully.
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FOOD YOU EAT!
Surely you’ve heard of the saying that goes ‘You are what you eat!’.
But, have you ever stopped to think just how much food you eat can affect the human body and its functions?
The most obvious things that we link to our diet habits are our weight as well as how our body looks. Although there are many different things food can have an effect on, that aren’t as visible, as these two examples.
Your eating habits can majorly affect how much sweat your body is producing.
Certain types of food can make your body sweat more than it usually would. On the other hand, other foods can help you reduce the amount of sweat your body is bound to produce.
If you’re sweating excessively and it’s making you sorrowful, think about making modifications to your current diet.
Changing your diet isn’t as easy as it sounds, but it can be a huge factor that will help you get sweating under control, which will make your life so much easier. If you’re on the fence of completely changing the diet you’re used to, try making slow and simple changes.
There are plenty of other benefits to a balanced and healthy diet.
For instance, if you’re consuming too much sodium, it means that your body will have to find a way to dispose of it. Our body does this mostly through sweat, as well as urine.
If this doesn’t seem like reason enough for you to try to lessen the amount of sodium you put in your system, there are many other risks and problems a high sodium diet can cause.
Also, if you’re consuming foods that have a higher percentage of fat, your body has to warm up in order to properly process what you’ve eaten. As we all know, when your body warms up, it will eventually generate sweat so it can cool down.
Foods that can affect your sweating are processed foods, already-mentioned fatty foods, ice cream, onions, garlic, etc.
We’ve already learned that spicy and hot foods can be the cause of sweating, especially on your face.
Drinks you consume are important, too.
If you’re noticing that you are sweating more than you should, consider completely avoiding or limiting your consumption of alcoholic beverages (such as heavy liquor and beer), coffee, or any drinks that have caffeine in it (for instance – green tea).
DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK ENOUGH WATER!
Dear reader, you’ve probably read this title and rolled your eyes. I’m assuming so, at least. But please, keep reading.
It seems like it doesn’t matter whether you’re reading an article dedicated to getting rid of acne, one about boosting your metabolism, or this one that answers the question of how you can manage embarrassing sweat.
What do these three have in common?
The answer is simple: all of them will encourage you to drink more water. The reason for this is that staying hydrated, is one of the most habits, all humans need to develop.
Water is, as important as the food we put into our body, if not even more. The human body is on average, 57-60%, made of water.
This number changes depending on whether you’re talking about an adult or a child. The average is also different between females and males.
Nevertheless, water is still so important, for so many different reasons.
We’re going to be focusing on how water can help your handle sweat.
Drinking enough water will help your body cool down.
That way, it will regulate its temperature, without having to produce sweat to do so. Eating foods that have a high percentage of water can help you as well!
However, be careful not to drink too much! Your water intake, like everything else in life, should be perfectly balanced.
If you’re not sure how much water you should drink, there are plenty of websites, articles, or apps for your phone that can calculate that for you. If you’re not used to drinking water on the regular, set reminders, that will remind you to drink water, for instance, every hour.
Don’t drink too much all at once, rather spread out your water intake, evenly during the day. In the beginning, you might not feel thirsty at all and it will be hard for you to force yourself to drink.
Hydrating your body is a habit that needs a certain amount of time to build. After a while, your body will get used to the amount of water you’re drinking, and it’s going to be easier for you to remember to drink.
There is a small, annoying detail related to this, however! You’ve probably already thought of it! You’re going to have to visit the bathroom more often!
But, if you think about it, this is a relatively small price to pay for your own well-being.
STILL STRUGGLING? BREATHABLE, LOOSE CLOTHING IS YOUR FRIEND!
We all have experienced, at least once in our lives, the pure and utter embarrassment of sweat-stained armpits in public. It can be so bad at times, that we’re so self-conscious we don’t even want to raise our hands or greet our friends with a hug.
Have you ever stopped to consider that the clothes you’re wearing might be consulting with sweat and plotting against you? You haven’t? Just take a second and hear me out!
If you’re wearing a tight-fitting shirt, for instance, no matter how flattering it might be, it is in direct contact with your skin. This includes the skin of your underarms, as well. If you’re wearing a tight shirt or blouse, it means sweat will directly transfer to the material in contact with your skin.
You can easily avoid this problem if you wear baggy, loose-fitting clothes instead. This is a smart move, especially if you’re going out during a hot, summer day. You will be more comfortable, too!
If you like tight-fitting clothes and you don’t want to change up your wardrobe any time soon, that’s fine too.
If you want to make your life easier, search for clothes made from different, breathable materials.
Breathable materials allow moisture to pass through them, and therefore won’t be stained as easily when you sweat. The most popular (and probably the most comfortable) breathable material we all know and love, is cotton.
However, there are so many others you can choose from, both natural, plant-based as well as synthetic fibers. Some of those fibers are linen, rayon, silk, nylon, polyester, etc.
All of the mentioned materials have their pros and cons, so you can decide which one of those will be the best fit for you, depending on your needs. For instance, some people get irritated by synthetic clothing, which causes them to sweat more.
If you do your research well, you will know when to wear which of the existing materials in your wardrobe. That’s how you’ll avoid the scenario of being embarrassed, by something equally normal and natural, as it is annoying, and that is sweat.
TRY USING ANTIPERSPIRANTS:
If you’re reading this, you are probably tired of having to hide stains of sweat while in public, when out with your friends, or during any other activity. It is a constant struggle, especially during the hot summer months.
While those sweat stains, as we’ve already established, don’t always have to lead to a bad smell, it doesn’t make them any less bothersome and inconvenient.
As you might know, deodorants neutralize body odor. There are so many different brands of deodorant out on the market, which can be confusing.
Regular deodorants can have so many different and interesting scents, such as neutral and subtle, as well as strong and sweet ones.
However, deodorants aren’t supposed to fully stop your underarms from sweating. That’s what antiperspirants are for. They can be applied not only on your underarms but in different parts of your body as well.
People apply antiperspirants to their underarms most often, but also hands and feet, and sometimes even their faces!
As the name suggests, antiperspirants not only kill the bacteria that cause a bad smell, but they also prevent your sweat glands from creating more perspiration.
If you are fighting excessive sweating on the regular, this could be of great help in your case.
Antiperspirants can vary in strength. The first step you should take is to try out the ones that aren’t as strong first. If those don’t work for you, it’s fine. You are then left to try out the stronger ones.
If you want to find a stronger antiperspirant, search for those that have a higher percentage of aluminum chloride in their ingredient list (it should be around or above thirteen percent).
Aluminum chloride (AlCl3), also known as aluminum trichloride, is an important chemical compound that is widely in use in the chemical industry.
It is the most important active ingredient in antiperspirants. It will help you get your perspiration under control.
If you’ve already tried a fair amount of antiperspirants, and you’re disappointed in all of them because you’re still struggling with excessive sweat, you might want to consult your doctor.
Your doctor can give you a prescript to buy an even more strong antiperspirant, you wouldn’t be able to buy in any other case.
However, as effective those strong antiperspirants may be, you still need to be careful. Do your research. Strong antiperspirants can cause irritations, although this isn’t as common.
REMEMBER, IT ISN’T ONLY ABOUT THE PRODUCTS YOU USE!
Finding good quality deodorants, antiperspirants, or other hygiene products is an important step in finding the solution for body odor as well as excessive sweat. However, you mustn’t forget that you also need to apply them in the right way in order for them to work.
Even the best and the most popular of products might not work if you don’t apply them in the right way.
For instance, a lot of people sweat a lot overnight. That’s why they shower in the morning before they continue on with the rest of their day.
If you’re one of those people, consider waiting a few minutes after your shower before you get dressed and put on deodorant.
That way, your body will have the time to cool down on its own before you get dressed. By doing this, you’ll avoid getting sweat spots on your clean clothes, right after the shower.
As we’ve already mentioned, antiperspirants can irritate the areas of the skin they’re applied to. To avoid this problem, carefully follow the instructions of the product you’re using and don’t forget to consult your doctor or dermatologist beforehand.
Furthermore, don’t be embarrassed to ask any questions you’re curious about.
Another quite common mistake people make is: only applying the antiperspirant in the morning. When they’re applying the antiperspirant that way, they’re not using the product to its full potential.
If you want to get the best results with your antiperspirant, consider applying it at night, as well!
If you apply your antiperspirant right before you go to sleep, as opposed to only when you wake up, you will notice a huge difference.
If you are yet to try the method of nighttime application, what are you waiting for? This a tried-and-true method that a lot of people swear by.
However, you also need to remember that your skin needs to be freshly cleaned and completely dry before you apply any of the mentioned products: whether it be a deodorant or antiperspirant.
It is fairly common for people to make the mistake of applying deodorant or antiperspirant when their skin isn’t freshly cleaned.
Consequently, a deodorant that is used that way won’t be as effective and won’t last as long.
In the case of the antiperspirant, if you don’t apply it to clean and dry skin, it can cause irritation as well as an uncomfortable, burning sensation while you’re applying it.
ORAL MEDICATION AND BETA-BLOCKERS:
Sometimes, our body is dealing with things on the inside, which we can only notice when it causes visible problems on the outside, too.
You should visit and consult a doctor or a specialist if you’re experiencing problems with excessive sweating that you can’t solve. Especially if, antiperspirants or any simple home remedies are not helping.
Sometimes, different types of oral medications can be combined with antiperspirants for the best possible results. Antiperspirants can only treat the place you apply them to, hence why they’re called ‘topical treatments.’
While topical treatments are presumed to be the first step or first line of therapy, different oral treatments such as pills are estimated to be second or even third.
Oral medication (or medication that we take through our mouth) is in use for different types of problems related to sweating.
Even though they are being used for different problems, they can be divided into two main types.
Those two types are the so-called ‘beta-blockers’ and anticholinergics.
Anticholinergics stop certain chemical compounds that our sensors and the nervous system use to communicate with each other. As a result, our whole body diminishes the production of sweat.
As you can notice, this solution influences our whole body and its perspiration. Even though this solution is very effective and might sound even ideal, it is not without side effects.
Since this type of medication prevents us from sweating properly, it also prevents our body from being able to cool down by itself. People who consume anticholinergics need to be cautious while doing exercises and working out, as well as when the temperature outside is high.
Stress, as we’ve already briefly mentioned, is one of many reasons why the human body increases the production of sweat.
Anxiety and anxiety disorders can also be factors that can lead to excessive sweating. That is why your doctor might prescribe you with beta-blockers if they believe that this is the case.
They are the second type of oral medication doctors use to treat extreme perspiration. Instead of affecting the chemicals in our nervous system, these types of medications undermine the passage of impulses in our nervous system.
Therefore, they prevent the visible signs of our anxiety and reduce the amount of sweat the body would usually produce.
Beta-blockers are often used for subjects who don’t have constant problems, rather have periodical episodes of stress-induced sweating that are related to hard and stressful periods in life.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT MEDICAL PROCEDURES AVAILABLE FOR MY PROBLEM?
You might think you’ve already tried every single thing in your power to stop embarrassing sweat: the strongest of antiperspirants (even the ones that you need a prescription for), different techniques of applying, breathable, or baggy clothing, and still no luck!
If that is the case, don’t lose hope!
Medical research is constantly developing and finding new solutions to different medical problems.
Today, we are lucky because there are so many different medical solutions available for people who have a problem with excessive sweating. Here’s just a few of them you can try if you want to fix your problem.
A lot of people use the procedure of injecting Botox doses in their underarm area. These injections temporarily stop the nerves from producing sweat, and as the word ‘temporarily’ suggests, this isn’t a permanent solution.
It does, however, last for a relatively long period of time.
If you decide on this type of procedure, you won’t have to worry about sweating for up to 12 months. Usually, this procedure lasts from 6 to a maximum of 12 months, and then it has to be redone.
The procedure is a minor one, but it isn’t completely painless because there are needles involved.
It is a shared experience of people who have undergone Botox treatment that the muscles in the area of treatment feel weak right after the procedure is done. However, this all temporary, and it doesn’t last too long.
Like any other medical procedure, it can cause different side effects. If you’re still unconvinced and don’t know whether or not to try this method, consult your doctor or a Botox specialist to learn more about it.
You can also read about the experiences of people who have already done this procedure, which will help you make your decision.
In rare, more severe cases, your doctor might suggest the option of you having surgery. Surgery is an option, however, only when your doctor concludes that your condition is notably serious, and it is causing your body to produce an unnatural amount of sweat.
Different options are available, from less to more invasive ones.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes an individual’s body to produce sweat excessively. It is most often unrelated to high temperatures and exercise. Seldom an invisible cause can be detected and handled.
Possible surgical options are the removal of sweat glands, microwave therapy, and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS).
IN CONCLUSION:
Our body is a wonderfully complex machine that provides its best effort to always balance itself out. No matter how organized and powerful it is, sometimes, it will need our assistance.
Producing sweat, among other things, is one of those bothersome things we are annoyed about.
No matter how annoying, sweating is one of those essential things our body does to keep the balance. Unfortunately, as much as it may upset us sometimes, our bodies must sweat.
For some of us, this is just a minor inconvenience that might feel embarrassing or make us uncomfortable during social or business events, but for some people, it is so much more.
It isn’t rare that people have problems with excessive sweating, whether it a constant, daily struggle they have to suffer through or a periodic thing that only happens a couple of times a year under special circumstances.
These are problems that affect real people, some of which you might even personally know. Therefore, this issue needs to be talked about more.
As we’ve already established, these problems can go from something considered a small inconvenience to something that affects your whole lifestyle.
If you’re trying to fight off and deal with any of the problems related to abnormal sweating, know that you are not alone.
As a society, we need to talk about hyperhidrosis more often. The public needs to be educated and informed. It must not be a taboo topic.
Whether you’re having a relatively small problem or a huge one, there are steps you can take, some of which have already mentioned during this article. There are plenty of other websites and forums available if you want to do further research.
Luckily, we live in the 21st century, and we are witnessing so many different, positive changes. At this time, the medical world is constantly developing new medical solutions.
We can see how much technology is improving and helping the doctors in the medical field, each and every day. Maybe in the future, we’ll have solutions for hyperhidrosis that are even more effective.
Until then, we can try to teach as many people about it as we can.
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