Sweating is a natural part of life. Without it our bodies would overheat and cause all sorts of life-threatening problems. But if you’ve ever experienced excessive sweat then you’ve probably wondered how to stop sweating, or at least keep it in check.
The solution largely depends on where you’re sweating and why. Let’s take a look at which areas of the body sweat the most and the causes behind it.
Armpits
The most common place a person is likely to experience excessive sweating is the armpits. Everyone has experienced the dreaded pit sweat stain at some point in life.
This type of sweat is particularly troublesome because it’s produced by the apocrine sweat glands and contains fat and proteins. The proteins make sweat thicker, and as it breaks down it mixes with bacteria. When this happens it can cause sweat to smell.
Daily antiperspirant application is the most common solution for sweaty armpits. You can also use antiperspirant towelette to control sweating for up 4-7 days.
Soles of Feet
The body has 2-4 million sweat glands. Surprisingly, the most concentrated area of sweat glands on the body is the soles of feet. But unlike the armpits, the sweat on feet comes from the eccrine sweat glands.
Your feet say a lot about your health and what’s happening inside the body. Stinky feet could be a sign of excessive sweating and bacteria build up. Not because the sweat itself smells, but because the moisture causes socks or shoes to smell. However, dry feet can be more troubling since it’s a symptom of thyroid problems.
In terms of keeping foot sweat under control, a foot powder can be a solution. Sprinkle it in your socks and shoes to soak up the excess moisture.
Groin
The groin is one of only two other places outside of the armpits where sweat is produced by the apocrine sweat glands. Unlike the armpits, the groin area is typically covered up all the time, which limits airflow that evaporates sweat.
A shower can provide relief and help eliminate any odor that may result from groin sweat. Antiperspirant towelettes may also be a solution, but only if they are approved for use in the area. In a pinch, hand sanitizer can be used to kill bacteria and cut down on the odor.
Scalp
Scalp sweat is also produced by the apocrine sweat glands, which are in areas where there’s an abundance of hair follicles. In some cases, when you think your face is sweating it’s actually scalp sweat that is dripping down to the face.
Controlling scalp sweat can be difficult since it’s hard to apply products directly to the skin. You may be able to rub antiperspirant onto the scalp and forehead, but be careful not to overdo it. Dry shampoo or powder can also soak up the excessive moisture. Wearing a sweatband around the hairline during exercise can also keep sweat from dripping down the face.
Face
If you’ve ever watched slapstick comedy, you’ve probably seen a joke involving sweat pouring down someone’s face. The joke is rooted in reality. Areas of the face have an amazing amount of hair follicles and eccrine sweat glands, which means excessive sweating is possible.
The forehead and upper lip are where you’re most likely to see beads of sweat pop up on the face. Unfortunately, there aren’t any products specifically designed to control face sweating. The best thing you can do is dab sweat away with a handkerchief and/or sit in front of a fan to dry the sweat and cool down.
Palms
When nerves kick in you may feel your palms start to get clammy. Spend a single minute in a public speaking situation and your palms probably get moist.
This area is particularly prone to emotion-related sweating. In other words, palms are most likely to sweat when you feel stressed, nervous or embarrassed. Calming your nerves will go a long way towards controlling palm sweat.
It’s important to keep an eye on excessive sweating no matter where it occurs. If you aren’t replacing the fluids that are being lost it could lead to dehydration. Excessive sweating can also be a symptom of an underlying medical condition that needs to be evaluated by a medical professional.