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All You Need To Know About Sweating

How We Smell

Some of us are paranoid about how we smell. However, medically speaking, only a scant percentage of our population need be concerned. Experts tells us that only 5% of people suffer from incapacitating sweating, which is called hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the hands, feet, armpits or face). And those who suffer from malodor (stinky sweat) are even scarcer.

Without sweat glands, we would still be trapped in ape-like hairiness of our ancestors millions of years ago. Sweating is our interior coolant system, which evolved as our body hair vanished. Far beyond esthetic reasons, being able to sweat allowed our ancestors to be able in the hot sunshine so our brain could grow and develop.

In temperate weather, small degrees of sweat are evaporated into the air without us even noticing it. In extreme temperatures, it’s a different story. Human beings have a definite window of temperature range that we can naturally exist in (not taking into the protection of modern thermal clothing). Generally, we can better tolerate over cooling (as much as 20 degrees of below normal), as our bodies can periodically recovering from episodes of extreme cold.

Excessive Heat

However we have much less ability for excessive heat, as little as seven degrees of fever and an internal temperature of 110 degrees can cause our brain to malfunction and possibly suffer irreparable damage. So sweating is a natural internal air-conditioning system that is essential.

When our muscles create too much heart for the air to absorb, we release sweat to cool down as excessive heat travels from blood vessels at the skin surface to the nearby air. Also evaporation of water from the skin provides extra cooling. Dehydration and sunburn reduces our ability to sweat, which is why it is so essential to drink fluids in hot weather or when exerting your body.

Patterns of Sweating

We all have unique patterns of sweating due to sex, age, body shape, weight and genes bringing their influences to bear. For example, some folks have four million sweat glands while others have less than two million. People who sweat profusely may have sweat glands that are five times the average size. And people’s inner temperature cycles function individually than the standard 98.6 degrees and this depends on your inner thermostat, which is regulated by the hypothalamus region in the brain. (For example, if you’ve ever witnessed a woman going through menopause, you can see some spectacular instances of sudden sweating without environmental stimulation.)

In excessive heat, studies show that a small amount of clothing provides protection, and that nudity stimulates 30% more sweating. Studies of monkeys have shown that continual excessive heat results in the body doubling the amount and size of sweat glands in just two months. In human studies, within two weeks, subjects subjected the California desert developed higher rates of sweating, lower pulse rates and lower rectal temperatures, revealing the incredible adaptability our bodies are capable of.

Body Odor

As to body odor, sweat, per se, doesn’t smell. However our armpits contain two types of sweat glands. Eccrine sweat glands are activated by temperature and humidity, while aprocrine glands are stimulated in moments of stress or excitement. Both types of sweat lack odor. Smell is produced by bacteria in the armpit due to lack of washing, which feeds on the aprocrine sweat molecules. Deodorants work two ways: by covering one smell with another (fragrance) and by releasing an aluminum-compound antiperspirant that tightens the pores secreting eccrine sweat (remember, that not the type which smells). Some products also contain an anti-bacterial ingredient. Manufactures are allowed to claim “extra-effective antiperspirant” ingredient if it reduces sweating by just 30%.

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Sources: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) Medline Dictionary (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus) Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis: Scope of the Problem Cutaneous Medicine for the Practitioner 2007 May;79(5 Suppl):5-17 Hyperhidrosis: Evolving Therapies for a Well-Established Phenomenon Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2005 May;80(5):657-66 The Effects of a Moderate Physical Activity Program on Thermoregulatory Responses in a Warm Environment in Men Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 2004 Aug;29(4):379-94 Erroneous Gender Differences in Axillary Skin Surface/Sweat pH International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2001 Apr;23(2):99-107

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