Stop Underarm Sweat

Underarms are an interesting region in our body. Many refer to it colloquially as gross while others are attracted to it in a sexy way. They even have a term for that – axillism. They’re ticklish too, so they can be a source of play-fun when in the mood especially with children. But seriously, underarms are by nature vulnerable and prone to problems.

A distinctive feature about underarms is its sweatiness. This is actually not surprising, given the amount of sweat glands and hair follicles that are endowed in abundance in that region of the anatomy. With the onset of underarm hair by puberty, both basic types of sweat glands (eccrine and apocrine) are found in the underarm areas.

Underarm sweat is there basically for cooling and lubrication. When our body heats up because of physical exertion or surrounding high temperatures, the process of sweat evaporation will result in a cooling effect. Lubrication comes into play when there is friction resulting from arm movement rubbing against the body. A second kind of underarm sweat is a milky-like secretion found in areas with abundance of hair follicles. This kind of sweat does not have any known function. It looks quite gross and smells that too when compounded by bacteria.

Hence, underarm sweating is natural and normal when healthy people are subjected to their expectant conditions. This can go wrong by having too much (Axillary Hyperhidrosis) or too little (Axillary Anhydrosis) of it. Of the two conditions, Axillary Anhydrosis is generally much more serious. Full-fledged medical attention must be summoned quickly as it’s potentially life-threatening.

Excessive Underarm Sweat is a lot more common and affects millions of Americans. It is estimated that 1% of people has this condition in varying degrees. It can be quite mild and some sufferers are actually oblivious to their problem with underarm sweat. On the other hand, it can also be quite serious, especially when it’s accompanied by excessive sweat in other parts of the body like the hands (Palmar), feet (Plantar) and face (Facial).

Excessive Underarm Sweat is further categorized into Primary and Secondary Axillary Hyperhidrosis. Primary Excessive Underarm Sweat exists on its own while its Secondary counterpart is basically the manifestation of another medical problem like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, malaria, tuberculosis and so forth and will disappear with the cure of the underlying ailment.

So, underarm sweat is not a curse. Ask those Anhydrosis sufferers and they will come out in cheers for underarm sweat. Actually, underarm sweat hardly ever becomes a problem for those who practice good hygiene, exercise and eat right. This alone will go a long way in mitigating the problem even for those who are genuinely afflicted through bad genetics.

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