Perspiration is important for our health to keep the normal body temperature. Some of us suffer from excess perspiration, while some of us have very low perspiration or no perspiration.
Perspiration either excessive or very low both are bad. Excessive perspiration unless a disease causes it, is only a nuisance whereas decreased perspiration can be life threatening sometimes. In decreased perspiration the patient either perspires very little or does not perspire at all. Decreased perspiration may be because of-
Inherited Disease– Some children inherit a condition known as Hypohidrotic Ectodermal dysplasia (HED), and are born without any sweat gland. This condition puts them at high risk that may be life threatening.
Some medications – Some drugs interfere with the working of sweat glands. Especially some drugs used for mental disorders can cause this.
Disorder of autonomic neuropathy – When some nerves that control the autonomic functions of the body are damaged the sweat glands stop functioning normally.
Burns and infection – With some burns, the sweat glands are damaged and some infections of sweat glands stop the normal functioning of sweat glands.
Sweat controls our body temperature. Sweat also is responsible for body odour. When bacteria react with sweat, it produces odour. Similarly, pheromones that are emitted by Apocrine Glands also have an odour. Let us find out how to control excess sweat and control body odour.
How sweat produces odor?
Eccrine sweat is produced by eccrine sweat glands that are distributed all over the body. This sweat that is mainly watered with very small amount of salt, sugar, urea etc. is odourless. As this sweat appears on the skin surface it softens the epidermal keratin producing smell as a result. Bacteria feed upon the keratin and sweat and produce odour. In other areas of body, such as armpit, the skin is folded and moist and warm. That is the ideal place for bacteria to feed upon sweat and produce odour. Apocrine glands are mainly located around area such as scalp, groin and armpits. They produce fatty sweat with pheromones. Bacteria again break down this sweat and result is bad odour. The excess of sweat and /or bacteria can produce more body odour. The obvious solution to body odour is therefore- reduction or drying of excess sweat as soon as possible and keeping the skin free of bacteria. Here you should note that if you have any yeast infection, that can worsen the odour.
Skin care and control of sweat and odour
Control sweat with antiperspirants. If you are having the problem of excess sweating, please consult your doctor who will suggest other methods such as Botox injections and other methods. Washing body with antibacterial soap is a good idea. Keep skin dry as much as possible and change clothes that may be been worn while you had sweat because clothes continue to carry sweat producing bacteria until they are washed. Clothes may have dried, but they carry the stench of sweat with them. Please change clothes after any activity that produces sweat. Some foods such as caffeinated drinks, garlic, onions may add to sweat smell or excess sweating. Avoid these foods. Control sweat, control bacteria and keep body dry to keep yourself smelling fresh at all the times for better skin care.
If you feel that you sweat excessively, please consult your doctor and find out. There is no measurement of normal sweating. So each of us have to find out if we are sweating excessively, normally or very less. If excess perspiration is your problem, find out more about it below. Please note that excessive sweating may be of two types. In the first instance your body naturally sweats more and in the second instance, you sweat more because of some conditions and diseases. The first condition is called primary hyperhidrosis and the second one is called secondary hyperhidrosis. In primary hyperhidrosis excess sweating occurs mostly on hands, feet and armpits.
Common Reasons for Excess Sweating
Some foods and drinks can make you sweat excessively. Drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine may induce excess sweating. Similarly, some spicy food may make some people sweat heavily.
Excessive sweating may also be due to hereditary reasons. Please find out if your parents also had this problem.
If you are on medication, find out from your doctor if they are causing excessive sweating. Some drugs induce heavy sweating.
Women going through menopause may get hot flashes and excess sweating. Similarly, males who have low levels of male hormone testosterone may experience hot flashes.
Some diseases and conditions can produce profuse sweat. Heart attack, malarial fever, other fevers, thyroid condition, tuberculosis, some fevers, low blood sugars and other diseases may make you sweat excessively. You should consult your doctor about these conditions.
Please consult your doctor if you suddenly break into cold sweat. That may be emotional in origin or physical. Similarly, if you find a sudden change in body odour, you should tell your doctor about that. You may suffer some problems if you sweat excessively compared to others. Your toenails may develop fungal infections. Athletes foot may be another problem, as may be jock itch. For primary hyperhidrosis many treatments are available that can control the sweat within acceptable limits. Keeping yourself clean and dry at all times is another way of maintaining good hygiene.
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