Top 5 tips for stopping under arm sweating

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It's a fact of life: Everybody sweats. Sweating is a natural body function that helps to regulate temperature, especially during exercise or hot weather. As sweat evaporates from the surface of your skin, it removes excess heat and helps to cool the body down.

Whether you work indoors or outdoors, live in Bangor, Maine, or Palm Springs, Fla., enjoy lounging by the pool or training for a marathon, you've probably experienced that icky feeling of wetness under your arms -- and the distinctive scent that sometimes accompanies it.

Some people sweat more than others, and it can be an embarrassing problem. Often, problem sweating is driven by emotion: You may sweat as a reaction to a situation that causes nervousness or anxiety, like speaking in public or meeting new people. If you've ever been in the middle of making a presentation to a group, or getting ready to meet your future in-laws, and discovered your shirt is soaked under the arms, you know the feeling.

Why does this happen underneath the arms? The apocrine glands are located in the armpits. The sweat produced by these glands contains proteins and fatty acids, which make it thicker and give it a milky or yellowish color. That's why underarm stains in clothing appear yellowish. The sweat itself is odorless, but when bacteria on the skin and hair metabolize the proteins and fatty acids, they produce an unpleasant scent.

Preventing or controlling underarm sweating is important to good hygiene and comfort. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent or minimize this condition, along with the annoying wetness and potential odor that accompanies it. Read on to learn more about the top five ways to prevent underarm sweating.

Wear an Antiperspirant

Make it a daily habit to use an antiperspirant. Many people apply an antiperspirant or deodorant before leaving the house to help control underarm sweating and the potential for embarrassing odor.

What's the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants, anyway? Deodorants help to cover up odors, while antiperspirants contain ingredients designed to stop perspiration. Deodorants have been around for more than 5,000 years, as ancient cultures applied scent-infused natural oils to mask body odor. Over time, these potions evolved to become more complex perfumes. Antiperspirants, which use aluminum chloride to actually prevent sweat production, were introduced in the early 20th century, and caught on quickly. Since then, their format has evolved from pads and squeeze bottles to sticks, gels, roll-ons and soft solids.

Today, there's a dizzying array of antiperspirants and deodorants on the market, so there's something for everyone. Formulas for men, women and teenagers are available on drug store shelves everywhere. In addition, you can pick up newer and stronger formulations that contain more of the ingredients that temporarily block sweat glands. And if over-the-counter products don't keep your sweating under control, your doctor can prescribe an antiperspirant with stronger concentrations of aluminum chloride that's blended with other ingredients to control or absorb odors.

Stay clean and wear material that breathe

This might sound obvious, but you should bathe or shower frequently (once per day is more than enough) to remove bacteria that may cause odor. Make sure that you dry your underarms thoroughly afterwards. If you still have problems with sweat and the accompanying scent, using an antibacterial soap can be helpful. You can also try applying talcum power or baking soda to the underarms to soak up moisture and prevent odor.

Even your choice of clothing can help make you more comfortable. Clothing made of natural fabrics (like cotton, wool or linen) allow your skin to breathe and will result in drier armpits. Synthetic fabrics (like nylon, rayon and polyester) tend to trap heat and cause your body to sweat more as a result. To make matters worse, the accumulated moisture doesn't evaporate as easily.

When you're exercising, choose special microfiber performance fabrics that keep moisture away from your skin to help you stay dry and avoid unpleasant body odor.

: Reduce Stress
A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a healthy diet helps your body perform at its best and helps keep underarm sweating under control. Some people find that certain foods and beverages make them perspire more profusely than usual or cause an unusual body odor. Caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, garlic and onions are among the most common culprits.

Sometimes our emotions, like nervousness and anxiety, can lead to excessive sweating. It helps to learn how to relax and manage stress in difficult situations like speaking in front of groups or going out and meeting new people. Some people find that deep breathing, doing yoga or meditation into each day or simply making time for enjoyable pursuits can be helpful tools. Biofeedback, which is a process designed to measure certain functions, like heart rate and body temperature, in real time, can also help effectively to reduce stress. These actions can help you learn to manage the stress than can lead to excessive perspiration.

See a doctor just in case

If you are sweating more than usual, or at unusual times, visit your doctor to make sure that it's not caused by an underlying illness or medical condition that should be treated. Excessive sweating is a symptom of several illnesses or diseases, including heart disease, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, leukemia, menopause, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, tuberculosis and several stress and anxiety disorders. Certain medications like beta blockers and tricyclic antidepressants can also cause excessive sweating.

Your doctor may also diagnose you with hyperhidrosis, a medical condition that causes excessive sweating. Excessive sweating usually affects your palms, soles and underarms. It can cause social anxiety and embarrassment and can be very disruptive to normal activities. Fortunately, several treatments exist for this condition. We'll discuss hyperhidrosis in more detail on the next page.

Consider a Medical Solution
If you're one of the people who suffer from underarm sweating so excessive that it interferes with everyday activities and makes you feel uncomfortable interacting with others, talk to your doctor or health care provider about possible medical solutions. While these treatment options may seem extreme, the resulting improvements in self-esteem and comfort can be well worth the investment.

Iontophoresis is a non-invasive treatment that uses water to deliver a mild electrical shock. A dermatologist uses a small, hand-held device to send a low level current to the armpits while the body is immersed in water. These treatments help to temporarily shut off sweat glands, last about 15 to 30 minutes and are performed once a day over a short period of time.
* Botox injections don't just help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Botox is a protein produced by the bacteria that causes botulism. It can be injected under the arms to block the nerves that stimulate sweating. The treatment is effective for five to six months.
* Oral anticholinergic medications like Robinul work by blocking the actions of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps stimulate sweat glands. It usually begins to improve symptoms in a couple of weeks. These medications act on other body functions as well, and may cause side effect such as dry mouth, constipation or blurry vision.
* Anti-depressants or tranquilizers can be an effective, albeit unusual, solution. If emotional triggers cause excessive sweating, antidepressants or tranquilizers may be prescribed to help control stress-related symptoms. As a result of this treatment, excessive sweating related to stress may subside.
* Surgery is a last-ditch treatment option for excessive sweating. If the sweating is limited to your armpits, removing the sweat glands in a procedure known as surgical tumescent liposuction may help. Another procedure, endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, involves clipping the nerves that carry messages from the sympathetic nerves to the sweat glands. However, both of these procedures carry the risk of compensatory sweating, or an increase of sweating on other parts of the body.

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you're suddenly sweating more than usual, sweating so heavily that it disrupts your routine or experiencing night sweats for no apparent reason. These could be symptoms of a serious illness.