Sweating is your body’s natural cooling mechanism and it’s perfectly normal to sweat when it’s hot out, when you are exercising, and even when you are anxious or stressed out. But having visibly excessive sweating and stinky armpits or sweat stains on your clothes can be annoying, or downright embarrassing!
Whether you sweat more than average, a condition known as hyperhidrosis, or simply want to make sure that warm summer weather doesn’t lead to stains on your clothing, there are a number of things you can do to prevent sweaty armpits.
But we’ve also heard from the community that some methods are more effective than others, and that there are some creative ways to manage your sweat problem that not everyone has heard of. So we’ve put together a list of ideas you can try today. Some are basic, some need a little more planning. But all can be done as lifestyle modifications, rather than medical interventions.
Wearing Breathable Clothing
To avoid sweating, you want to keep cool. Opt for loose-fitting clothes made of breathable fabrics, like cotton, linen or moisture-wicking fabric.
Avoid tight-fitting materials and synthetic fibers like nylon, rayon or silk, which can cause you to be hot and sweat more, Kaufmann says. The color of your clothes likely won’t make a huge difference.
Use An Over-The-Counter Antiperspirant
Antiperspirants work by blocking your sweat glands in your armpits and sweating hands and feet for a time so they cannot produce sweat. Antiperspirants can be purchased over the counter in a number of strengths, including newer clinical, and so called prescription strength formulations.
These virtually all have the same active ingredient, aluminum chlorohydrate, but the amount present and the formula used will affect how well an antiperspirant works on a particular person, so you may need to experiment to find the one that works best for you.
To stop excessive sweating apply the antiperspirant at night on dry skin after a bath.
Even all natural antiperspirants contain aluminum, something to be aware of if you are trying to avoid aluminum exposure. However, the other ingredients in an all-natural formulation may be better for you, so that may still be a reason to consider them.
Limiting Spicy & Fatty Food
What you eat and drink can affect how much you sweat. According to Kaufman, the following foods can increase sweating:
Spicy foods, like chili or hot peppers. As your body processes hot or spicy foods and drinks, your heart rate can increase, which raises your internal body temperature and causes you to sweat.
Fatty, processed foods, like packaged sausages. Your body needs to work harder to process these fatty foods, which can raise temperature. Very salty foods, like potato chips. Your body may try to process extra salt by sweating.
Drinking Lots Of Water
Drinking water can help cool the body and reduce sweating.
There’s a simple way to make sure you’re drinking enough water each day. Divide your weight in pounds in half; that’s how many ounces of water you need. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, that means you should be drinking 75 fluid ounces every day or about 9 eight-ounce cups.
Avoid drinks containing caffeine and alcohol. Both of these substances can raise your heart rate temporarily, increasing your temperature and making you sweat, which dehydrates you in the process the opposite of what you want.
Stop Smoking
The nicotine you take in when you smoke much like caffeine raises your body temperature, makes your heart beat faster, and causes your sweat glands to work overtime. Smoking is associated with a host of other hygiene and health-related concerns like bad breath, stained teeth, and cancer.
So, if you’re ready to reduce the excess sweat and improve your overall health, quitting smoking might be the answer for you.
Conclusion
It’s possible to make some changes to your lifestyle and habits to minimize how frequently you sweat. Make an appointment with your doctor if home remedies are ineffective.
In some cases, you may need a special prescription antiperspirant. There are also sweat stopper products available when you’ve exhausted your options; your doctor will guide you toward the best options for your body.
In some cases, people who sweat too much may have a condition called hyperhidrosis, which is diagnosed and treated by a doctor.
Hyperhidrosis involves profuse sweating all over the entire body, not just under the arms. With the use of the best antiperspirant for excessive sweating, you should be enjoying drier, more comfortable underarms again soon.