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10 Simple Ways To Manage Your Sweaty Armpits

Why Is There So Much Sweating In The Armpits?(1)

Underarms are the region which experience more sweating and the reason for this is the large number of sweat glands present in the armpits.

It is a very uncomfortable and gross feeling when your underarms literally become pits of sweat such that it becomes intolerable. Sweating is inevitable, as it is a natural and healthy process of releasing toxins from the body. However, there are many simple and effective ways to handle your sweaty armpits.

People who excessively sweat can suffer from hyperhidrosis disorder, which is a condition requiring treatment. Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by excessive sweating from the entire body and not just from the armpits.(2, 3)

Ways to Manage Your Sweaty Armpits

10 Simple Ways to Manage Your Sweaty Armpits

In this article we are discussing many medical, over-the-counter and natural ways or solutions to deal with or to reduce the profuse sweating from the underarms.

  1. Do Not Dress Immediately After Showering

    It is better to wait some minutes after taking a shower and before getting dressed; especially after taking hot showers or when living in humid and hot climate. After showering, take some time to let your body to cool down and dry completely before getting dressed to prevent sweating from underarms immediately after bathing.

  2. Using Antiperspirants Topically(4)

    You can use an antiperspirant instead of regular deodorant to help reduce the sweating and eliminate the odor emanating from the armpits; however, antiperspirant cannot completely stop the sweating from your under arms. Antiperspirants help in dealing with sweaty armpits by blocking the sweat glands to prevent the production of sweating and also destroying the bacteria, which cause the odor. In this way, the use of topical antiperspirants helps a lot in dealing with the discomfort caused by sweaty armpits.

    • Some people do not find over-the-counter antiperspirants beneficial and they need stronger antiperspirants that have increased quantity of aluminum chloride. A minimum of 13% is needed to counter excessive perspiration.
    • One can also consult a doctor for getting a prescription stronger antiperspirant.
    • Another important way to handle your sweaty armpits is to apply the antiperspirant in a correct manner to do its intended job properly. The correct manner to apply an antiperspirant is:
    • Always apply antiperspirant on clean and dry armpits. Never apply antiperspirant on damp or sweaty armpits.
    • It is best to apply your antiperspirant after bathing at night when the body is cool and this ensures that the active ingredient present in the antiperspirant works effectively.
    • One has to have patience and give some time for the antiperspirant to work completely.

    Always keep your underarms shaved as the hair prevents the antiperspirant from working properly. However, it is better to not apply it immediately after shaving, as it can cause irritation on the newly shaved skin.

  3. Do Not Consume Foods Which Cause More Sweating(5, 7, 8, 11)

    Diet plays a huge role in how much you sweat and also the odor of your sweat. There are certain foods which can cause excessive sweating from the body. If one consumes foods with less fiber content, then it causes a burden on the digestive system and causes it to work more for digesting the foods. Consumption of foods rich in fat increases the warmth of the insides of the body for processing the fat and can cause more sweating. Consuming a diet which is high in sodium causes your body to detox or eliminate the extra salt in the form of excess sweat and urine.(6)

    Additional foods and beverages, which can cause sweaty armpits, are: caffeine, processed foods, spicy and hot dishes, onions, garlic, ice cream, beer and liquor, foods rich in fat content.

  4. Keep Your Armpits Shaved(9, 10)

    It is important to keep your underarms clean of hair to help in decreasing excessive sweating from armpits. The hair present in the armpits can cause the sweat or moisture to cling to it and it is better to shave the underarms to avoid this problem. Shaving also helps in preventing and reducing the odor coming from the sweat. Shaving your armpits will also help in quick evaporation of sweat.

  5. Consume Foods That Help In Reducing Sweat

    There are certain foods, which help in cutting down the sweat produced by the body and they also help in soothing the overactive sweat glands.

    One of the simple ways to handle your sweaty armpits is to eat foods which won’t burden your digestive system and do not cause overstimulation of the nervous system and instead calms it. Some of the food items which will help in reducing your sweat are: Water, almonds, and foods rich in calcium, whey, green tea, olive oil, sweet potatoes, oats and bananas.

    It is important to eat fruits and vegetables which are rich in water content, such as grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage eggplant and bell pepper.

  6. Always Wear Loose-Fitting and Breathable Clothes(4)

    Wearing tight clothes, especially under the arms, not only causes more sweating but also causes stains on the underarm area of the clothes. To deal with underarm sweating, it is better to wear loose clothes with breathable fabrics to allow cooling of the body including your underarms. Wearing loose-fitting and breathable clothes will ensure that your underarms remain dry and cool along with preventing sweating and the resulting stain on the clothes.

  7. Keep Yourself Hydrated(11)

    It is important to drink plenty of water and fluids along with consuming foods with high content of water to keep the body cool and to reduce the excessive sweating from armpits.

  8. Ditch the Caffeine(7, 12, 13)

    Caffeine increases sweating by stimulating the nervous system and also increases your heart rate, blood pressure and triggers your sweat glands. People who consume coffee or beverages that contain caffeine will experience more sweating, as these hot drinks containing caffeine causes increase in the body temperature and leads to sweating. One of the simple ways to deal with your sweaty armpits is to cut down on your caffeine or if possible to completely eliminate caffeine from your diet.

  9. Quit Smoking to Reduce Sweaty Armpits(14)

    Just like caffeine, the nicotine present in cigarettes also increases the temperature of the body, causes rapid heartbeat and triggers your sweat glands into producing more sweat. Smoking not only causes sweaty armpits, but also is bad for your health along with causing hygiene concerns, such as stained teeth and bad breath.

  10. Botox Injections or Surgery to Manage Your Sweaty Armpits(15, 16, 17, 18)

    If nothing works, then surgery or Botox injections may be the way to manage your sweaty armpits. If the various methods are not effective in reducing the sweating from underarms, then one can also consider surgery or taking Botox injections to reduce the excessive underarm sweating.

    According to research, Botox injections are beneficial in reducing the excessive armpit sweating. Botox is administered by a dermatologist to block the sympathetic nerves signal which is responsible for sweating. The effects of Botox injections are temporary, so the injections need to be repeated to be effective.

    Surgical options for treating excessive sweating include: sweat gland removal and thoracic sympathectomy.

    Removal of sweat glands can be done via different surgical techniques, such as liposuction, curettage and excision.

    Thoracic sympathectomy is a surgical procedure, which is minimally invasive where the sympathetic nerves are cut, so they cannot communicate with the sweat glands to produce sweat.

What are the Causes of Excessive Sweating?(19, 20)

The cause of excessive sweating is overstimulation of sweat glands occurring as a result of signals sent by nerves to the sweat glands in the absence of any triggers, such as physical exertion or heat.

Studies have shown that hyperhidrosis can also be hereditary, as it is seen to occur in people having family history of this condition.(21) However, the specific gene that causes hyperhidrosis is not yet identified.

Some medications can cause excessive sweating as a side effect and in such cases one needs to consult their doctor for change of medication.

There are certain medical conditions which cause excessive sweating, such as hyperthyroidism, heart disease, stroke, menopause, cancer etc.

Consult your doctor if conservative treatment is not helping with management of sweaty armpits.

Some people need a special antiperspirant which needs to be prescribed by the doctor. If nothing works, then Botox injections are a treatment option which can help with sweaty armpits.

Conclusion

Sweaty armpits can be managed or dealt with some simple lifestyle modifications, such as changing your diet, quitting smoking, cutting down on caffeine and using topical antiperspirants. If these simple ways are not effective, then consult your doctor about surgery or Botox injections or what other options are available for you to deal with your sweaty armpits. With the right method employed, you can also experience the happiness derived from the feeling of dry and comfortable underarms.

References:

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:June 3, 2022

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