Don't Sweat It
Why is it that whenever you see your crush your
palms start sweating, your underarms get
wet and drops of sweat form above your lip? What's going on? It's normal -
so don't sweat it. Just read on.
I Sweat A Lot!
I sweat a lot more than an average girl. I wear deodorant
but it still soaks right through my shirt. What
should I do? It's embarrassing walking around with sweat marks under your arms! sum41chick
The Human Body - Your Sweat Glands
Sweating is totally normal and everyone has
to deal with this smelly bodily function.
Did you know that there are close to 2.6 million sweat
glands in the human body? You can find them everywhere except on your lips, nipples and
genitals. Sweat glands are long, coiled
tubes of cells found in the skin and
there are two types of these glands.
The Human Body - Two Types of Sweat Glands
·
Echini glands: These are the most
common sweat glands. They are found mostly on the palms and soles of your feet and on your
forehead. Echini glands are smaller than a porcine
glands and don't produce fatty acids or proteins
·
A porcine gland: Found in your armpits and
anus. This type of sweat gland produces sweat that has protein and carbohydrates,
which is why you get that yellow stain on
the armpit of your shirts. These glands only become active once you reach
puberty - so it makes sense that you'd start sweating a
lot more around that time.
The Human Body - Why Do We Sweat?
Perspiration or sweat is controlled by your sympathetic nervous system. Heat
is the main reason your eccrine glands kick in, but there are other reasons you
sweat. Being nervous or
even eating spicy food will make you break out in a sweat.
Sweat is how your body gets rid of excess
body heat from your working muscles - like when you sweat up a storm in P.E class
after a hard work-out.
The Human Body - Dealing With Sweat
There are a variety of ways that you can deal
with sweat and it's smelly aftermath.
When you hit puberty, it's best
that you shower on a daily basis -
it'll help rid your bod of the day's sticky, sweat
residue and will help keep you feeling fresh. Deodorant can help
curb the smell of sweat under your arms, but won't stop you from sweating. A
different product, called
antiperspirant, will stop you from sweating as much throughout the day though,
by blocking the pores in
the skin under your arms. Some studies say that antiperspirants are
unhealthy because it can cause a build
up of aluminum in your body. If you are perspiring more than
normal, or are concerned in
any way about your sweatiness, get in to see a
doctor to discuss your options.
