Are you sweating more than others? Find out your triggers

Dr Rommel Tickoo, Director, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Delhi, explains this summer malais

Sweating itself doesn’t cause body odour, the bacteria on the sweaty surface does.

Given the long stretch of extreme summer, sweating more than usual is okay as it is the body’s way of cooling down. But are you one of those kinds who sweat so profusely that you have to change your clothes frequently, constantly wipe your skin, worry about body odour and feel that it’s interfering with your normal activities? That means you have a condition called hyperhidrosis. Basically this means that the sweat glands in your body are overactive.

What are sweat glands?

Our body has two kinds of sweat glands. The eccrine glands, which line mostly non-hairy portions of our bodies, like soles, palm and the forehead. Then there are apocrine glands, which are found near hair follicles and are found mostly in the scalp, armpits and the peri-anal region. The sweat from eccrine glands has more than 90 per cent water, the rest being salts. The apocrine gland secretions are mostly viscous, the water mixed with proteins and nutrients. Bacteria feed on this in the skin folds and cause body odour.

What are the reasons for over-perspiration?

This happens primarily in people whose number and size of sweat glands are above normal. That’s why the slightest trigger can cause these glands to become hyperactive and release sweat. These triggers could be warm, humid temperatures, intense patterns of exercise or physical activity, hormonal imbalances, particularly among women during menopause, thyroid issues, skin flushing due to increased blood flow to the epidermis, stress and anxiety. Sometimes over-sweating could be a side effect of specific medication.

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The volume of sweat also depends on your body size and muscle mass, which generate more heat, resulting in higher levels of sweat.

How can you be sure if you indeed have an oversweating syndrome?

There’s the starch iodine test, where an iodine solution is applied to the sweaty area and starch sprinkled over it. The excess sweat patches turn blue. There are paper soaks and blood imaging tests too at the site of the sweat glands.

Does oversweating cause body odour? How should one manage the condition ?

Sweating itself doesn’t cause body odour, the bacteria on the sweaty surface does. But you can manage your condition by changing clothes frequently if involved in outdoor activities. Change shoes and socks, decrease intake of spicy food and drink more water to flush your system out. Shower more than once if you can.

Sometimes your doctor may prescribe medicated and safe deodorants or antiperspirants to control sweating. You can apply prescription grade deodorants overnight under a layer of plastic wrap. This helps the formula to better penetrate the skin, where the sweat glands are located. Regular application may reduce sweat release. Always wear breathable and absorbent clothing. Anything other than cotton could trap the sweat further.