“Don’t let them see you sweat,” says an American proverb. That means don’t let them see your weaknesses. But what to do? Disguise the sweating or try to prevent it altogether? What if nothing else works? And after all, is sweat bad or good for your skin? Let’s find out.
It’s generally accepted that sweat causes acne. But does it? Well, it turns out it’s complicated.
We sweat to cool ourselves off – our bodies are clever, and they do this job quite effectively. Our glands excrete sweat, the surface of our skin becomes coated with moisture, the sweat evaporates, and our body temperature drops. Everything works perfectly – including those moments when it gets hot because of stress or sports.
According to the International Society of Hyperhidrosis (there is such a thing!), every human body is equipped with sweat glands in the number of two to four million. The vast majority of them produce a clear liquid, odorless – they are called exocrine. The exception is the glands under the armpits and groin: they are epocrine, their fluid is thicker, and tends to interact with bacteria on the skin. They are the ones that smell.
Sweat itself is completely harmless: it is 99 percent water; the remaining percentage is divided by minerals and fat. The opinion that toxins are excreted through sweat has been proven by scientists to be erroneous: during detoxification liver, kidneys and intestines work much better than the specially designed ones.
So after a workout or a sauna you feel good, not because with sweat came out something very harmful, but because of muscle relaxation and endorphins.
And here’s great news for those who fear that sweat impairs facial skin. On the contrary – researchers have found that human sweat contains a whole host of antimicrobial peptides that provide your skin with natural protection against germs and bacteria.
But alas, don’t be too quick to replace all your grooming with a good night’s sweat. By flushing grease and dirt out of your pores, sweat can literally shove them back in immediately if you let it dry out on the surface of your skin.
So there’s one solution, and it’s a simple one – remove the sweat from the surface of your skin as soon as possible. A clean towel or a good old-fashioned warm shower will help. And on hot days, avoid “plastering” your makeup on – it’s sure to keep your pores from cleaning themselves properly!