Everybody sweats, more or less. It’s one of your body’s important built-in temperature regulation systems. When you’re out mowing the lawn on a hot day, working out at the gym, playing sports, or doing any other strenuous or hot activity, your body’s sweat glands pump out mostly water with a bit of salt and some other substances to keep you from overheating. So, sweat is your friend. But like all friendships, sweating and skin health can be… complicated. Some people sweat too much (Hyperhidrosis). Sweat itself, helpful as it is, can aggravate other sweat-related skin issues.
Understanding Sweating and Skin Health
“I would like to start by saying, sweating is not a bad thing!” says Kelly. “When our body’s internal temperature rises, our sweat glands release water to the surface where it quickly evaporates and helps cool us off. So, when you go for a run and are drenched in sweat, just know that your body is doing the best it can to keep you cool! Not to mention that we also release waste when we sweat, and it can even play a role in helping the skin heal.”
So, your body’s sweat glands pump out sweat to keep you cool when conditions are getting too hot to handle. It’s absolutely necessary for your health. But did you know that there are actually two different kinds of sweat and sweating?
- Eccrine sweat glands—These make up the majority of your sweat glands, spread over your whole body. These are the ones that keep you cool, producing a mostly watery, cooling perspiration when you’re busy exerting yourself. These are also the same glands that may kick into gear when you’re feeling strong emotions like stress or anxiety.
- Apocrine sweat glands—These sweat glands can also kick into gear when you’re nervous, but they produce thicker sweat that contains some fat, especially from hair follicles in your armpits and genital areas.
In addition to these different sweat glands and types of sweat, there are many reasons why you might start sweating, including environmental heat, physical activity, stress, and illness. And fun fact: the sweat your glands produce doesn’t have a scent. Those odors associated with sweat are actually the bacteria on your skin eating, digesting, and… processing organic particles in your sweat. Yes, bacteria have flatulence too.
So, while the sweat is definitely there to help you, it’s always a good idea to bathe and shower every day, or sometimes more often, and take good care of your skin, especially during times of stress like a new school year, or whenever you’re prone to break out in a sweat.
Common Skin Issues Caused by Excessive Sweating
One of the more common sweat-related skin problems is excessive sweating, which is called hyperhidrosis.
“When we are sweating in excess of what our body needs, this can impact our day-to-day activities and quality of life,” explains Kelly. “Sometimes there is no known cause of hyperhidrosis, but it can also come from an underlying condition such as an infection, diabetes, medications, or even cancer.”
As Kelly explains, excess sweat can cause flare-ups in pre-existing skin conditions like acne, dandruff, or eczema, or cause entirely new ones like heat rash, yeast infections, fungal infections, or bacterial infections. If you have any of the following sweat-related skin problems, “see a dermatologist, as we can rule out any underlying causes and get you treated,” urges Kelly.
1. Heat Rash - Miliaria
Heat rashes or “prickly heat” can flare up for people of all ages in hot, humid conditions. The scientific term for heat rash is miliaria, which denotes small blisters of trapped sweat under the skin. A heat rash can range from mild, shallow, little bumps of un-escaped sweat to itchy, deep, inflamed bumps. A heat rash typically forms in folds of skin where sweat can get trapped, or where clothing causes friction on the skin in hot conditions.
2. Heat Hives - Exercise-Induced Urticaria
Exercise-induced urticaria or “heat hives” is a sort of skin allergic reaction triggered by exercise, and characterized by large, red, raised welts, splotches, blisters, or hives that can appear anywhere on the body. In addition to the hives, some patients may have stomach cramps, headaches, or a frightening swelling of the tongue, face, or hands, which can cause trouble breathing. The cause of exercise-induced urticaria is unknown, but certain types of exercise, food, and other environmental triggers may lead to outbreaks. It’s important to work with your healthcare provider to understand the condition since it can be dangerous.
3. Fungal Infections
Fungal infections love hot, wet conditions. They can look like red patches with darker colors or scaly skin around the border of the infection. These infections often itch and burn. Some examples of skin fungal infections include athlete’s foot (the most common), nail fungus, jock itch, and ringworm.
Contact with fungal infections can happen anywhere fungi exist, which is everywhere, as Kelly explains: “For example, we can see this in athletes who develop something called tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) where the feet get very hot and sweaty, which will cause further breakdown of our skin barrier. Then, after training/practice, that athlete may go barefoot in a community shower where the skin on the feet is already broken down, which gives fungi a much higher chance of entering the skin and causing athlete’s foot.”
4. Acne and Sweat Pimples: Does Sweat Cause Acne?
So, if you happen to be an active teenager or adult who is involved in sports, drama, or stressful academics, you may break out in a sweat with acne pretty often. This may lead you to ask, “Does sweat cause acne?” Well, acne is a little more complicated than just excess sweat, but it can definitely aggravate your acne situation. Kelly has some advice for people who struggle with “sweat pimples” specifically:
“I advise using a gentle cleanser twice daily. In the morning, I suggest a gentle hydrating cleanser and in the evening I suggest adding an antimicrobial wash such as benzoyl peroxide, like the ones found in our Body Wash,” explains Kelly. “I also may suggest adding a topical retinoid to help decrease excess oil production and help prevent our pores from getting backed up. We have plenty of great acne products here at Apex, and since there are many variables to consider for sweating and daily hygiene, schedule your appointment so we can come up with a treatment plan that works for you individually.”
5. Body Odor
Every human being has a signature “scent” due to the unique mixture of bacteria that interact with the sweat on your skin. The more bacteria on your skin or in your clothes, the stronger the scent. This is especially true if you struggle with a lot of sweat. Choosing a good deodorant with an antiperspirant can help.
So, although sweat is necessary, too much of it can cause some problems. “Sweating can increase the risk for skin infections in a couple of different ways,” explains Kelly. “It can break down our natural skin barrier, which can allow bacteria and fungi to penetrate deeper into our skin.” He goes on to say that sweating also increases the risk of infections by creating a warm, moist environment for these fungi and bacteria to continue to grow. “We see this commonly in skin folds that trap heat and moisture. That is why it is important to keep those areas clean and dry, as we will discuss below.”
Managing Sweat-Related Skin Issues at Home
Sweat-related skin problems can often be mitigated at home by taking some simple measures to keep the skin and clothing cool, comfortable, and dry.
1. Daily Hygiene to Manage Sweating
Excess sweating is not a sign that you’ve neglected personal hygiene, but excess sweating could require some additional hygiene practices to keep your skin healthy and clear. Kelly suggests the following: “I advise that patients who sweat excessively wash with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser once daily in the shower. Then make sure to thoroughly dry all areas of the body, especially the areas more prone to sweating, after showering. If you know you will be active later in the day, have a clean, dry pair of clothes to change into so you won’t be sitting in sweaty, damp clothes for extended periods of time.”
2. Clothing and Fabrics to Wick Away Sweat
Certain types of fabrics are better at wicking away moisture than others and focusing on the driest fabrics is important. “For patients who sweat excessively, wearing natural, breathable clothing is important,” says Kelly. “Cotton and linen are great choices as they can help absorb the sweat and allow for more airflow to cool the skin. In general, it is not a great idea to wear synthetic materials such as polyester, rayon, or nylon as these materials tend to trap sweat. If you do need to get a stretchier material to work out in, make sure that you pick a moisture-wicking material.”
Some newer, technical fabrics have been designed to wick moisture and accelerate the air-drying process, so those are especially helpful if you know you are going to engage in physical exertion that’s likely to lead to a lot of sweat.
3. Nutritional Tips that May Help Reduce Excess Sweating
As for dietary tips to reduce excess sweating, there are a few that may be helpful, and you likely won’t be surprised by them. As for what’s on the “to avoid” list:
- Highly processed foods
- High-fat content foods
- Sugary foods
- Caffeine
- Alcoholic drinks
- High-salt foods
These foods all require the body to work harder to break them down, which can increase the body’s internal temperature, which may cause more sweating. On the other hand, these are some of the foods on the “please-add-us-to-your-diet” list for overall good health and less sweat:
- A wide variety of fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, bananas, melons, and grapes
- Almonds
- Dairy products
- Plenty of clean water
A diet with a wide range of nutrients including calcium can help reduce sweat. Staying well-hydrated is another great way to help the body overall. Of course, nutrition and diet can be very individual things, and people who have sensitivities to any foods should avoid those and talk with their healthcare provider about nutrition plans and supplementation that will provide essential nutrients that will calm the immune system and reduce excess sweating.
In addition to these ways to manage excess sweating at home, you may benefit from using specialized skincare products that can help manage sweat-related skin issues. This is why it’s important to talk with your dermatologist about tips for dealing with sweat.
Dermatologist Tips for Sweating and Skin Health
Many people struggle to know whether their sweating is excessive or just normal for them—and there may be a fairly simple solution if they were to ask their dermatologist for tips. The bottom line: if your sweating gets to the point where you feel unhappy about it, schedule an appointment.
“If anyone feels like they are experiencing any degree of sweating that is interfering with his or her day-to-day activities, impacting their quality of life, or is causing significant anxiety or embarrassment, they should see a healthcare professional,” says Kelly. “Although “excessive sweating” can vary between individuals, it can exacerbate existing conditions or cause new ones to develop. So, see a dermatologist and we can help rule out any underlying cause and get you treated.”
1. Over-the-Counter Sweating Solutions
Some of our dermatologist tips for sweating that you can try today include OTC antiperspirants. “Make sure you are looking for an antiperspirant, not just a deodorant,” says Kelly. “Deodorants may not contain active ingredients that help reduce sweating and more so help to reduce body odor. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, contain aluminum salts that help “plug” our sweat glands. We usually advise that patients put on the antiperspirant at night to help it absorb into the sweat ducts when we aren’t as sweaty.”
He also recommends using a talc-free baby powder in other areas that sweat and retain heat, like the buttocks and groin area. If you struggle with fungal infections, some OTC powders also have antifungal properties.
2. Prescription Medications
If over-the-counter antiperspirants aren’t giving you the level of comfort you need, there are prescription-strength applications that can help, says Kelly. “The difference between over-the-counter antiperspirants and prescription strength tends to be the concentration of aluminum salts. The higher the concentration, the better chance of decreasing sweating.”
“There are other forms of topicals that we can use to help decrease sweating that work a little bit differently,” adds Kelly. “Other prescription treatments work to block the binding of chemical messengers to try to decrease sweat production. We can try this topically with something called Qbrexza or something orally called glycopyrrolate. These can be quite effective, but they do come with some side effects to discuss with your healthcare provider.”
For people struggling with a fungal or bacterial infection stemming from excess sweat, your dermatology provider can help you with topical antibiotics and antifungal creams to address those infections and provide relief.
3. Advanced Dermatology Treatments for Hyperhidrosis
If you are diagnosed with hyperhidrosis that does not respond to these treatments, there are other, more advanced options to reduce sweat problems.
“First, as I will continue to emphasize, make sure that you are seeing a healthcare professional to address any other serious, underlying health problems that may be causing excessive sweating,” says Kelly. “If there aren’t any other serious concerns, there are some additional things we can try here at Apex Skin.”
“There is something call tap water iontophoresis that we mainly use on the palms and soles,” continues Kelly. “With this, a patient immerses his or her palms or soles into tap water and an electric current will push ions across the skin barrier, possibly blocking the sweat ducts.”
Kelly also mentions potential microwave technology called MiraDry, which can destroy sweat glands. Laser therapy and surgical procedures may also be used in more extreme cases. He also adds that Botox is an option: “Not only is it good at making you look younger, but Botox can even help decrease sweat production too!”
Preventing Sweat-Related Skin Problems
Skin health is a major indicator of overall health, so excess sweat can indicate underlying health conditions. If you are doing everything you can to maintain good skin hygiene and nutrition, but are still sweating up a storm, don’t hesitate to chedule an appointment with Kyle Kelly at our Westlake location, or with any of our providers at the Apex Skin dermatology office closest to you. We offer solutions tailored to your individual needs and would be happy to help you. So don’t sweat it!
Kyle Kelly is a Physician Assistant certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. He grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio and attended St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Kyle then went on to attend Baldwin Wallace University where he graduated summa cum laude and received a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Physical Therapy in 2020. He was also on the football team for four years at Baldwin Wallace.
Kyle continued his education at Baldwin Wallace University earning a Master of Medical Science degree after completing the Physician Assistant Program in May 2022. He has recently completed a dermatology residency training program with some of the best dermatology providers in Northeast Ohio at Apex Dermatology and is currently working on his Diplomate Fellowship from the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants.
