After all, sweating was bad for the skin? – GOOD SHAPE

Sweat is our body’s natural response to maintaining body temperature. When it is hot, the organism releases liquid to refresh the body and, when it is cold, it does the opposite movement – ​​it retains that same liquid to keep it warm. However, not everyone sees sweat this way, and yes, there are those who suffer from reactions to their own sweat. Let’s understand all this better in the paragraphs below.

WHAT IS SWEAT?

“Sweat is the liquid excreted by our body through the skin”, explains the Dr. Paula Tommaso, dermatologist of the HealthSculp group. “The sweat glands, which excrete sweat, work like ‘tubes’. They are small and numerous – we have three million of them in the body, and they are located in the head, hands, feet, groin and armpits, for example.”

According to the doctor, sweat itself is a liquid with no smell. However, a lot of people don’t experience it that way. This is because the unpleasant smell is caused by the contact of this liquid with the bacteria present on the skin – which is more easily perceived in regions such as the armpit and groin.

“The main reason we sweat is for body temperature control,” he continues. “So, in warmer times, we sweat more. To keep our temperature regular, our body releases more fluid through the glands.”

Without this control and regulation mechanism, our body could reach high temperatures and, with that, our organs would “collapse”, stopping functioning properly.

Therefore, there is no harm in perspiring – on the contrary. “Sweat does not cause any harm to the patient unless it is excessive, which we call hyperhidrosis”, explains the doctor.

WHAT TO DO IN CASES OF EXCESS SWEAT?

the perspiration, when it happens in excess, deserves to be investigated with the help of a qualified physician. This is because some psychological disorders and some medications can cause this condition.

In general, hyperhidrosis does not cause any harm to health; however, it causes social discomfort, leading to embarrassing situations and interfering with patients’ social and professional relationships.

“In this condition, the patient can sweat a lot even at rest. This occurs because the patient has hyperfunctioning sweat glands, which can be due to different causes, such as: emotional, hereditary factors or diseases, ”he says.

Here, the most commonly affected regions are the armpits, palms, face, head, soles and groin. Its greatest loss is related to the quality of life of patients, affecting their social interaction, influencing their choice of career, recreational activities and relationships, in addition to emotional well-being and self-image.

“The treatment of excessive sweating should be well evaluated in a medical consultation”, explains Dr. Paula. “Excluding secondary causes, such as the use of medication, for example, we have some treatment options that range from specific topical antiperspirants to the application of botulinum toxin and a surgical approach.”

SWEAT X SKIN HEALTH

As said, sweating is not harmful and can even be a protective factor against some skin conditions, like acne. Some studies show that sweat contains peptides that protect the skin against the development of agents, such as bacteria, that generate pimples.

However, care must be taken with this information: this does not mean that it is interesting to sweat a lot in the gym and continue like this for the rest of the day. Keeping sweat on the skin for too long, unfortunately, can have the opposite effect.

“Sweat opens the pores to release oils and dirt,” explains the Dr. Kathleen Viscusi to American Allure magazine. “When it builds up and dries on the skin, that dirt, oils, and bacteria get trapped there, causing new pimples.”

The solution to this, however, is simple: just wash your face or take a nice shower as soon as possible. But, if you are away from home and away from an accessible shower, the most interesting thing is to clean the sweat accumulation regions with a clean towel.