5 WAYS ON HOW TO STOP
UNDERARM SWEATING
Underarm sweating can be embarrassing. Not only is it one of the culprits of body odor, but those sweat marks can also be visible in the clothes that you wear, leading to self-consciousness and a deflated self-esteem.
Fortunately, there are several methods that you can use on how to stop underarm sweating. While many of these things only provide temporary relief, there are others that give long-lasting results so that you no longer have to worry about sweaty underarms.
Check out these five ways to help you stop armpit sweat.
Watch What You Wear
If your underarms sweat excessively, a regular undershirt won’t cut it. You need to level up what you’re wearing and applying to your armpits to make sure that you don’t sweat as much.
ANTIPERSPIRANTS & DEODORANTS
Deodorants mask or neutralize body odor, while antiperspirants temporarily block sweat glands to keep your underarms dry.
So, if you want a way on how to stop underarm sweating, you’re better off using an antiperspirant rather than a deodorant.
These are easy to use and apply, even when you’re on the go. You can also find them easily in supermarkets and pharmacies, although remember that not all antiperspirants are created equal.
Knowing the right way to apply antiperspirants is also as important as choosing the right kind. Here are some tips on how to apply them effectively:
- Apply the antiperspirant at night because it needs time to block sweat effectively. No need to reapply it in the morning.
- Clean and dry your armpits before applying.
- Shave or trim your armpit hair to give your antiperspirant maximum contact with the skin surface. Wait for 24 hours after shaving before applying it.
COOL & SPECIALIZED CLOTHING
Light fabrics like cotton can help reduce sweat as they keep your body temperature cool. Colors are also important since light-colored fabrics can draw unwanted attention to armpit sweat marks. Instead, choose dark colors and patterned clothing to make your sweat marks appear less visible.
If those don’t work, then maybe you should start exploring specialized clothing geared toward stopping underarm sweat. You can try looking for sweat-proof undershirts that absorb perspiration and release them into the air as vapor. However, these cannot permanently stop armpit perspiration.
SWEAT PADS
Also known as garment guards or armpit pads, sweat pads are pads that are attached directly to your underarms to absorb sweat.
There are many kinds of sweat pads that you can choose from. The most popular ones are adhesive types that stick directly to the skin or the underside of your clothing.
There are also garment shields and washable pads that clip onto your bra or fasten around the torso.
Like clothes, sweat pad results are not permanent.
Change Your Lifestyle
Your lifestyle can affect a lot of things in your life—weight loss and weight gain, susceptibility to diseases, and even underarm sweating. Here are some lifestyle factors that you need to consider.
DIET
Some foods trigger excessive sweating, while other foods help curb sweating. Keep the following foods in mind when planning your diet:
EAT: Foods that Reduce Underarm Sweating
- Calcium-rich foods like low-fat or skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese, almonds, and baked beans
- Water-dense fruits and vegetables like kale, collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, watermelon and grapes
- Olive oil
- Almonds
- Oats
- Bananas
- Green tea
- Sweet potatoes
- Whey
AVOID: Foods that Trigger Sweating
Processed and fatty foods
High-carb foods
Sugar
Caffeine
Alcohol
Spicy foods
Hot foods
Garlic
Onion
EXERCISE
Exercising induces sweat, so how exactly can it help you stop underarm sweating?
Stress makes you sweat. Exercising can decrease your stress levels by reducing cortisol, the stress hormone, and triggering the release of endorphins, the happy hormones responsible for making you feel satisfied.
Plus, studies show that exercise is particularly effective in reducing sweat among overweight people. However, it might not have the same effect on people with normal body weight.
RELAXATION
Since stress makes you break into a sweat, the best way to combat stress is to relax.
Learn different relaxation techniques that can help you when you’re in a stressful scenario, like during a job interview, presentation, or even a date.
One technique that you can use is visualization. Imagine that your presentation is over and that everything went according to plan. By focusing on your success, you get to trick your brain into believing that there’s no immediate threat, leading you to relax.
Another technique that you can use is progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense and relax each body part from the feet up until your body feels more relaxed. You can also do deep breathing exercises, listen to soothing music, and use distractions so that you can tune out the stressful stimuli around you.
HYDRATION
Drinking at least eight glasses of water every day keeps your body temperature low and cool, which means that your body doesn’t have to sweat as much to release heat.
If you don’t drink enough fluids a day, it can also lead to dehydration, which leads to excessive sweating.
HYGIENE
Keeping your body clean goes a long way in reducing underarm sweat as well as body odor.
Make sure that you shower at least once a day to keep your body free from odor-causing bacteria. You may even shower twice or thrice daily during hot and humid weather since you’re bound to sweat excessively during that time.
Give your body some time to dry between showering and getting dressed so that you won’t be all sweaty when you put on your clothes. Ensure that you also wear fresh clothes all the time to prevent bacteria buildup.
How to Stop Underarm Sweating - Try Home Remedies
If you want to know how to stop underarm sweating naturally,
here are some remedies that you can try at home.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Applying apple cider vinegar to the skin closes pores and removes bacteria.
- Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar.
- Rub it in your underarms and other sweaty areas.
- Leave it on overnight and wash it off in the morning.
Another way to take advantage of apple cider vinegar benefits is to drink it as it reduces the effects of hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating.
- Mix two teaspoons each of honey and apple cider vinegar.
- Dilute them in a glass of water.
- Drink the mixture once a day on an empty stomach.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes can shrink your pores and even regulate your body temperature. You can either add tomato in your diet, drink a glass of tomato juice per day, or apply it to your armpits.
- Apply tomato juice in your underarms and other sweaty parts of your body.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse it off.
Tea
Both sage tea and black tea contain tannic acid, which shrinks pores and kills odor-causing bacteria.
- Brew a couple of black tea or sage tea bags in 3-4 cups of hot water.
- Steep for 10 minutes.
- Dip a washcloth into the tea and dab them on your armpits.
You may also drink chamomile and green tea to reduce stress and anxiety, leading to less sweat as well.
Baking Soda and Cornstarch
Both cornstarch and baking soda naturally absorb sweat and water. Plus, baking soda even lowers your body’s pH levels and neutralizes body odor, thus acting as a natural deodorant.
- Mix two parts of cornstarch to three parts of baking soda. You may also add a bit of lavender oil for moisturization.
- Apply the mixture on your skin and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse it off with water.
Potatoes
Since potatoes are rich in potassium, they can push water out of the body, especially if you consume too much sodium that retains water. Potatoes also absorb excess water from your skin.
- Slice a potato and rub one slice across your armpits.
- Do this for a few minutes daily to keep your pits dry.
Ask Your Doctor for Medications
Exhausted all-natural remedies?
Consult your doctor for medications that can help relieve excessive underarm sweating.
Topical Treatments
If normal antiperspirants don’t work for you, your doctor might prescribe you with clinical strength antiperspirants that contain aluminum chloride—a chemical that blocks perspiration.
Oral Medications
If you still experience a lot of sweating with topical treatments, then your doctor may now prescribe some oral drugs for you.
Anticholinergics are the most commonly prescribed oral meds for hyperhidrosis. They block chemical signals that tell your brain to sweat more, thus limiting your perspiration.
Your doctor may also prescribe you with beta-blockers because their side effect is decreased sweating. However, this happens rarely as the primary purpose of beta blockers is to slow down your heart rate.
Research Procedures That Stop Underarm Sweating
If all else fails, you may now try more advanced treatments
that produce long-lasting—if not permanent—results.
Iontophoresis
One of the more popular procedures that help stop sweating is iontophoresis. In this process, mild electric currents are delivered through your skin while that body part is submerged in water.
But while this has been proven effective to halt sweating temporarily, it works best for sweaty hands and feet. It’s not as effective in your underarms.
Botox
If you don’t mind getting injections, you may try getting Botox injections in your armpits.
Botox blocks the neurotransmitter stimulating your sweat glands thus stopping sweating temporarily. You’ll start seeing reduced sweat in about two to four days after your treatment, with results lasting for about six months.
Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy
Also known as ETS, endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is a surgical procedure that destroys the nerve in the upper thoracic region of your spine, as these nerves cause your underarms to sweat a lot.
Since it is a full-blown surgery, ETS is only recommended as a last resort. It also has severe risks, like compensatory swelling, nerve damage, and breathing problems.
miraDry®
miraDry is a non-invasive laser treatment that eliminates sweat glands in your underarms using electromagnetic energy. It doesn’t only destroy your sweat glands, but it also targets the hair and odor glands in your armpits, thus stopping hair growth and controlling armpit odor.
miraDry is a quick, in-office treatment providing immediate results with minimal downtime. Results in as little as one treatment.
If you’re interested in getting miraDry treatments for your underarm sweating, schedule a Free Consultation with our double board-certified plastic surgeon here in Face+Body Cosmetic Surgery.
