If you’re bothered by how much you sweat, you’ve likely tried many different brands of deodorant with no success.
Excessive underarm sweating can be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be inevitable. There are many methods to prevent sweating, and many of them can be tried at home.
In some cases, people who sweat too much may have a condition called hyperhidrosis disorder, which is diagnosed and treated by a doctor. Hyperhidrosis involves profuse sweating all over the entire body — not just under the arms.
Treatment options.
There are several natural, over-the-counter, and medical remedies that can reduce or eliminate excess underarm sweating. Consider the following tips:
1. Use topical antiperspirants.
Tired of the sweat stains on your shirt? Try ditching your standard deodorant and switching to antiperspirant. Deodorant might kill the odor under your arms, but it’s not designed to stop you from sweating completely.
Antiperspirants both kill odor-causing bacteria and actively block your sweat glands from producing underarm sweat. This could help alleviate your discomfort.
For some people, however, over-the-counter antiperspirants don’t quite do the trick. If you find that regular antiperspirants don’t work for you, search for stronger antiperspirants with a higher amount of aluminum chloride, the active ingredient (at least 13 percent).
And if that doesn’t work, talk with your doctor about getting a prescription for stronger antiperspirant.
It’s also important to make sure you’re applying your antiperspirant correctly so that it can do its job as intended. This means you should:
- Only apply antiperspirant to dry, clean skin (don’t apply it to already-sweaty armpits or armpits that are still damp from showering).
- Use your antiperspirant at night, after you bathe, when your body is coolest; this allows the active ingredient to take its full effect.
- Shave under your arms, as hair can block antiperspirant from doing its job. (However, avoid applying it right after shaving, as antiperspirant can irritate your freshly shaved skin.)
- Give it time to work. It could take up to 4 days for you to experience the antiperspirant’s full effect.
2. Shave your armpits.
Shaving your underarms could reduce excessive sweating. Hair holds moisture, and underarm hair is no exception.
If you’re already experiencing heavy sweating under your arms, shaving is essential. And if you’re constantly fighting body odor alongside the sweat, shaving could also help reduce or eliminate it.
3. Eat more foods that reduce sweat.
Some foods can actually reduce the amount of sweat your body produces and calm overactive sweat glands in the process.
When looking to reduce sweat through your diet, it’s important to focus on foods that won’t tax your digestive system. You’ll also want to seek out foods that don’t overstimulate your nervous system and calm it instead.
Some sweatreducing foods you might want to incorporate include:
- water
- foods with a high calcium content (like dairy products and cheese)
- almonds
- bananas
- whey
- vegetables and fruits with high water content (e.g., watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, bell pepper, eggplant, red cabbage)
- olive oil
- oats
- green tea
- sweet potatoes.
4. Stay hydrated.
Drinking plenty of water and eating foods with a high water content can keep your body cool and prevent excessive underarm sweating.
5. Wear breathable, loose fitting clothing.
Wearing tight clothes — especially clothes that are snug beneath your arms — can cause underarm stains on your shirt. They can also make you sweat more.
Instead, try wearing fabrics that are breathable and clothes that fit more loosely. This will allow your underarms to cool properly and could help prevent them from sweating and staining your clothes.
6. Use antiperspirant deodorant. Antiperspirant’s chief purpose is inhibiting sweat before it can form. For best results, apply antiperspirant to your armpits when they’re clean and dry.
