Sweating is a normal reaction of our body, as Professor Antonio Costanzo, Supervisor of Dermatology at Humanitas, explained in an interview for Radio24’s program “Heart and money”. “Sweat lowers our body temperature when it gets too high due to the outside temperature. Thus, sweating is normal, as well as sweating more when it’s hot outside.
You should also remember that sweat is odorless by nature. The bad odor we associate to sweat, depends on the maceration of the bacteria that live on our skin. Bacteria strive in hot climates. That is what happens, for example, in skin folds, where the temperature is a little higher and the environment is moist”, the professor explains.
How to choose your deodorant
In order to fight excess sweating, you shouldn’t just count your showers, but also buy the right products. “After the shower we should use an antibacterial deodorant in order to limit the proliferation of bacteria. The presence of substances such as aluminum hydroxide in the so-called antiperspirant deodorants, obstructs the pores where sweat comes from. This way, sweating is severely reduced for a few hours, according to the percentage of aluminum hydroxide in the product”, the specialist says.
If your sweating affects your quality of life, you should ask your doctor for advice. In fact, a hyperhidrosis diagnosis may lead to advice as to the most effective treatments. “Nowadays we have stronger medications at our disposal, such as the botulinum toxin, that paralyzes sweat glands for some months”, Prof. Costanzo said.
