Summer, sun, heat – and the sweat runs. The safest way to protect yourself from unpleasant odors and unsavory stains under the arms are deodorant and Co. But what should you consider? Sweat serves as a temperature equalizer to protect the body from overheating. Depending on predisposition and size, a person has two to five million sweat glands. Most are located on the feet, hands and forehead.
Sweat glands in humans
Two different sweat glands play a role in sweat production:
- The so-called eccrine gland produces a fluid that consists of about 99 percent water and is relatively odorless.
- The apocrine gland secretes mainly metabolic products. These are broken down by bacteria that are located on the skin surface. And in the process, the unpleasant odor is produced.
How the sweat smells and how pronounced sweating is, varies from person to person. Some excrete little liquid, but increased metabolic products. Accordingly, the sweat smells strong. Others sweat a lot, but hardly smell at all because the apocrine glands are less active. The trigger for sweating is also decisive. During sports, it is mainly the eccrine glands that secrete fluid; during anxiety, shame or sexual arousal, the apocrine glands work. All this explains why a deodorant does not work for everyone and always in the same way.
Deodorant and antiperspirant.
Only about one percent of sweat is produced under the armpits. However, the feeling of wetness is felt more strongly here, as the sweat cannot evaporate as easily – damp spots on clothing and unpleasant odors are the result. To curb sweat production and/or the decomposition of sweat and thus the odor, most people turn to deodorants. The products can be divided into two categories:
- Deodorants contain antibacterial agents that inhibit the growth of sweat-decomposing microorganisms. For this purpose, substances are added that absorb odors and absorb moisture. Perfume oils spread a pleasant fragrance and mask the smell of perspiration, while alcohol additionally cools. Some deodorants contain enzyme blockers (eg triethyl citrate), which inhibit bacterial enzymes that are necessary for sweat decomposition.
- Antiperspirants, which are also mistakenly called deodorants, on the other hand, restrict sweat production. The active ingredients constrict the glandular exits, thus reducing the amount of sweat by up to 20-50 percent and thus deprive the bacteria of their “basis of life”. The main ingredient is usually aluminum chloride. It occurs in concentrated, pure form in the so-called deocrystal, a cultured alum made from a mixture of aluminum and salt. The salt dissolves in water when moistened and is applied to the skin as a saturated solution.
Because the crystal does not contain irritant emulsifiers or alcohols, many dermatologists recommend it.
Ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants.
The following ingredients are used in deodorants and antiperspirants:
- Alcohol: dissolves ingredients, has a cooling effect, but can cause adverse skin reactions.
- Antioxidants: improve the shelf life of the ingredients.
- Farnesol: substance that inhibits bacterial growth; like other germ-inhibiting substances, can upset the natural germ flora on the skin.
- Glycerin and vegetable oils: soothe the skin and make it supple.
- Silica: a natural mineral that absorbs greasy sweat residues.
- Perfumes and fragrances: mask body odor and give a fresh feeling; however, can cause allergies
- Herbal additives: Extracts of beard lichen, clove flowers or sage leaves relieve skin irritation, have an antibacterial and soothing effect; sage is also considered to regulate perspiration.
Many remedies are a combination of deodorant and antiperspirant. But many people are sensitive to the additives contained – their skin shows redness and itching to allergic reactions. For particularly sensitive skin, deodorants or antiperspirants from the pharmacy are suitable – with as few additives as possible.
Deodorant sprays and co.
Sprays or lotions (often in the form of roll-on deodorants) are the most commonly used. Sprays have an additional cooling effect, lotions care with fats.They adhere better to the skin than conventional deodorants with alcohol and thus build up a depot that binds moisture for longer and only gradually releases the sweat-regulating effect of the aluminum chloride. A rather unfashionable variant is body powder. It binds sweat and deprives the bacteria of the moisture they need to live. However, in correspondingly sensitive people or poor body hygiene, it clogs the pores, so that pimples easily form.
- Always apply deodorants and antiperspirants to freshly washed skin before sweating begins. In shaved armpits, the odor-forming germs find little shelter and the sweat then adheres less well. Wait, however, directly after shaving or epilation with the application, because the skin is then very irritated.
- In summer, wear air-permeable clothing made of natural materials and change them more often.
- By the way, be careful when clothing manufacturers advertise “built-in deodorant” for their fabrics. Such textiles may contain antibacterial chemicals such as triclosan, which attack the natural protective layer of the skin.
