Heat, fear or physical exertion: if a person is challenged, sweat inevitably breaks out. Two to three million sweat glands are distributed in the skin and secrete – even at complete rest and in a uniform climate – between half a liter and a liter of sweat every day. Thereby, the density of sweat glands is highest on the soles of the feet with 620 glands per cm2, and lowest on the lower legs with about 120 glands per cm2.
In the sweat of the face
The main purpose of sweating is to cool our bodies. However, the secretion of the sweat glands also performs valuable services to fight harmful germs or to build up the acid mantle of the skin. By the way: sweat consists of 99% odorless water. The fact that sweat sometimes smells is due to hundreds of metabolic products such as sex hormones, fatty acids and many other microorganisms. Namely, they convert the odorless substances into fragrances.
Tasks
- Cooling: if sweat evaporates, heat is extracted from the skin and the blood vessels within it.
- Mineral balance: when sweating, humans excrete common salt, but also substances such as calcium and magnesium.
- Immune defense: Certain immunoglobulins in the glandular secretion fight harmful germs and neutralize their toxins.
- Acid mantle: sweat creates an acidic environment on the skin (ph value around 5).It inhibits the growth of microbes.
- Fragrance production: in addition to the actual sweat glands sit at the hair roots special scent glands. They secrete odor substances especially during emotional excitement such as anger or fear.
