Health Guide

Tips to Beat the Heat and Keep Sweat Free

Written by Mystic on Saturday, January 26, 2008

Handy tips to beat the heat and keep sweat free

Sweat by itself has no odour but it begins to smell bad if it remains on the skin for more than a few hours. This is because certain bacteria that flourish in the sweat cause chemical changes, which produce the unpleasant smell.

There are things that you could do to keep the stink at bay. So here goes!

Get in the habit of having bath twice a day. This will lessen the chances of stale sweat buildup. Pay special care to the underarms and genital area. You should use mildly perfumed soaps, which are soothing to the skin as compared to their stronger cousins which can cause skin allergies. Those who have dry skin should use medicated soaps sparingly as they have a drying effect on the skin. All you women out there! This is just for you. Be scrupulously clean during your menstruation. Dry your body thoroughly after having a bath. All those talcum powder enthusiasts; you can use a talcum powder to refresh you, however, it is not an effective body odour battler, especially in the underarms area. An underarm deodorant is also a good idea as it works by masking the smell and may have a limited anti bacterial action. Sprays are more effective than the roll-on's which tend to be sticky.

An antiperspirant can stop the action of sweat glands by about 40%. For excessive sweating Mycoderm powders works, but steer clear of the eyes. Dermatologists recommend powders with neomycin and gentamicin for stubborn body odour. Wear cool, cotton clothes that are more absorbent and allow more air circulation. Sleeveless and short arm sleeves allow air to get to your armpits. Wear clean under garments and change these twice a day. Do not forget to wash your clothes frequently as they can also harbour bad smell.

And last but not the least, underarms should be kept waxed or clean-shaven to prevent perspiration and bacterial pile-up on the hair shafts. Never try to camouflage an unwashed body with perfumes or scents which will only combine with bacteria and sweat, and will produce a nauseating smell. Follow our tips and leave a trail of fragrance behind you this summer.

Why do we sweat

Written by Mystic on Saturday, January 26, 2008

We sweat as a result of two kinds of sweat glands, the eccrine and the apocrine. The former has a number of about 2 million and are found all over the body and some parts of the sexual organs. The sweat that emanates from them is a clear, salty fluid, which contains various waste materials, which evaporates on the skin's surface to reduce the body temperature. Many of these glands are found on the thick-skinned areas such as palms of hands and soles of feet. It is due to these glands our hands and feet turn soggy when we are anxious or shy.

The apocrine glands are sparse in number and are the stinker glands. They are mainly concentrated in the armpits, the groin and around the nipples. The fluid from them is a thickish milky product that contains fats and proteins. It is called musk when we are sexually aroused and body odour when it is offensive.

Stinking Problem

Written by Mystic on Saturday, January 26, 2008

STINKING PROBLEM INDEED!

Stink free Get away! You're stinking !! Do you often hear this on the onset of summers? Your friends scurry for fresh air when you take off your shoes, during examinations you sweat so much that your paper becomes clammy, you walk in an awkward manner so as to keep your body odour to yourself, to top it all you break into a cold sweat each time a guy or a girl speaks to you. After all nice girls and guys don't sweat. All this leaves you embarrassed and all the more sweaty. You wish fervently that like your ooh! so cool friends you could also feel fresh and keep sweat free.

But here's something to cheer you up. There is no need to sweat about sweat. Actually instead of turning up our noses at it, we should be grateful for it. And why? Well, let us count the ways. Sweat helps to eliminate waste products from millions of microscopic glands scattered under the skin. It helps to maintain the body temperature by the process of evaporation by which water is converted to vapour, which in turn cools the body. Infact one droplet of sweat can chill a whole litre of blood by one degree.

So there is no need to feel ashamed about sweating. It is just 99% pure water with some traces of salt and potassium. Although, annoying, excessive sweating means that you are in a pretty good shape. And who could be a better example of this but the athletes, who sweat more than the couch potatoes.