Perspiration

Body odor and perspiration is somewhat a common problem. Sweating can occur when you’re under some kind of stress, or when you work out, or exert yourself in the hot environment. This kind of body odor and sweating is healthy and natural.

Perspiration is generally described as a minor nuisance. The odor is usually more troublesome. Though the perspiration is practically odorless, the perspiration can sometimes cause the unpleasant smell when it comes into contact with the bacteria on skin.

In fact, sweat is a normal bodily function to control the temperature of the body. Sweat is produced by the sweat glands present in the deeper layer of the dermis, the skin. The sweat glands can occur all over your body. However, you can find most sweat glands on the palms, the armpits, the forehead and the soles of feet.

Sweat is primarily water, but it even contains some salts. Its major function is to control the temperature of the body. As water present in the sweat evaporates, the skin surface cools. An addition sweat function is to help with the gripping by moistening palms slightly. Normal sweating is caused by physical exercise, hot temperature as in summer, emotional stress, fever associated with any illness and eating spicy or hot foods.

The unusual changes in perspiration- either no or little perspiration (anhidrosis) or excessive perspiration (hyperhidrosis)- can be one major cause for concern. Likewise, the changes in the body odor can be one sign of medical problem. Increased sweating or hyperhidrosis or abnormal sweating is caused by diabetes, obesity, overactive thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism, illnesses connected with fever like malaria or infection. Nevertheless, it can also be associated with the hormonal changes like hot flushes or menopause.

Idiopathic hyperhidrosis is considered one of the most common forms of excessive sweating. It is known as idiopathic as no cause can be found. It can grow during the childhood or later in the life. It can actually affect different parts of the body. However, the soles, the palms and the armpits are regarded the most commonly affected areas of your body. Excessive sweating can occur during the cool weather. However, it can get worse during hot temperature or warm weather when the person is found to be under any sort of emotional stress.

For the normal body odor and sweating, however, the home treatments and lifestyle changes can effectively manage the symptoms. In certain cases, the perspiration deodorant or antiperspirant can be needed. There are many other options for treating excessive sweating. You have to keep in mind that treatment for excessive perspiration mainly depends on the cause. This can include- reducing body weight (if overweight), botox injections (in order to paralyze the sweat glands. The effect from any single injection can last up to 6 to 9 months or so ), iontophoresis (the activity of the sweat glands is reduced temporarily by passing the low level of electric current through skin), medical management ( to minimize the hot flushes of the menopause) and antiperspirant applications including powders, roll ons and sprays. Surgery is only considered the last option. Surgery is the last resort and is considered in the extreme cases where all the other treatment options have been ineffective to provide results.