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By Marcia Holman,


During the hot summer months, many women become acutely aware of the stigma of sweat, especially if they're prone to being more drenched than dewy. "I am mortified to hug people, and I've thrown out dozens of good shirts," says Jackie Kellerman, 45, of Connecticut. Being sweat-soaked is hardly a cool fashion statement, but perspiration is an important survival mechanism. Without the ability to sweat off excess heat, our bodies would shut down completely. Of course, not all the facts about sweat are sweet, but they shouldn't cause you grief and angst, either. Read on to raise your perspiration awareness.

Don't sweat the sweat
When your body temperature rises on a scorching August afternoon or during a workout, the hypothalamus gland, your built-in thermostat, springs into action. It alerts neurotransmitters in the sympathetic nervous system that control the output of perspiration from some 2 million sweat glands -- located mainly in the palms, the soles of the feet and the forehead, as well as the armpit and genital areas. Blood flow to your body's surface increases in order to shunt heat away from your heart, and body fluids evaporate on your skin to cool you down.

Besides summer heat and exertion, perspiration can be triggered by strong emotions (fear, anger); hormonal changes (pre-menstruation, after childbirth, at menopause); certain medications (insulin, antidepressants); food (chili peppers, spices, alcohol and caffeine); fever; infection; pain; and stress.

People sweat at different rates. The woman next to you in yoga class might be bone-dry while you're sliding around your mat, "because we all have a different, preset number of sweat glands at birth," says Roberta D. Sengelmann, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Experts report that women in general sweat less than men, while heavier people sweat more because the added insulation from fat raises their core body temperature. On the other hand, the fitter you are, the more efficiently you sweat upon exertion.

When sweat is the pits
Approximately one in 100 people suffers from excessive sweating -- a condition called hyperhidrosis -- and perspire more than is needed to regulate body heat. Their sweaty palms leave marks on countertops, their dripping brows blur their vision, and their soggy armpits ruin their clothing as well as their confidence. Sometimes there's an underlying medical cause for hyperhidrosis, such as an overactive thyroid, diabetes, a neurological disease or, in rare cases, cancer. Half the time, the cause is unknown.

Profuse perspiring is often a family trait. "There may be a genetic tendency toward a supercharged sympathetic nervous system or a glitch in the sweat glands," says Rafael Reisfield, M.D., director of the Center for Hyperhidrosis in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, worrying about sweating only makes it worse: Anxiety, nervousness and other stress-related responses trigger the same neurotransmitters that control sweat.

If you're bothered by sweating or have experienced a spike in perspiration, see your doctor. For most people, there are effective treatments that help dry even severe dripping without having to resort to surgery or Botox injections to paralyze nerves.

Get up in arms?
Whether you're a moderate or mega-sweater, here are six strategies to help you stop being afraid of shaking hands, sporting silk shirts, shedding your sneakers or melting your makeup.

- Soak your hands and feet in black tea.The tannin may help close your pores, which will keep your feet and hands dry longer. Steep five tea bags in a quart of water and soak hands for half an hour every other night for a week, suggests Andrew Weil, M.D., the alternative medicine guru.

- Cut out caffeine and other stimulants. The caffeine in colas, tea and coffee overstimulates the nervous system and boosts sweating.

- Chill out. Biofeedback, yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques may lessen the sweat response in anxiety-provoking situations, suggests Flora A. Mayoral, M.D., a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami.

- Try Drysol. This prescription drug contains a high percentage of aluminum salts that thicken sweat and plug sweat ducts in the underarms, palms and soles of the feet. (Note: There is no proof to support reports that aluminum causes Alzheimer's disease or that antiperspirants promote cancer, according to Dr. Sengelmann.)

- Consider a Drionic device. This battery-powered unit sends weak electric currents through the skin to shock the sweat glands in the palms, soles of the feet and underarms. It is used two to three hours daily for two weeks initially and has been shown to stop sweat output for weeks. Drionic machines cost approximately $150 and are available at www.drionic.com.

- Take Robinul. This quick-acting prescription drug helps squelch the acetylcholine neurotransmitter that sends impulses to sweat glands. "It's effective for nearly half of my hyperhidrosis patients for whom other treatments don't work," says Sengelmann. Side effects include dry mouth and eyes.