The science of sweat
Your body has up to four million sweat glands. Women have more than men, but the glands are more active in guys. During puberty, these glands begin functioning, releasing a salty liquid that helps the body maintain normal temperature. The demand for sweat is automatically controlled by the nervous system.
Normal triggers:
- Increase in body temperature.
- Physical activity.
- Hormonal fluctuations.
- Emotional stimuli.
- Certain medications.
Eccrine glands are the most plentiful, producing an odorless, clear liquid. Apocrine glands emit a thicker fluid that reacts with bacteria on the surface of the skin, causing body odor. Underarms contain both kinds of glands.
How much is too much?
A person with hyperhidrosis produces up to eight times more sweat than other people do in the same situation. Indications of abnormal sweating include:
- Wearing only dark clothing (white and light colors stain, while bright tones really show moisture).
- Bringing several of the same shirts to work, for frequent changes throughout the day.
- Checking in a mirror or touching underarms frequently to assess wetness.
- Putting paper towels or feminine napkins in shirt sleeves to blot sweat.
Miraculous microwaves
MiraDry is a non-invasive, FDA-approved outpatient procedure that requires only local numbing. Microwave energy is precisely delivered to sweat glands in the arm pits, destroying them without harm to surrounding tissues. Usually just one treatment is needed, and results are immediate. miraDry resolves both sweat and odor – many patients stop using deodorant.
It is time to experience dry, odor-free self-assurance. Call (650) 962-4600 to schedule a miraDry consultation in Mountain View, CA.
