For some people, summertime means boating, beaches, and happiness. But if you are anything like most people, hot summer months mean sweating right from the moment you step out of the shower. While sweating is normal, especially during the dog days of summer, that doesn’t make it any less distracting and embarrassing. It’s even worse if you suffer from excessive sweating or anxiety-caused hyperhidrosis (or similar conditions).

The pit stains and foul-smelling body odor can make it much harder to interact with others, affecting your productivity at work. Luckily, there are several things you can do to keep yourself dry and smelling fresh all day long, even during the hot weather.

How to prevent sweat from seeping through your clothing

 

Change your diet

 

Eating well is one of the most effective and natural ways to tackle sweating. What you eat and drink affects how much you sweat. Spicy foods and caffeine, for instance, are known culprits for sweaty pits. Fats, salt, sugar, and high-carb foods also fall on the no-go list.

If you want to calm your body and reduce sweating, you may want to try hydrating foods to keep your body perspiring. These include apples, cucumber, and watermelons. They help keep your body calm and lower the amount of sweat you produce, thus helping you stay comfortable throughout the day.

 

Wear the right antiperspirant, but with caution.

 

Using antiperspirants is another option that will help prevent you from sweating through your clothing. They contain aluminum-based compounds that help block your body pores from producing sweat.

However, antiperspirants may sometimes do more harm than good. The aluminum compounds in antiperspirants can cause yellow stains or white streaks on your clothes. 

Therefore, using such heavy-metal-laden antiperspirants and other chemicals that block sweat pores and glands may not be such a good idea. If you have to, you must wear them with caution. Applying a thin, even layer to dry skin is enough for best results.

It’s essential to bear in mind that regular antiperspirants may not always work for everybody, particularly those with anxiety-caused hyperhidrosis (or similar conditions such as diaphoresis). The good news is that there are many other options out there for more severe hyperhidrosis cases or excessive sweating.

Other things you can do to prevent sweat from seeping through your clothing include:

 

  • Use a deodorant

  • Wear loose-fitting or breathable fabric in hot weather

  • Wear a sweat-proof undershirt

  • Keep your underarms groomed

  • Wet wipes may work magic

  • Soak up moisture with natural powder

  • Avoid stress, depression, or anxiety

 

It’s OK to be sweaty.

While you may want to prevent pit stains and smelly armpits, you don’t want to stop sweating altogether. After all, it’s an entirely normal and necessary bodily function that helps in temperature regulation, detoxification, and removal of unhealthy elements from the body. 

However, if you or someone you love has anxiety-caused hyperhidrosis or a similar condition that causes sweating regardless of the weather or activity, there’s no reason to worry. This is a pretty common condition that affects more than 15 million Americans. Avoiding stress, anxiety, or depression is your best bet to prevent hyperhidrosis.

It’s time to tackle the sweating.

Now that you know several effective ways to stay dry, feel fresh, and avoid those pit stains throughout the day, go ahead and tackle the sweating. Whether you are running to catch the subway or just at work in hot weather, these tricks will help prevent sweat from seeping through your clothing and causing those shameful yellow pit stains.

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