No two people sweat the same: 5 surprising perspiration facts we bet you didn’t know

You’ve definitely experienced the hot Indian summer, and most of you might dislike it not only because of the scorching heat but due to the profuse sweating it triggers. Ever wondered how sweat is produced? Well, glands in the dermis, the skin’s deeper layer, produce sweat. These sweat glands are found all over the body but are the most prevalent on the forehead, armpits, palms and soles of the feet. To speak of composition, sweat is mostly water with some proportion of salts. Exercise, emotional stress, hot or spicy food consumption, fever and hot weather all contribute to sweating. It may surprise you to learn that excessive or insufficient sweating might negatively affect your health. Let’s look into some sweat facts that will surprise you. 

Sweat is antimicrobial  
Dermicidin is an anti-microbial protein released by sweat glands. If you don’t sweat, bacteria may build up on your skin surface. The pores on your skin open up while sweating and permit the formation of a barrier that protects against infections, lowering and clearing up the microorganisms on the skin that may infect your skin and result in pimples. Skin infections are a result of sweat lacking the enzyme dermcidin, which kills bacteria.  

Sweat keeps your body cool 
All over our body, eccrine glands create sweat to control body temperature. The apocrine glands, which are connected to hair follicles (such as those in the underarms), are principally responsible for producing sweat and body odour following emotional stresses, such as fear and anxiety.  So, if you do not sweat, your body does not cool down, which means you risk suffering from a stroke or heat exhaustion. 

Sweat is detoxifying  
Sweat excretes dangerous chemicals such as diethylhexyl phthalate and bisphenol-A, which sneak into our system through common plastic utensils. 

Sweating aids wound healing  
Stem cells found in sweat glands aid in wound healing. So, sweating actually speeds up the healing process. A recent study found that those who routinely perspire are healthier than those whose bodies do not sweat. 

Sweat is unique, like perspiration
Yes, you read that right. The composition of your sweat,   including its compounds is unique.  

Your genes decide how much you sweat and how they smell 
That’s right. The amount of perspiration depends on your DNA. There is a medical condition called hyperhidrosis which triggers excessive sweating. On the other hand, there are other people who sweat too less. This condition is known as hypohidrosis. Both can be a attributed to a certain extent to the genes.  

Bonus fact: A genetic disorder may make sweat smell like fish or rotting eggs.