The last time I sweated through my shirt, I swore it would never happen again. Sweat The feeling of shame plagued me for years. The puddles in your armpits no longer dictate the color of your blouse. Never again twist under a hand dryer to dry damp armpits. It’s time to try a clinical-strength antiperspirant.
The one I purchased looked like an old antiperspirant and was a solid white cream wrapped in a plastic applicator. But the instructions seem unusual: “For best results, apply every night before bed and again in the morning.”
every night?
I applied it to my armpits before going to bed and to my surprise, they stayed dry the next day. I kept telling them I can’t believe it, it’s a desert. However, I later found out that there is nothing particularly special about this product. When used at night, the effectiveness of traditional antiperspirants, including those combined with deodorants, increases (the former blocks sweat, the latter masks odor). Research has shown this for at least 20 years. None of the experts I spoke to agreed. However, many of us wipe our armpits in the morning before going out. For some reason, Americans are obsessed with the sweat delusion.
Applying antiperspirant at night is much like styling your hair before bed. Both are acts of personal maintenance that people perform not only for their own well-being, but also in anticipation of interaction with others. This idea is reinforced by antiperspirant ads. Advertisements tend to feature half-clothed actors getting ready in bathrooms or changing rooms. For example, see: old spice man. These ads tend to mention how long the product lasts (24 hours, 36 hours), implying that once applied, the effects start to wear off. Recently secret commercialthe woman applied antiperspirant in the sunny bathroom and ran quickly to catch the bus, relieved that she was preparing for the next 72 hours of sweaty moments.
What these ads don’t say is that these products require the right conditions to work effectively. Antiperspirants are not a moisture-wicking membrane on the surface of your armpits, like a tarp on wet grass. Instead, it acts like a bunch of microscopic champagne corks, temporarily sealing off sweat glands from splashing into their contents. The active ingredient in most antiperspirants is some type of aluminum salt, a compound that binds to water on the skin and forms a “gel plug” that blocks sweat glands. Odor-causing bacteria thrive best in damp (and hairy) conditions, says Dee Anna Glaser, a dermatologist and director of the International Hyperhidrosis Society, a patient advocacy group. Therefore, these gel plugs not only prevent moisture but also odor. Accompanied by excessive sweating.
Gel plugs are difficult to handle. It takes a little sweat to form, but not too much. It’s not ideal to apply antiperspirant in the morning because people sweat more when they’re awake and active. If your armpits sweat too much within a few hours of application, the product will wash off before a keratin plug forms. During sleep, your body becomes cool and calm. For gel plugs to form, “baseline sweating is best at night before bed,” Glaser said. Nighttime use has been shown to increase the antiperspirant ability of regular antiperspirants. 56% to 73%.
But please waitI can already hear you thinking. What happens when you take a shower in the morning? Importantly, antiperspirants remain effective even after you shower. Mike Thomas, a former Procter & Gamble scientist and advocate for the International Hyperhidrosis Association, told me that while any residue or scent will probably wash away, “plugs don’t wash out very well.” Ta. After more than 24 hours, the keratotic plug will dissolve naturally. Shoshana Marmon, a professor of dermatology at New York Medical College, said reapplying antiperspirant during the day can help. Still, it’s most effective when applied to dry armpits, ideally dry enough for keratin plugs to form. For most people, applying this to “clean, dry skin at night” will provide enough protection into the next day, Marmon added.
Again, none of this information is new or difficult to find. one of earliest the study Demonstration of the value of nighttime applications was published in 2004. It showed that applying antiperspirants at night or twice a day was significantly more effective than using them only in the morning. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology’s position is that it is best to: put on antiperspirant on near met. news organization We’ve covered this guidance since at least 2009.
For someone who always sweats, discovering this guideline now, after decades of embarrassing photos and tattered shirts, may give rise to belief in a grand conspiracy. They don’t want you to know the truth about armpit sweat. In fact, it’s not listed on most regular strength antiperspirant labels. The reasons are more mundane than nefarious. Most people don’t sweat excessively, so applying antiperspirant in the normal way is sufficient. “The idea of using an antiperspirant at night doesn’t necessarily reach mainstream awareness, as manufacturers may simplify the instructions to suit common habits,” says Dermatologist at Chicago Skin Clinic Physician Danilo C. del Campo told me. Many people still don’t understand the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant, which may actually make them more obsessed with applying it in the morning. Deodorants are essentially fragrances and do not affect sweating. “It’s usually best applied in the morning when odor control is most needed,” says Marmon.
When I asked a brand representative why so many antiperspirants don’t mention night use in their instructions, they pointed out that it can be confusing. “Using antiperspirant at night is a little counterintuitive because most people don’t use antiperspirants at night,” said Mysha Jones, chief scientist at P&G North America Personal Care, which owns brands like Secret and Old Spice. consider applying antiperspirant as part of their morning routine.” , he told me. But she added that it’s actually best to use it at night. “Antiperspirants are generally thought of as morning-only products, meant to be used during the morning routine,” Megan Smith, chief scientist at Degree Deodorant, told me.
In other words, people are used to applying antiperspirant in the morning because companies won’t tell you about nighttime hacks…but people are used to applying antiperspirant in the morning, so… , companies won’t tell you. Skipping out helpful instructions just because they’re confusing doesn’t do America’s sweaters any favors. Anyone who has experienced excessively moist armpits will no doubt be persuaded to push their armpit maintenance back just eight hours. Whether it’s a teenager adopting a multi-step skin care routine or a wellness buddy taking dozens of supplements, people go to much greater lengths to self-optimize.
The science is well established and the guidance is clear. However, the ranks of night swipers may not rise quickly. Routines need to be reset and prerequisites torn apart. Some nights, going against the grain of personal hygiene can feel refreshing. Other nights, it gives me pause. As the applicator floats over my armpit, my brain stumbles with conviction. Will this situation really last past sunrise, past the rain showers, and past the hustle and bustle of the day? Even after learning about the science, “some people just don’t believe it,” Thomas said. All you have to do is try it. The cork goes in and the light goes out.
