Everyone sweats, regardless of your age or fitness level. However, the type of sweat, where you sweat and amount of sweat that you produce is largely impacted by both your activity level and age. As you progress into puberty, one area you may notice sweating more is your groin. Like other sweat glands, the glands in your groin play an important role in the overall homeostasis, or balance, of your body.
Groin Glands
There are two main types of sweat glands located in your skin -- eccrine glands and apocrine glands. While eccrine glands are all over your body, appocrine glands are only in areas where hair typically grows, like your armpits and your groin. The groin has a mixture of both glands, which can cause unique problems with sweat, especially if you suffer from hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.
How it Works
Sweat develops around the groin in two main situations. First is when your body overheats. Your eccrine sweat glands, including the glands around your groin, play an integral role in maintaining homeostasis of your body in regards to temperature. When your body starts to overheat, the glands produce sweat to direct heat toward the surface of the skin where it can evaporate and be pulled away from the body. The appocrine sweat glands are activated during times of emotional stress and produce sweat with lipids or fat.
Smell
The smell that is sometimes associated with groin sweat is due to sweat produced by the appocrine glands around the groin. The fat produced in the sweat of these glands is consumed by natural bacteria and fungi on your skin. The byproduct of the metabolism of fat by these microorganisms is the common smell of groin body odor. The appocrine glands do not start secreting sweat until puberty; that's why groin body odor is not present until into the teenage years.
Treatment Methods
Groin sweat can be embarrassing, especially in cases of inguinal hyperhidrosis where excessive groin sweat leaks through your clothing or in cases of groin body odor. To reduce groin sweat, invest in underwear and pants or shorts that allow air to move freely between the skin and surrounding environment, such as those made from cotton or other breathable fabrics. Proper hygiene is also important, such as taking a shower daily and using a deodorizing soap on the groin area. An antiperspirant spray or powders containing diphemanil methylsulfate may also be helpful by blocking the sweat glands and reducing the production of sweat around the groin. For serious sweat problems, talk to your doctor about which options are best for your individual situation.
Member Comments