There’s a popular saying that goes: women don’t sweat, they glisten.
But sometimes, sweat marks don’t respect outdated gender norms.
Pit stains show up when you are the least prepared – pushing you to stress about who else can see the stains and how you can never wear that cute dress again.
Sometimes you need a little confidence boost as you walk into a particular day.
Excessive sweating can interfere with that. But it doesn’t have to.
There are two ways that a woman can handle a little (or a lot of) extra sweat.
First, you can get creative with your style choices. This means finding and wearing more “sweat friendly” clothes. Clothes that “breathe” encourage comfort and coolness.
Next, you can use some easy resources to minimize sweat stains completely. We will discuss some of these resources in this article.
Why Do Women Sweat?
Everyone sweats. It is the body’s way of cooling down during hot or humid weather.
But if a woman suddenly starts sweating more than usual, she may be going through one of the following conditions:
PMS
Hormones are a normal yet complicated part of any woman’s life. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, the changing levels of progesterone specifically can lead to heavy sweating in the period right before or after her cycle.
When this happens, a woman’s body may oscillate between extreme cold to fever hot at random times. They may even experience night sweating.
Stress
Stress is also a normal occurrence in human lives.
During stressful periods a woman may experience cold sweats. This is when our brains trigger a fight-or-flight response before releasing cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream.
The effect of this physiological event is a temperature change that can cause noticeable sweat marks and bad odors.
Menopause
Due to changing estrogen levels, women may experience heavy sweating during perimenopause and menopause.
Lower estrogen levels impact the part of the brain responsible for body temperature. Even a slight change in outside temperature can cause the woman’s body heat to rise dramatically.
The first signs of perimenopause are hot flashes that can last an average of 4 years. Some women are lucky enough to be symptomatic for only a few months. Others have symptoms for up to 10 years.
Hot flashes are characterized by sudden sensations of intense heat rising through the neck, head, and chest. This results in sweating.
Secondary Hyperhidrosis
This type of excessive sweating can be caused by arising medical conditions.
Usually appearing in adulthood, it may also occur as a side effect to certain medications and treatments.
Women who have secondary hyperhidrosis can either sweat all over their bodies or in one localized body area.
Fabrics That Block Sweat
To make better style choices, you should look into different kinds of fabrics.
Depending on their properties, some fabrics soak up perspiration and moisture, while others repel it.
Free, breathable pieces made using natural fabrics like linen, cotton, and even silk allow the skin to get rid of the sweat instead of trapping it in. But these fabrics have their pros and cons.
Natural moisture-absorbing fabrics include:
Cotton
This natural fiber is one of the most naturally breathable fabrics in the world. It is very absorbent, comfortable, and durable. Cotton also has the below traits:
- Strong fabric
- Allows for easy color dyeing
- Can retain up to 27 times its weight in water
- Has excellent heat retention
Bamboo
Bamboo fabric is a collection of different textiles derived from the bamboo plant. The manufacturing process for bamboo fabric has become more refined in recent years.
Bamboo fabric has these features:
- Extremely soft material
- Resistant to bacteria, mold, and mildew
- Durability – can survive many washes
- Very breathable
- Stretchier and thinner than cotton, but stronger
Linen
This fabric is quite sustainable. It is made from fibers extracted from the flax plant.
Linen includes these features:
- Three times stronger than normal cotton
- Quick-drying fabric
- Naturally heat and moisture-wicking
- Color dye friendly
- Natural antibacterial properties
Synthetic water-repellent materials include:
Polyester
Polyester is one of the world’s most popular artificial textiles, originally made from petroleum.
The fabric is water-resistant. On the other hand, it does not absorb sweat. Polyester keeps water in. As a result, sweat sticks to the skin, resulting in stains.
Rayon
Made from purified cellulose fibers found in wood pulp, rayon is as versatile as its previous counterpart. It is adored for its ability to copy all the good properties of cotton, wool, silk, and other fabrics.
Rayon repels water and doesn’t trap in heat. This makes it great for hot weather.
Cotton/Lycra Blends
The world knows this popular blend as spandex.
This fabric is a mix of cotton and lycra. Spandex brings enhanced comfort and the same breathability as cotton.
However, this fabric traps heat and moisture, increasing your chances of sweating.
Best Sweat Proof Garments for Women
Sometimes, antiperspirant is not enough sweat protection, especially against stains.
The best way to protect your clothes from these stains is by using a sweat proof undershirt.
These are some of the leading brands offering sweat proof clothes and undergarments tailored around women’s needs:
Sweatshield’s Women's Sweat Proof Undershirt
Sweatshield Undershirts enlisted top designers around the world to create this undershirt specifically for women.
Key features:
- Easy wash scoop-neck design
- Impenetrable underarm sweat-proof barrier
- Luxurious micro modal fabric
- 50% more moisture retention
- Keep-cool technology
- All over sweat protection on the entire shirt, not just the underarms
- Lightweight, breathable material
- Tailored, stay-tucked styling
The Opna Women’s Short Sleeve Moisture-Wicking Athletic Shirt
Amazon customers rate this undershirt 4.6 stars with more than 4,000 positive reviews.
Key Features:
- No snags and odor control
- Pre-shrunk and machine washable
- 100% breathable, moisture-wicking polyester
- PosiCharge technology to reduce chafing and rashes caused by workout sweat buildup
The Numi Signature Seamless Undershirt
Numi’s undershirt has been slated as another favorite for people who want to wear button-downs or other tops with sleeves.
Key features:
- Seamless finish
- Soft reversible necklines
- Loose yet feminine fit
- Lightweight and breathable fabric
- Your choice between crew necks or scoop necks
The Thompson Tee Sweatproof Undershirt for Women
These undershirts have thick pads on the underarm area for sweat blockage.
They are also equipped with Hydro-Shield technology, which converts sweat into vapor so no moisture forms to begin with.
Key features:
- Anti-sweat underarm pads
- Long, bunch-free length
- Ultra-soft, 100% premium combed cotton
- Lay flat collar, tagless
- Machine washable and dryer safe
Keep Cool and Calm Everyday
How would you like to become part of a community of 20,000 sweat-free, confident people worldwide?
Sweat may be inevitable but it doesn’t have to steal your confidence. Here's our complete guide to excessive sweating.
Sweatshield’s scoop neck design allows you to wear anything you want for any occasion.
The undershirt
- Stops sweat stains in their tracks
- Feels unbelievably soft on your skin
- Fits well to the contours of your body
- Keeps you cool and dry, all day
Sweatshield Undershirts guarantees you the best underarm protection in the world; it’s the final result of ten years of groundbreaking research and technology.
Sweat may be inevitable but it doesn’t have to steal your confidence.
Photo: Yanalya
