Let’s talk about sweat, baby. For the most part, sweat is a perfectly natural part of human existence. However, there are a surprising amount of misconceptions about sweat and how it affects the body (whether or not it’s good for your skin, in particular). Let’s dive into the function of sweat, determine how it affects your skin health and when sweating could indicate a bigger issue.
1. What exactly is sweat?
Sweat (also known as perspiration) is the body’s inherent way of cooling itself down when it gets too hot. The overheating can be caused by a number of things including exercise, hot weather or stressful situations. When overheating occurs, the nervous system triggers a process that releases sweat through glands on the body. The liquid is evaporated from the skin’s surface, taking excess body heat with it.
Sweat is primarily made of water, just like the human body. Yet, have you ever wondered why when you lick sweat off your lips, it tastes a bit salty? Well, as sweat excretes from glands in the skin, it picks up trace amounts of sodium (aka salt), potassium and calcium.
2. Does sweating help you detox the body?
The answer: Maybe?
According to a 2011 study on the elimination of toxins, “induced sweating appears to be a potential method for elimination of many toxic elements from the human body.” Chris Woolston, M.S. writes in an LA Times article that sweat “does contain trace amounts of toxins.”
