30+ Hot Facts About Sweating

We all think we know everything there is to know about sweat, but how many facts about sweating do you really know?

For example, did you know that sweating is actually good for you? That’s right! Those sweat patches you want to get rid of could be beneficial to your health.  

As experts in natural antiperspirants and natural deodorants, we like to think we know what we’re talking about when it comes to sweating. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 30+ facts about sweat so you too can be an expert!

Right, let’s explore over 30 sweat facts...

30+ hot facts about sweating that you need to know!

We know what you’re thinking, surely sweat is just, well, sweat?! Well, there are actually various aspects to this natural bodily function which is why we’ve broken down our sweating facts into multiple categories. 

Facts about sweat glands

1. The average person has approximately 3 million sweat glands on their body. (Source: Healthline)

2. Sweat glands can be found all over the body, but they are most concentrated in the armpits, forehead, palms, groin, and soles of the feet. (Source: Science Direct)

3. There are two main types of sweat glands - these are known as eccrine and apocrine. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

4. Eccrine sweat glands can be found over most of the body and open directly onto the skin's surface. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

5. Apocrine glands open into the hair follicle, which leads to the surface of the skin. This type of sweat gland develops in areas with many hair follicles, for example, on the scalp, armpits, and groin. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

6. Humans have between 2 and 4 million eccrine sweat glands - that’s 10 times as many as a chimpanzee. (Source: The Guardian)

7. Scientists believe that our ancestors evolved sweat glands between 1.5 and 2.5 million years ago. They think this was due to us moving from under the shady and cool forest canopies into the grasslands and prairies. (Source: NPR)

8. Feet have more than 250,000 sweat glands. (Source: Royal College of Podiatry) 

9. Your feet release a half pint of liquid every day. (Source: Fisher Science Education)

What is sweat?

10. 99% of sweat is water. (Source: Piedmont Medical Centre)

11. The other 1% is a combination of ammonia, urea, salt, and sugar. (Source: Piedmont Medical Centre)

12. It is the body’s sympathetic nervous system that manages the process of sweating. (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

13. There are two different types of sweating - thermal (this is in response to raised body temperature) and emotional (this is in response to your emotions). (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

14. Sweating is triggered by the part of the nervous system when your body temperature exceeds its normal threshold of around 37° C. For example, this could be during heat waves, intense sports, or when you have a fever. Your body expels water to reduce your temperature. (Source: Jean Coutu)

How much does a person sweat?

15. On average, each person produces 500ml to 1 litre of sweat per day. (Source: Jean Coutu)

16. A person can produce up to 4 litres of sweat per day when in hot weather. (Source: Jean Coutu)

17. During physical activity, an individual can sweat up to 10 litres! (Source: Jean Coutu)

18. Some people have even experienced losses of up to 25% of total body water when under severe stress. (Source: Science Direct)

Excessive sweating facts

19. It is thought that 385 million people around the world have hyperhidrosis. (Source: Sweat Guard)

20. Hyperhidrosis is a serious medical condition causing people to sweat excessively (up to 4 or 5 times more than normal). (Source: Sweat Help)

21. 85% of people with hyperhidrosis wait more than three years to discuss excessive sweating and 50% say they wait more than 10 years. (Source: Sweat Help)

22. 27% of hyperhidrosis sufferers never receive a diagnosis for their condition. (Source: Sweat Help)

23. Among sufferers who had not received any hyperhidrosis treatment, 38.5% said they were not sure why not. (Source: Sweat Help)

24. When family history was analysed in a group of hyperhidrosis patients, 65% of patients reported a family history. (Source: Sweat Help)

25. 17% of teens (nearly 1 in 5) experience excessive, uncontrollable sweating! (Source: Sweat Help)

26. The average age of onset for hyperhidrosis is 12 years old. (Source: Sweat Help)

27. 88% of those with hyperhidrosis say their excessive sweating problem has either stayed the same or gotten worse over time. (Source: Sweat Help)

28. 20% of people with hyperhidrosis say they have problems using computers, mobile phones, and touch screens. (Source: Sweat Help)

Statistics about body odour

29. A study suggests that it may be possible to differentiate men and women on body odour alone. Researchers asked 60 volunteers to squeeze cotton gauze in their unwashed hands for 10 minutes, then analysed the chemical profile of the volatile organic compounds (mainly derived from sweat) that make up a person’s scent. They were able to distinguish gender with 97% accuracy. (Source: The Guardian)

30. Apocrine glands only become active once a person reaches puberty, which is why body odour doesn’t begin until adolescence. (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

31. It is thought males have more problems with their body odour as they have more hair (and subsequently more apocrine glands). (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

32. 2% of people carry an unusual form of a specific gene (ABCC11) which means they don’t have body odour. (Source: Medical News Today)

33. It is bacteria that causes B.O. when it mixes with sweat - sweat doesn’t smell otherwise! (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

34. Eating certain foods can impact the smell of your body odour. (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

Say goodbye to unwanted body odour with Make Waves’ natural antiperspirant!

So, did you know all of those facts about sweating or have you learnt something new today?

We recognise that although we all sweat, the sensation and consequences may not be for everyone. That’s why we created a natural antiperspirant and deodorant as every body and every day is different. 

Take a look at what one of our happy customers has to say:

If you are someone who sweats a lot, we worked with expert chemists to find skin-caring ingredients for our products but also were high-performing! This way, you can rest assured that you can apply our antiperspirant or deodorant all over your body thanks to the natural formulation.

The best bit? Our products have won the Marie Claire Sustainability Awards!

With over 1,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot, with Make Waves you can sweat however you like.

Shop our products today!