If you have armpit hair and you sweat a lot, you’ve probably wondered if your hair affects the amount that you sweat. Does the hair make you sweat more? Should I shave my armpits? No, don’t shave your armpits, unless you want! Shaving your armpits will not make you sweat less; however, shaving (or trimming) can help make an antiperspirant more effective. By having little to no hair, you can also help reduce the sweat stains on your clothing.

Your armpits expel sweat for several reasons: stress, anxiety, nervousness, and to cool you down when your body temperature gets high. Your body will produce sweat whether you have armpit hair or not. The amount you sweat depends on the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands in your armpits. These two types of glands produce sweat depending on your exertion and stress levels, so the amount of hair has no effect on the production of sweat.

Armpit hair can make the sweat stains on your clothes worse. Why? Your armpit hair holds moisture more than your skin. Also, the hair keeps the antiperspirant from being absorbed into the skin, so you likely will sweat more. With armpit hair, your underarms probably will get wetter and armpit stains will appear more quickly than if you trimmed or shaved the hair off.

Whether you shave or not, remember to fully dry your armpit area before applying antiperspirant. A wet armpit can block the aluminum in the antiperspirant from being absorbed into the sweat glands.

If you like your armpit hair, you don’t have to shave your armpit hair to prevent sweaty armpits. Instead, try trimming the hair. By trimming the hair, you will help the antiperspirant absorb better into the skin.

Having a hard time managing your sweat? You will sweat whether you’re shaved or not. If you have hyperhidrosis, this sweat is excessive and can disrupt your daily life. If nothing you do helps your sweat, it may be time to contact a doctor.

Dr. Peter Mikhail is a Tampa hyperhidrosis physician and surgeon with offices in Tampa and New Port Richey, Florida. Dr. Mikhail will look at your symptoms to determine if you have hyperhidrosis and will discuss the best treatment plan for you. To book a consult, click our Tampa hyperhidrosis treatment contact page or call 727-312-4844.