MedlinePlus: Sweat

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- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Skin, Hair and Nails
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Sweat is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Sweat

Also called: Perspiration

Sweat is a clear, salty liquid produced by glands in your skin. Sweating is how your body cools itself. You sweat mainly under your arms and on your feet and palms. When sweat mixes with bacteria on your skin, it can cause a smell. Bathing regularly and using antiperspirants or deodorants can help control the odor.

Sweating a lot is normal when it is hot or when you exercise, are anxious or have a fever. It also happens during menopause. However, if you often sweat too much, which is called hyperhidrosis, it might be due to a thyroid or nervous system disorder, low blood sugar or another health problem.

Sweating too little, anhidrosis, can be life-threatening because your body can overheat. Causes of anhidrosis include dehydration, burns, and some skin and nerve disorders.

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Sweating and Body Odor(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Treatment	Specific Conditions Related Issues	Pictures & Photographs Health Check Tools Videos
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Clinical Trials Journal Articles	Medical Encyclopedia Organizations	Children Teenagers

Treatment
- Antiperspirant Awareness: It's Mostly No Sweat(Food and Drug Administration)
- FDA Approves Botox to Treat Severe Underarm Sweating(Food and Drug Administration)
Specific Conditions
- Diminished Sweating(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Excessive Sweating(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Hyperhidrosis(American Academy of Dermatology)
- Prickly Heat (Miliaria)(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Sweating(American Cancer Society)
Related Issues
- Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer(National Cancer Institute)
  Also available in Spanish
- What's the Big Sweat about Dehydration?(Nemours Foundation)
  Also available in Spanish
Pictures & Photographs
- Heat Rash or Prickly Heat (Miliaria Rubra)(Logical Images)
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Health Check Tools
- Excessive Sweating(DSHI Systems)
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Videos
- Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy - A Treatment for Hyperhidrosis(OR-Live) - One hour program
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Sweat Problems(National Institutes of Health)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Medical Encyclopedia
- Sweat
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Organizations
- American Academy of Dermatology
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
  Also available in Spanish
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Children
- Keeping Your Cool(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- What's Sweat?(Nemours Foundation)
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Teenagers
- Why Do I Sweat So Much?(Nemours Foundation)
  Also available in Spanish
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