Why is armpit sweat much more pungent than sweat from other areas of the body, such as back sweat?
In: Biology
two kinds of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine are most of your body’s sweat producers, while the apocrine are the majority in your armpits and perineal (taint).
Eccrine are largely responsible for cooling your body by evaporation, some excretion of water and electrolytes, and skin protection by maintaining your skin’s acid mantle (protects against bacteria colonies)
Before puberty, the apocrine sweat glands are inactive; hormonal changes in puberty cause the glands to increase in size and begin functioning. The substance secreted is thicker than eccrine sweat and provides nutrients for bacteria on the skin: the bacteria’s decomposition of sweat is what creates the acrid odor. Apocrine sweat glands are most active in times of stress and sexual excitement.
In mammals (including humans), apocrine sweat contains pheromone-like compounds to attract other organisms within their species. Study of human sweat has revealed differences between men and women in apocrine secretions.
So, daily cleaning of armpits and crotch (imo, face and hair, as well) should be mandatory, especially by adolescents.
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