If the idea of going under the needle has you sweating, the good news is you might not be drenched for long. New research suggests that getting ink can actually help treat excessive sweating! While this may be a major benefit for those who sweat excessively, there are also implications for athletes and others who are particularly active.
Unsure if a tattoo is a good option for you to reduce your sweat rate on your underarms, chest, or legs? Read on as we outline this new research and whether it’s a valid treatment option for perspiration problems.
Research suggests getting tattooed permanently affects sweat glands
This tattoo and sweating study was conducted on 10 healthy men by researchers at Alma College in Alma, MI. Specifically, they were looking into how permanently tattooed skin affects a person’s sweat glands and discovered that tattooed skin sweats significantly less than untattooed.
The ink itself doesn’t act as a barrier to stop sweating. The tattoo needle itself, which makes up to 3,000 punctures per minute, causes permanent trauma to the sweat glands. This damage impairs their function, reducing the sweat ducts’ ability to produce sweat. This effect, however, is completely localized to the tattooed area - it will not affect your surrounding skin.
While this sweat reduction may be seen as a major benefit for many, there are also implications for overheating during physical activity. As we all know, we sweat to keep us cool when it’s hot out or when we’re exerting ourselves, so any major impairment to your sweat function might affect athletic performance, or even cause fainting in extreme cases.
Despite this, the research lead says even a large amount of body tattoos are unlikely to cause any major problems - good news for all the professional athletes rocking killer sleeves!
Is a fresh tattoo right for you?
If you suffer from excessive sweating, you might have tried every treatment option under the sun, and want to know if a tattoo is a valid solution. It definitely can be! Many people even get underarm tattoos and report it’s not as painful as some other areas of the body.
Of course, getting a tattoo is permanent, so it’s largely a personal decision. You need to be pretty positive that the design you choose is going to be something you’ll love for the rest of your life! While you can obviously look into tattoo removal down the line, this process is far from flawless, requires multiple treatments, and can sometimes leave permanent scarring.
If you’re still iffy on tattoos, it’s important to note that excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, is a medical condition and you should consult with a doctor for other options that have more consistent effects. For example, prescription antiperspirants or botox injections may help for some, and in extreme cases, you can even look into surgical options including Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) or Sweat Gland Removal (Both great options for sweaty hands and feet).
Looking for a quick solution to deal with upper body sweat stains?
If you’re still unsure about tattoos and want a quick solution to deal with underarm sweat stains, consider Neat™ Apparel’s line of sweat-proof shirts and undershirts for men and women.
Neat™ is a blend of fabric and technology that protects you from looking sweaty from the inside out. Our moisture wicking fabric absorbs sweat on the inside and prevents unseemly sweat marks on the outside. No matter how sweaty you are, you’ll look clean and perfectly dry - so long, pit stains!
So if a tattoo is not right for you, give our anti-sweat clothing a try. We’re so confident in our product, we offer a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Shop our line of sweat-proof clothing today while you’re picking out the design for your new tattoo!
