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How To Get Rid of & Remove Armpit Stains
Written by Katie Crissman
October 01 2020

Anyone who has hyperhidrosis, a disorder that causes a person to sweat excessively, has had to deal with the unfortunate effects the condition has on their wardrobe. This is especially true for those with axillary hyperhidrosis. In fact, one study of people with axillary hyperhidrosis found that 70% of the participants reported the need to change their clothes at least two times a day.[1] That is a lot of laundry. Another problem people with axillary hyperhidrosis run into are stains caused by antiperspirant, which can be notoriously hard to get rid of. Many people aslo don't know how to remove antiperspirant from skin which can lead to even more stains. All of this adds to the anxiety that comes along with hyperhidrosis in the first place. Luckily, there are some quick and easy methods people can use to get sweat stains out of clothes so they can enjoy their life and get on with activities other than constantly processing laundry.

Prevention

Excessive sweating due to axillary hyperhidrosis can’t always be prevented, but there are steps people can take to keep it from destroying their clothes. First, there are medical treatment options for axillary hyperhidrosis that can help people to reduce the amount of sweat they produce and gain control over their condition. Here are some other ideas that can help prevent pit stains from causing problems:

  • Use antiperspirant. Many people don’t realize what antiperspirant is and how it differs from deodorants which can cause confusion. In fact, many people aren't even sure whether they need antiperspirant or deodorant. If you have hyperhidrosis you most likely need to use both. Antiperspirants contain an active ingredient that prevents sweat from forming on the skin while deodorants have antibacterial properties and fragrance to mask the smell of body odor. Unfortunately, antiperspirants can cause yellowish stains to appear on clothing but there are effective ways to get antiperspirant out of clothes so that this is not an issue.
  • Apply antiperspirant at night. This allows the antiperspirant to soak into the skin and dry so it is less likely to stain clothes the next morning.
  • Use garment protectors or wear an undershirt. These are absorbent pads that can adhere to the inside of a shirt. They can be used to soak up armpit sweat so that it doesn’t affect clothing.
  • Wear clothes that are good for people with excessive sweating. This means wearing light-weight fabrics like cottons and finding styles that allow skin to breathe. There are several ways people can use their wardrobe to mask, minimize and control sweat. There are specific ways to get pit stains out of polyester, which is especially prone to staining due to the fact that it is not breathable fabric.
  • Even with the best prevention pit stains happen. If that is the case then know that the quicker you can launder a stain the better the outcome will be.

    How to Remove Armpit Stains

    If you can launder an armpit stain before it begins to dry then it is very easy to get the stain out. Just run the stain under cold water and rub the area until the stain begins to fade. Once the stain is gone the shirt can be washed with the rest of the laundry like you would normally.

    Armpit stains that have had a chance to settle in are much harder, but there are ways to remove them. Often these stains tend to turn yellow because of the mixture of sweat, bacteria, clothing chemicals, and the products produced by the bacteria. Human sweat is actually odorless when it leaves the body. Here are a few methods you can use to get your shirt stain free.

    The Quickest Way to Remove an Armpit Stain

    This is a good method to use if you don’t think a stain has set in all the way or if you need a quick way to launder you shirt.

    1. Invest in a good stain remover. We recommend OxyClean spray as it is quick, easy, and effective, but any stain remover will work.
    2. Turn the shirt inside out and spray the armpit stain with the stain remover. Let it sit for about an hour.
    3. Once the stain remover has had some time to soak, put the shirt in the wash with the rest of your clothes and wash it on the hottest setting the shirt can take.
    4. After running the washing machine check your shirt. If the stain is gone then you are done and you can put your shirt in the dryer. If the stain remains, repeat the process until it comes out. Do not put your shirt in the dryer until the stain is removed as doing so may cause the stain to become permanent.

    There are also stain removers that need to be mixed in water in order to work. If you prefer to use one of these the process is still similar. Simply read the instructions on the product and mix the correct amount of stain remover with cold water. Then let your shirt soak for several hours until the stain begins to fade. Then you can wash your shirt and see if the stain remover worked. Remember not to put your shirt in the dryer if the stain remains.

    How to Remove a Serious Armpit Stain

    This method is best for people who have a shirt with a stain that has dried and set in. It is more work, but it is also more effective.

    1. Get Dawn blue dish soap, 3% hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and a toothbrush. Mix about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of each ingredient together in a bowl. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide on colored shirts, use cold water.
    2. Turn the shirt inside out and use the toothbrush to gently work the solution onto the stain.
    3. Let the shirt sit for about an hour.
    4. Put the shirt in the washing machine on as hot of a setting as the shirt can tolerate (read the label to find this out).
    5. After the load is done check your shirt. If the stain is gone then go ahead and put it in the dryer. If the stain remains, do not put it in the dryer, repeat the process again.
    6. Put the shirt in the dryer once the stain is gone.
    Sources
    1. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
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    Antiperspirant

    What You Need to Know About Carpe Clinical Regimen

    By Katie Crissman /

    One of the newest clinical strength antiperspirants to hit the market is Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen - it combines several high performing products with a specific care routine to provide long term sweat reduction for even the heaviest sweaters. Read on to see if Carpe Clinical Regimen is right for you!

    Antiperspirant is great - for most people. You apply it once a day and it stops your sweat! It’s easy. But, what if that’s not what happened? You bought it, read the label, and used it exactly as directed and, unfortunately, you’re still sweating - excessively. If this is you, then you’ve come to the right place. There are products specifically made for heavy sweaters who haven’t had luck with traditional antiperspirants. These products typically include the words “extra strength”, “clinical strength” or “prescription strength” and they are, thankfully, available over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. 


    The difference between clinical strength products and their weaker counterparts are the active ingredients they use. Clinical strength lines typically use one of several newer types of metallic salt ingredients that are known to be both stronger and less irritating than aluminum chloride (which is the standard active ingredient in antiperspirants) [1]. While there are many clinical strength products on the market, we are going to focus on a new clinical strength regimen that combines a strong active ingredient with a specific care routine to get excessive sweating under control. 


    Carpe Clinical Regimen -  What It Is and How It’s Different

    One of the newest clinical strength antiperspirants to hit the market is Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen. It’s different from other prescription grade products because it combines several strong products with a specific care routine to ensure maximum product performance. It’s also different from Carpe’s other products because it uses a stronger active ingredient and delivery system. The system is geared toward people who experience intractable armpit sweating, but Carpe also makes products for people who struggle with other types of sweat. The Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm includes three specific products that, when used together, have been found to be highly effective at reducing sweat production. These products include:

    • Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm Antiperspirant 
    • Carpe Clinical Grade Exfoliating Wash
    • Carpe Clinical Grade Underarm Wipes[2]

    Carpe Clinical Grade Regimen uses an active ingredient called Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY (20%) combined with other soothing inactive ingredients to effectively stop sweat in its tracks while reducing skin irritation.[3] Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex is a newer generation metallic salt that stops sweat production and is known to be more effective than other types of active ingredients antiperspirants typically use. One study mentioned in the journal Dermatologic Clinics found that antiperspirants using Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex were, on average, 34% more effective than antiperspirants that used aluminum chloride as an active ingredient.[1] Carpe’s traditional products use an active ingredient called Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate at 15% which is effective, but less potent than Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex.[4]


    It’s important to note that Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen provides a long term impact on sweat reduction from making short term lifestyle changes. This is because the results build up over time and peak at about 4 weeks. It takes 4 weeks of using the Carpe clinical grade products once each morning and every other night to see the full effect of what they can do. This is typical of all antiperspirants as their effects tend to build up with consistent use. Consistently using antiperspirant products is especially important for those with hard to treat sweat problems because it can be the difference between treatment success or failure.[1][2] 


    If you’re frustrated with the way your current antiperspirant is working or how it isn’t working, then consider giving Carpe’s Clinical Grade Regimen a try! It’s active ingredient is comparable to other prescription strength products on the market but it’s multistep system with easy to use wipes is completely unique! Remember, an easy to use, consistent antiperspirant routine is going to give you long term sweat reduction so it’s important to find a system that works for your lifestyle. 


    Sources
    1. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Amsterdam: Elsevier Pub. Co., 2014. Retrieved from https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0>https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0
    2. How It Works (Clinical). Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/pages/how-it-works-clinical
    3. Clinical Underarm  PM Wipes. Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/products/clinical-grade-underarm-antiperspirant-wipes?variant=34814174724229
    4. Underarm Antiperspirant for Excessive Underarm Sweating. Carpe. https://mycarpe.com/products/underarm-antiperspirant-tube?variant=39247505358981
    Antiperspirant

    8 Random & Interesting Facts about Excessive Armpit Sweating

    By Daniel McCarthy /

    8 Random & Interesting Facts about Excessive Armpit Sweating

    Our worries about shirt stains, sweaty underarms, and smelly armpits may dominate how we think about excessive armpit sweating. Hey, we may even avoid thinking about these all together. But guess what? There are some random and interesting facts that just may change how you think about excessive underarm sweating! Let’s take a look: 

    Fact number 1: Sweat by itself ISN’T smelly

    Sweat is often associated with smelliness. But by itself, it doesn’t smell AT ALL. The reason sweat can smell (in places like your armpit) isn’t really about sweat. It’s about the sweat glands (and hair)! Apocrine glands are the biggest of sweat-producing glands and are usually located near hair. It’s this combo that leads to smelly armpits.

    Fact number 2: Excessive armpit sweating is as old as cavemen

    Hang with me here. Excessive underarm sweating is connected to the fight-or-flight response ingrained in even the most ancient of human predecessors. This excessive armpit sweating response has helped humans survive for millenia. And yep, it means our cavemen ancestors likely had sweating armpits, too. Even though they didn’t have to worry about shirt stains like us, we have the benefit of products like carpe underarm and antiperspirant in general to help with our excessive armpit sweating.  

    Fact number 3: Famous people worry about excessive armpit sweating too

    Michael Gary Scott, fearless and deliciously cringeworthy leader of Dunder Mifflin Scranton on the show The Office, is perfectly played by actor Steve Carell. Carell seemed to play the role with such ease, comfort, and confidence that nobody would ever know he was worried about excessive underarm sweating due to his hyperhidrosis. Co-star Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute on the show) even pointed out that the set temperature was a cool 64 degrees to keep Carell’s sweaty underarms from becoming the focus of the scene. 

    Even though Carell’s excessive armpit sweating wasn’t part of the show, I like to think Michael’s approach to sweat stains could be summed up by his famous line:  “I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” 

    Fact number 4: Other celebrities combat hyperhidrosis too

    Steve Carell is not the only notable person looking for the best sweat prevention. As a longtime vampire and real-life human with hyperhidrosis, Robert Pattinson is another actor who combats hyperhidrosis (and werewolves) on the regular. 

    Like Pattinson and Carell, Halle Berry also has hyperhidrosis. Famously, Berry confidently showed her sweat stains on the Ellen Show back in 2010. So when you’re feeling a little self-conscious about your own excessive underarm sweating, remember you too can confidently move through your day like Berry barring her pits for the world. 

    Fact number 5: Ventilation over here please!

    If you’re still worried about how to get rid of pit stains, some ventilation could provide a brief respite. Because we sometimes get pesky pit stains, it can feel like our excessive underarm sweating is due to our pits proclivity to produce the most amount of sweat. Yet, this annoying issue is more commonly attributed to a lack of ventilation, although sweaty armpit causes cannot be narrowed to one thing. Still, a little ventilation and clinical strength antiperspirant can go a long way in dealing with pesky pit stains and excessive armpit sweating. 

    Fact number 6: An underappreciated aspect of a non-meat diet

    Sometimes even the best antiperspirant and deodorant may not feel like enough to help with excessive armpit sweating and underarm smell. That’s okay though because there are other interesting ways to approach this issue. A 2006 study showed that women found mens’ armpit odor “more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense” when these men ate a non-meat diet [1]. If you haven’t already thought about eating less meat, the improved aroma of your pits (and the kitchen) may be another reason to eat a non-meat diet. 

    Fact number 7: Fashion matters

    Choosing clothes is a fashion statement for many. And while fashion may matter more to some than others, there’s one interesting reason we can all get behind to choose our clothes. Our clothing choices can help deal with excessive underarm sweating. That’s right, there are clothes, materials, styles, and pads that all can help with excessive armpit sweating as well as excessive sweating and shirt stains in general. 

    Fact number 8: You aren’t alone

    An estimated 2-3% of the US population suffers from axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating). Even though this percentage may seem small, 3% of the US population is right around 10 million people. That’s like all of NYC combating excessive armpit sweating at the same time. It can be easy to feel isolated in dealing with hyperhidrosis, but there’s some comfort in knowing many others are dealing with the same worries. 

    Sources

     

    1. Havlicek, J., & Lenochova, P. (2006). The Effect of Meat Consumption on Body Odor Attractiveness. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/31/8/747/364338
    Antiperspirant

    7 Effective Tips to Stop Sweaty Hands

    By Daniel McCarthy /

    7 Effective Tips to Stop Sweaty Hands 

    Not sure how to stop sweaty hands and excessive sweating? You aren’t alone! Whether you’re working from home, gaming, or just trying to get your phone to recognize your thumbprint, it can get pretty dang annoying to constantly worry about how to stop having sweaty hands. In this article, we’ll cover 7 effective ways to help you stop sweaty hands:

      1. Reduce your stress
      2. Try (the right) antiperspirant
      3. Iontophoresis
      4. Check with your doctor about underlying conditions
      5. Medications
      6. Give a Botox shot 
      7. Take a more surgical approach

    1.  Reduce your stress 

    This one is often easier said than done - but it can help a lot. Research has shown that higher levels of anxiety cause sweat glands to become more active [1]. This is particularly true for hand sweating. 

    Figuring out how to stop sweaty hands looks different for each person, but there are some relaxing activities that can either prevent sweat or help control it once it’s begun. Some possible activities to reduce your stress include listening to your favorite music, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily. Other helpful techniques include deep breathing and stretching. Everyone is different, so try some of these other tips to find what works best for you. 

    2. Try (the right) antiperspirant

    You’re relaxed, but maybe you’re still trying to work out how to stop having sweaty hands? While reducing stress is a beneficial home remedy, it should be combined with other easy-to-use remedies. Some home remedies, such as baking soda or apple cider vinegar, may help with hyperhidrosis, but the next best step is over-the-counter antiperspirant

    Antiperspirants are great at preventing clam hands and often work better than deodorants to stop excessive sweating. Antiperspirants for hands are especially important in how to stop sweaty hands. Others prefer anti sweat wipes. Finding the right hand antiperspirant is an important step to combat sweaty hands. 

    3. Iontophoresis

      Hate needles? Need to figure out how to stop sweaty hands? Iontophoresis may be for you. This method uses mild electrical currents to treat your hands while they’re submerged in water. And although iontophoresis sessions may be performed at a doctor’s office, some people choose to purchase their own iontophoresis machines for at-home treatment [2].  

      While this method can be a bit harder on the wallet, if you can pay upfront for a machine, you may save by avoiding paying for every visit to the doctors. However, if you don’t see progress after a few weeks, talk to your doctor to discuss how to stop your sweaty hands from affecting your daily life. 

      4. Check with your doctor about underlying conditions

      It can be easy to write off sweaty hands as a reaction to anxiety or nervousness. But sometimes sweaty hands can be caused by underlying conditions. These conditions might include diabetes, low blood sugar, overactive thyroid, infections, and other issues. To learn more on how to stop sweaty hands that may be connected to underlying conditions, it is best to talk to a medical professional about your hyperhidrosis needs. 

      5. Medications

      In addition to talking about your underlying conditions, a medical professional may also suggest a prescription to help with sweaty hands. More specifically, your dermatologist may prescribe an oral medication for hyperhidrosis like a series of pills known as anticholinergics, which help your body produce less sweat. Like pills, topical creams may also be prescribed to help reduce excessive sweating. These creams are made up of solutions that will decrease the amount of sweat released, including hand sweat. If medications don’t cut it for you, you may need to take one of the two steps below. 

      6. Give botox a shot

        You may be thinking, I’m not sure how to stop sweaty hands, so why are you recommending botox? While many may not associate botox with hyperhidrosis, it can significantly reduce excessive sweating, including in your hands [3] . While botox may solve how to stop having sweaty hands, this method can cause temporary pain or weakness of the hands, so it is crucial that you consult a medical professional for appropriate botox delivery. 

        7. Take a more surgical approach. This one is only for serious sweaters who have tried everything else.

        If you can’t figure out how to stop having sweaty hands after trying these first six tips, you might consider surgical treatment for primary focal hyperhidrosis. While botox is a less invasive surgery, significantly more invasive procedures include endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy​ or an endoscopic lumbar sympathectomy. These names may be hard to pronounce, but these surgeries can provide significant relief for people with certain kinds of severe hyperhidrosis. Of course, try less invasive options first, and talk to a medical professional before deciding to take a more surgical approach. 

        There may be no one-size-fits-all solution for how to stop sweaty hands, but hopefully one of, or a combo of these tips help you enjoy life a bit more and worry about sweat a bit less. 

        Sources

        1. Huddle, J. R. (2014). Hyperhidrosis: Causes, Treatment Options and Outcomes. New York, NY: Nova Science.
        2. Pariser, D. M. (2014). Hyperhidrosis (4th ed., Vol. 32). Amsterdam: Elsevier Pub. Co., 2014. Retrieved from <a href=https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0>https://www.elsevier.com/books/hyperhidrosis-an-issue-of-dermatologic-clinics/pariser/978-0-323-32607-0</a>
        3. Lakraj, A. A., Moghimi, N., & Jabbari, B. (2013). Hyperhidrosis: anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment with emphasis on the role of botulinum toxins. Toxins, 5(4), 821–840. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins5040821
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