Embarrassing Crotch Sweat: Why & WTF to do About It
Holy shit. Are we really going to talk about this? Crotch sweat?
Well, yeah, we are. As icky as it sounds and as uncomfortable as it makes you, if you’re busting your ass during your workout, you bet your sweet lace undies crotch sweat is gonna happen. Some people are more prone to this kind of sweat (and sweat in general) than others, but when you work hard, you’re going to sweat hard too. Everywhere. Including the area around your nether-regions.
For a good many fitness enthusiasts, this sweat is going to be nothing our high-performance, moisture wicking workout leggings can’t handle. You’ll sweat, sure, but you won’t look like you’ve pissed yourself after a 10 minute warm-up.
For others (and raise your hand if you’re with us), no amount of sports gear is going to wick away the sweat. It’s pumping out of your body faster than a Duggar birth.
So, what’s up? Why is this happening and what can you do about it?
We’ll start with the why.
People have two to four million sweat glands, and the purpose of these glands is to help your body maintain a healthy temperature. Some people (the people with closer to four million sweat glands than two) simply sweat more. Your weight, your workout intensity and your genetics also play a part in how much you sweat, but the bottom line is — barring any unexplainable excessive sweating that could be the cause of a health problem — sweating is a good thing. A normal thing. But, let's face it, it’s also a not-so-attractive thing. Especially when it's happening below the belt.
What to do about crotch sweat?
First, resist the urge to slap on a pair of Depends because that's just going to make the sweat worse and entrap your bits in a biodome of bacteria-breeding heat. Next, opt for darker colored bottoms, which are less likely to show sweat. You can also wear looser fitting shorts for optimal air flow instead of tight shorts or leggings.
Then, try some workout underwear. Don't fear the quadra-butt: brands like Quo have pretty sweet and seamless active thongs that fit beautifully under the tightest of workout bottoms.
Other solid picks for a sweaty undercarriage? Lululemon Namastay Put Thong, and for those of you who loathe the intimiate grope of the g-string, try Soma Intimates Lace Hipster, which features an invisible edge for no panty lines, and a microfibre, breathable material for less sweat.
If the protection afforded by breathable, athletic underwear isn't helping, then you've got a few options left.
1) Use antiperspirant (not deodorant) on your upper inner thighs — but not actually on your bits and bobs, which have super sensitive mucous membranes. We get that many people are shying away from antiperspirant in general these days and using more natural deodorants. Good on you, but just be aware, deodorant may help with smell, but it will not stop sweat. If you want to forgo antiperspirant, keep reading.
2) Take these defensive measures: Avoid or limit alcohol, too much caffeine and spicy foods, which can make sweating worse.
3) Powder with some cornstarch to help control moisture. We prefer this to baby powder, which has been linked to cancer. And okay, we know the link may be tenuous, but when it comes to powdering our most intimate areas, we’ll err on the side of caution — especially when there are other alternatives.
These options give the solid, safe, results, so they are definitely among our top ways to cope with embarrassing crotch sweat. However, there is another option. A revolutionary option. Our favourite option: stop giving a shit.
*Gasp!*
Yep, crotch sweat happens. It may be taboo, and the dark, dank looking stains on your pants may ruin your perfect, subtly glistened post-workout Instagram pic, but crotch sweat is also freakin' real life, and it happens to the fiercest and fittest of us.
Of course, if you're working out from home with Sweatflix, it wouldn’t matter if you're dipped in steaming scat, let alone sweat, because no one’s there to see it. And even if you share your sweaty high-five pic — sweaty crotch and all — with your #FitFam on the BodyRock Insiders Group, no one is going to give a damn. Because we've been there, done that, posted a video to Instagram showing our crotch sweat to the world. Check it out here.
So accept it, or if it bothers you that much, use one of the above methods to help you cope. Whatever you do, don’t stop rocking with us at Sweatflix and sharing your stories with us at The Insiders Group. We love our FitFam — crotch sweat and all.