5 Natural Must Have Tips to Tackle Your Boob Sweat
How to Tackle Boob Sweat
It’s Monday morning, you’re crossing a busy intersection on the way to work—scrambling to shuffle your papers into place for a major presentation that afternoon. The phone starts ringing and you try to walk and talk at the same time by performing a balancing act with your cell teetering on your shoulder.
Then suddenly, your eyes get wide and you stop in your tracks—a small bead of sweat trickles down your cleavage.
Oh my gosh.
Why does this always happen to me?
Dr. Derrick Adams explains that in regular exercise you can expect to sweat 3 to 4 liters and specifically “under the breasts, those salts and electrolytes deposit like a layer cake and can break down the skin over time.”
Well sign me up for Worst Cooks in America.
If you’ve been blessed with sizable breasts, the compression of an ill-fitting bra often squeezes your chest too tight adding pressure to the already compressed skin-on-skin contact. Ouch!
Regardless of the circumstance—whether you’re training for a marathon or briskly walking to your favorite frozen yogurt shop—yeast gravitates towards damp, dark, and toasty places on the body.
How should we prepare for the moment boob sweat strikes us? Don’t worry we’ve got a plan. Here’s what to pack in your Boob Sweat Survival Kit.
1. Black 100% cotton loose-fitting shirt
The absolute number one MUST HAVE for your kit should be a loose-fitting cotton shirt, preferably all-black.
Black is the magician of fashion, it makes all of your problem areas just disappear. Having a rolled-up black shirt on-hand is a great alternative to running back home and changing. They also fit any occasion, making them a closet chameleon and fashion staple. Just dress them up or down with a statement necklace or bold lip color.
Be sure to pull a cotton shirt specifically, because cotton is a breathable fabric that’ll allow the heat brewing under your bust to escape. Cotton Incorporated claims “cotton is an environmentally friendly fiber” preventing sweat build-up with “superior absorption and release capabilities… found in baby, personal care, and hygiene products.”
Making it the the best fabric for body odors and the perfect fabric to caress your sensitive under-boob skin.
2. Fresh light-weight bra (cotton or mesh)
The added friction of an improperly fitted bra will only exacerbate any chafing, turning your boob sweat into a rash-ageddon! Pick a bra that is light-weight and won’t add to the present ventilation problem. Many women go for a cotton bra for the same reasons mentioned above, or a mesh bra with tiny holes that allow air to circulate around the area.
You might want to reconsider wearing a heavy-duty sports bra—unless you can find ones that are made of moisture-wicking and breathable fabrics also.
3. Deodorant
Creams or powder deodorant will work wonders when preventing sweat in unsolicited places. Whatever you use for your armpits should be fine for under your breasts too, right?
Well, it depends.
Remember when seeking deodorant to read the label and eliminate any products that contain harmful aluminum or parabens. Some medical professionals believe these ingredients can lead to breast cancer; however, more research needs to be done before science can fully back up these claims.
Here’s what we know so far:
Aluminum
An article on TIME, “5 Things Wrong With Your Deodorant,” outlines the major ingredients you should look out for when purchasing a deodorant or antiperspirant. In the article, Associate Professor of Biology at North Carolina State University Heather Patisaul, Ph.D., explains “there’s estrogen-sensitive tissue in the breast, so the worry is that you put parabens close to this tissue every day, they may promote the growth of cancer cells.”
A 2013 study claims that aluminum has the ability to “influence breast epithelial cells including generation of genomic instability.” Which could lead to the production of abnormal cells, such as cancer. However, according to the National Cancer Institute, it’s not confirmed whether aluminum is the cause for breast cancer.
Parabens
We’ve mentioned parabens before and how Senior Scientist Tasha Stoiber Ph.D. from the Environmental Working Group reports that “parabens can disrupt hormones in the body and harm fertility and reproductive organs, affect birth outcomes, and increase the risk of cancer.”
Because of the possibility of increased risk for breast cancer, some women hesitate to apply paraben products to their chest region—which is completely understandable. But wait till you here this:
Dr. Sandy Skotnicki addresses the pitfalls of parabens she calls the “Paraben Paradox” in a Living Allergic article, where she highlights how “one area where parabens can cause problems is with inflamed skin. This is why parabens are never used to preserve topical hydrocortisone creams or antibiotic ointments.”
So basically, when dealing with a rash or areas where skin is broken down, stay away! Get natural deodorant if your boob sweat is causing rashes then this could be why your skin isn’t fully healing—parabens.
Shop Natural Body Deodorants
4. Get cozy with an all natural beauty product
Opt for an all-natural odor and sweat solution, such as body powders and cleansers, that doesn’t try to fool you with an indecipherable ingredient list. Use clean skin care products to absorb excess sweat and odor to avoid sweat build up.
You’ll be safer, happier, and drier! Win-win scenario.
5. Change your perspective
If you’ve made it this far you get a front-row seat to our Ted-talk… Tit-talk? Either way, it starts like this:
You’re a boss, you’ve got it all together. Your breasts? Just a part of the awesome package that is you. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed and think, “oh-gosh I have this and this to worry about and now… my BODY is pulling this?” Yes, it’s frustrating.
But your body isn’t flawed, your self-talk is. We got you girl, just like your ‘girls’ got you.
The takeaway
To put it plainly, boob sweat can be embarrassing, annoying, and downright unfair! But luckily there are plenty of healthy clean skin care solutions out there worth trying, so see what works for you.
When it feels like boob sweat has become too much to handle and the time-pressure forces you into purchasing quick fixes with products containing questionable ingredients, know that there are products available that won’t compromise your well-being.
Phew. Feels good to get that off my chest!
References & Citations:
Adams, Derrick. “Boob Sweat.” Vita Dermatology & Laser Institute. June 18, 2014. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://vitadermatology.com/vita-skin-care/boob-sweat/
Cotton Incorporated. “Why Cotton?” Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.cottoninc.com/quality-products/nonwovens/why-cotton/
Heid, Markham. “5 Things Wrong With Your Deodorant.” TIME. July 5, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://time.com/4394051/deodorant-antiperspirant-toxic/
Darbre, P. D., Mannello, F., & Exley, C. (2013). Aluminium and breast cancer: Sources of exposure, tissue measurements and mechanisms of toxicological actions on breast biology [Abstract]. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 128, 257-261. doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2013.07.005. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0162013413001608
National Cancer Institute. “Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer.” August 9, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/antiperspirants-fact-sheet#is-there-a-link-between-antiperspirants-or-deodorants-and-breast-cancer
Stoiber, Tasha. “What are parabens, and why don’t they belong in cosmetics?” Environmental Working Group. April 9, 2019. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/parabens
Skotnicki, Sandy. “Do I Have an Allergy to Parabens?” Allergic Living. June 6, 2007. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.allergicliving.com/experts/avoiding-parabens-in-cosmetics/