How Do Sweat Glands Work?

Understanding Sweat

Sweat is the way that your body cools itself down. When your body overheats, your brain sends a signal to your sweat glands to secrete perspiration. As the perspiration hits the surrounding air, the effect lowers your body temperature to a more livable level. Sweat is also a route for toxins within your body to exit your system out through your skin. Without your sweat glands, your body could potentially overheat. That would cause serious problems or death. There are more than 2.5 million sweat glands located throughout the entire body.

Eccrine Gland

There are two main types of glands, the Eccrine Gland and the Appocrine Gland. The Eccrine gland is the most prominent in your body. These glands are located largely on the palms, forehead and armpits. These glands start emitting sweat from the time of your birth all the way until your death. Eccrine Glands are used primarily for cooling your body.

Appocrine Gland

The Appocrine glands do not start emitting sweat until the age of puberty is reached. Appocrine glands are largely located around the armpits as well as in the groin region. Appocrine glands can be modified to release other products besides sweat. In fact, Appocrine Glands are largely to thank for the earwax production in your ears and the milk produced by women during breast feeding. Appocrine glands are also responsible for body odor sweat. The odor is caused by bacteria breaking down the fats in Appocrine sweat.

The Process

The sweating process starts in your brain. When your muscles begin to put off excess energy in the form of heat, your body tells your brain that it is getting too hot. The brain then sends a signal through your nervous system to your sweat glands to begin production. As the glands begin to produce perspiration, it build up pressure behind the liquid, forcing it up through small ducts in the skin leading to the skin's surface.

Reasons for Sweating

Sweating can be caused by a host of different issues. The most common cause of sweating is the overheating of the body through exercise or other forms of muscle work. However, emotions, stress and hormones may also cause the sweat glands to activate.