What's Going On 

When you are stuck in a cold place and your hands get cold, but you lack gloves or hand warmers or any other external heat, where do you stick them hands for some warm relief? 

Did you answer “in my armpits or in my crotch!”? Good thinking-- those are the two parts of most human bodies that are almost always reliably HOT AS HELL! 

Our bodies produce sweat when we are hot, but also when we are stressed, anxious, or nervous. Sweating cools our bodies down when they get too hot by taking some body heat with it when it evaporates. Thanks to that evaporation, most of the sweat that our bodies make disappears into the air around us pretty quickly.1

But, the pits and the pussy* area are special. They are areas that usually get way less air, have way more hair, and more skin that rubs against other skin. All of these factors contribute to more heat, fewer opportunities for skin to breathe, and fewer opportunities for moisture to evaporate.  

Another reason why the pussy* area is special? Different glands. The human body has between 2 and 4 million sweat glands.2 There are two types of glands. Eccrine sweat glands, which are all over the body, respond to heat and release an odorless clear sweat.3 Apocrine glands are in the armpits and crotch and are sensitive to emotional stress triggers.4 They produce a thicker, fattier liquid that, when it mixes with the bacteria on your skin, can get kinda stanky.3

People often freak out about sweat in these areas, because it doesn’t evaporate as quickly, and wetness can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Visible or smellable signs of sweat do not fit in with societal standards for femininity and / or cleanliness. 🙄 

That said, pussy* sweat is usually pretty harmless. One thing to watch out for, though — yeast infections. According to Melissa Goist, MD, clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center as told to Women’s Health, a crotch is a “[perfect] environment for the yeast that lives on your skin to thrive and overgrow, causing external yeast infections.”If you develop small cracks in your skin, that can allow bacteria to cause skin infections.5

Sometimes people sweat more than average. They might have a skin condition called hyperhidrosis which causes the body to sweat more than is necessary for a normal cooling function.6 In the pussy* area, this means an increased risk for yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, itchiness, irritation, and infection.2

How Common Is This? 

Pretty much every crotch sweats, and a spectrum of sweatiness is normal. Just as some people sweat a lot on their forehead when they walk up a flight of stairs while others do not, some people with pussies work through three pairs of underwear in a day because of crotch sweat while others barely even think about it. About 4.8% of people in the US have diagnosed hyperhidrosis — but researchers have found that it is both under-reported and under-diagnosed.6

How Can I Take Care of My Pussy*?

The best way to keep pussy sweat from causing infections, itchiness, and all that is to let your pussy* breathe.5

• Wear cotton undies. Cotton lets your pussy* breathe. In general, look for underwear fabric that has no plastic (polyester) in it. 
• Opt for no undies at all if you can.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes. 
• Take off your bathing suit after you swim and take off your workout clothes after you workout, etc. 

Care about sweat stains? Along with the pussy-breathing techniques above, baby powder can also help reduce them. Be careful not to use any powder with talc in it, and be careful not to get any powders inside your vagina. You can use panty liners or paper towels if you’d like, but keep in mind that these extra layers may actually make your poosie* sweat more.2

Sometimes, pussy* sweat can be the sign of a medical problem. If you notice any of the following symptoms, it would be best to go to the doctor:2,5

• Repeated yeast infections
• Recurrent bacterial vaginosis
• Sweating disrupts your daily routine 
• Much more or less sweat than what you are used to
• A strong or unusual odor
• Irritation of the vulva

Author's Dedication: This article is dedicated to everyone and anyone who's been overwhelmed by the sweat pouring out their hoo ha. To you I say, "same." I'd also like to thank paper towels and the seat of my bicycle for absorbing so much of my own pussy's perspiration. XOXO