Good undershirt to help over-sweating

[DaveDuff]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for suggestions on a good under shirt to help control my over-sweating. I use
Mitchum Advanced Control Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, which I was happy with, but I have noticed that the sweat is starting to show through my under and work shirt.

Right now, I am using Hanes. I don't think there is anything fancy to them, so suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[dws]

There are sweat resistant undershirts out there but I don't know what is good or not though, as I don't wear them. Try switching up your antiperspirant too. It doesn't work for you, obviously. Funny thing is, I sweat more when I use antiperspirant than when I don't. Perhaps this might be the case for you. Regardless, there are options out there.

 

[DaveDuff]

Try switching up your antiperspirant too. It doesn't work for you, obviously.

Thanks. It did a great job for a while, but recently, it has been letting me down.

 

[MaineYooper]

I found Secret makes an unscented antiperspirant that is practically prescription strength. It is called Secret Clinical Strength. I have to use it for a few days every three months or so, than I can go back to my Mitchum

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[tankerjohn]

As s big sweaty guy myself, here's my advise. Anti-perspirant just clogs your pores and makes things worse. And cotton undershirts can't handle anything more than a little underarm dampness. If you're getting seriously sweaty, either from hot weather or exertion, anti-perspirants and undershirts aren't going to cut it. Sweat is a natural reaction to your body overheating. You need to figure out how to cool yourself down. Skip the undershirt and make sure your work shirt is a breathable fabric, not polyester. Use a fan. Take breaks. Whatever. Just keep your body as cool as you can. If you're still sweaty, personally, I would just keep a spare work shirt on hand to change into if you need to look presentable. But if that's not feasible, try a sweat wicking undershirt. Cotton will soak up sweat and make you wetter. Something like Under Armor fabric will work much better. Merino wool is a good option too (but pretty pricy). Instead of anti-perspirant, use a good deodorant and take frequent showers. Staying well hydrated will help your sweat run clear and reduce odors. As long as you don't stink, a little sweat is no big deal. It's perfectly natural, in fact. Good luck.

 

[DaveDuff]

Thanks John, I didn't realize that cotton undershirts aren't the best idea. My fiancee and I will look into fabrics that will wick away the moisture!

 

[The Knize]

Interesting thread. I have no idea. Cotton actually wicks. That is why it is said to be cooling. Wicking sounds like it may be part of the problem. Wool does not wick. That is why it will keep you warm even if wet. On the surface that does not sound like a great solution, but I guess it would keep the sweat away from your shirt.

I really do not know what modern fabrics like Under Armor do. Some Under Armor is designed to be cooling and some to keep one warm, right? There must be modern fabrics that would keep sweat from getting to the outside of the shirt.

I suppose I would make sure undershirt and outer shirt are both 100% cotton as opposed to a blend, if you cannot find another fabric. I think of Hanes as fairly thin and I like the brand for that reason. I am sure there are heavier cotton tee shirts out there.

Is this a business shirt situation. I suppose wear a sports jacket. I realize if you are hot already that is not going to be pleasant.

In any event you are not alone.

 

[jdp93]

Try Uniqlo undershirts. I’ve been using them for years. Inexpensive and great at keeping you cool.


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[kelbro]

Try eating more cucumbers. They cool your body down.

 

[tankerjohn]

Interesting thread. I have no idea. Cotton actually wicks. That is why it is said to be cooling. Wicking sounds like it may be part of the problem. Wool does not wick. That is why it will keep you warm even if wet. On the surface that does not sound like a great solution, but I guess it would keep the sweat away from your shirt.

I really do not know what modern fabrics like Under Armor do. Some Under Armor is designed to be cooling and some to keep one warm, right? There must be modern fabrics that would keep sweat from getting to the outside of the shirt.

I suppose I would make sure undershirt and outer shirt are both 100% cotton as opposed to a blend, if you cannot find another fabric. I think of Hanes as fairly thin and I like the brand for that reason. I am sure there are heavier cotton tee shirts out there.

Is this a business shirt situation. I suppose wear a sports jacket. I realize if you are hot already that is not going to be pleasant.

In any event you are not alone.

Actually, that's exactly backwards. Wool wicks, but cotton doesn't. "Wicking" in this context refers to the fabric transferring the moisture from your skin to the air without soaking it up. It helps it evaporate, basically. Cotton soaks up moisture and keeps your skin wet. Maybe I read too much industry hype. But that's how I understand it and seems to work out that way in my personal experience. Wool is absolutely the best "wicking" material, but non-merino wool is scratchy and uncomfortable directly on skin and merino is expensive. I like merino base layers for hiking and biking and things like that. But its way too expensive to have enough merino undershirts for daily wear. Technical fabrics like Under Armor (but there are lots others) are less expensive and fill that gap for some people. I think the OP is going to have to try it and see if it works for him. It might not. It's a YMMV thing.

Incidentally, I do prefer 100% cotton undershirts when I know I won't be working up a sweat. Cotton is comfortable and breathable (which helps prevent overheating and sweating in the first place). It'll control the little bit of underarm dampness that i get and keeps my skin oils off of my more expensive dress shirts. But I don't expect more than that. If I do any physical labor or exercise, that cotton shirt will turn into a wet soppy mess. Fortunately, I don't often have to do a lot of manual work and look presentable at the same time. It sounds like that might be part of Dave's conundrum. But I still think his best bet is to focus on keeping his body temperature down, keeping hygiene up to reduce body odor, and having a clean shirt to change into quick-like if he's got to go talk to the big boss or meet the star client. I suppose a sportcoat or jacket could work in a pinch too, but that's only a temporary fix and doesn't address the core problem, which is reducing sweating in the first place.

BTW, excellent article on this topic here: 8 Tips to Stop Sweaty Armpits without using Antiperspirant

 

[The Knize]

Depends on the definition of "wicking." I see other sources that use in the way you do. What I remember was being told not to wear blue jeans skiing or doing things like backpacking because cotton wicks sweat to the surface of the fabric where it evaporates and makes you cold, and when it gets wet with rain it make you cold, whereas wool does not wick water to the surface and will keep you warm when wet. But I think technically this way over simplified and you are correct that wool will wit moisture from the skin, but not take it to the surface of the fabric and the reasons cotton is cool and wool is warm are much more complex that matters of wicking. I think it is true that cotton soaks through. I also think wool dries more slowly that cotton and is warmer. For what it is all worth!

 

[redfalconf35]

I can't imagine not wearing anti-perspirant. It must be a YMMV thing, because the few times I accidentally bought regular deodorant and figured I'd use it anyway, I regretted it within hours.

I was gonna post a big huge thing with my tips, but they're all covered in @tankerjohn's link. No need for me to rehash what is already written. Now I just need to find a similar article about butt sweat.

 

[cruise_bone]

Depends on the definition of "wicking." I see other sources that use in the way you do. What I remember was being told not to wear blue jeans skiing or doing things like backpacking because cotton wicks sweat to the surface of the fabric where it evaporates and makes you cold, and when it gets wet with rain it make you cold, whereas wool does not wick water to the surface and will keep you warm when wet. But I think technically this way over simplified and you are correct that wool will wit moisture from the skin, but not take it to the surface of the fabric and the reasons cotton is cool and wool is warm are much more complex that matters of wicking. I think it is true that cotton soaks through. I also think wool dries more slowly that cotton and is warmer. For what it is all worth!

Cotton makes you cold because is does NOT wick like Wool does. It stays wet, thus you get cold. Simple science.

As to T-Shirts, many people assume that they all come in the same weight. They do not.
I use different t-shirts in the Summer than I do in the winter.
Here is THE ANSWER for a t-shirt that will help DaveDuff:
HANES X-TEMP. Hanes X-Temp
Hanes X-Temp
I wear them in the heat and humidity of the hot summers here in Atlanta. You should give them a try!
You're Welcome!

FYI: You can get them at the Big Box stores like Walmart. Cheap too!

 

[Badger Bill]

So they seem a bit "odd" at first no doubt, but I have some friends who have similar issues as you've described, and they've had extremely good results using the Thompson Tee. Take a look at their website maybe?

 

[MntnMan62]

I used to wear Hanes but feel they are too thin. Costco’s Kirkland brand under shirts are in my opinion the best available. Thicker yet not too thick to wear under a dress shirt with a suit.

 

[cruise_bone]

I used to wear Hanes but feel they are too thin. Costco’s Kirkland brand under shirts are in my opinion the best available. Thicker yet not too thick to wear under a dress shirt with a suit.

The Hanes you tried may have been the X-temp that I mentioned. They make several different t-shirts. They are different weights and thicknesses and are designed for specific purposes. I wear thin in the spring/summer months and thicker during the fall/winter months.

 

[sskim3]

I personally like Uniqlo's Airism shirts to keep me cooler. Also Gold Bond body powder does wonders.

 

[thematthatter]

Try trimming your arm pits. Anti perspirant wont work if it just gets caught in the hairs

 

[MntnMan62]

Try trimming your arm pits. Anti perspirant wont work if it just gets caught in the hairs

+1 on this. It also looks a lot better when you aren't wearing a shirt.

 

[Merle]

Technical fabrics like Cool Max might serve you well. Poly propylene is one of the first, but it needs a cleaner effective at removing odor or you end up with a body oil reeducation fragrance that's not necessarily pleasant.