Stop Sweating the Small Stuff

Summer in Georgia is hot.

So are fall and spring, for that matter.

Step outside, and you’re often overcome with the feeling of being wrapped up in a warm, wet towel.

And that’s at 8 a.m.

Now, I do not consider myself someone who sweats profusely.  But honestly, a walk to the mailbox can leave me feeling pretty sticky.  Also, I’ve found that I own a number of tops that fit snuggly under the arms.  This results in a slight problem with underarm wetness.

I know.  Ick.  That’s probably too much information.  (But, c’mon.  This is an antiperspirant review.  You had to see it coming.)

Several years back, when I was first married, my husband would try to counteract underarm wetness with a prescription-only product that he applied at bedtime.  He would wear an old shirt to bed whenever he used this product, and by morning the product had burnt holes under the arms of the shirt.

Yeah.  It was a tad on the strong side.

Searing your sweat glands closed with that product just never seemed healthy to me.  So, I put up with wet underarms.

Recently, however, I had been hearing a little buzz about this product:

Secret Clinical Strength boasts "prescription strength wetness protection" in an over-the-counter product. The main ingredient is 20% aluminium zirconium trichlorohydrex gly.  This is the highest level allowed without a prescription.  Oddly enough, it’s only 1% more than some of the other antiperspirants/deodorants available on the market.  But I’ve found that 1% makes all the difference.

You apply Secret Clinical at bedtime.  This is the one thing that makes using the product a little tricky.  (You have to undo a decades-long routine of applying antiperspirant/deodorant in the morning.)  The reason you apply it at night has to do with body temperature.  Your body temperature stays more even while you sleep, thus allowing the antiperspirant to form better "plugs" (I know, ick.  Again.) to block the sweat.  Secret says that one application lasts 24 hours, even if you shower or bathe in the morning.  I’ve found that to hold true.  But, you can apply it a second time in the morning as well, if you feel you need the extra protection.

I’ve been using Secret Clinical for about three weeks now and have been really pleased with the results.  It hasn’t completely prevented me from sweating (would that really be healthy?), but it has decreased underarm wetness by about 60-70%.  That percentage would probably be higher if I could actually remember to apply it regularly before bed.

The other thing I like about Secret Clinical is that it contains skin conditioners to help prevent skin irritation.  With a lot of the prescription products, the active ingredient is so strong that you’re forced to sacrifice your skin for dry armpits.  I’m not sure which is worse, wet armpits or irritated, itchy ones.

Really, for about $7, Secret Clinical is a bargain and can be found at most any mass market retail store.

Oh, and the issue with my formerly wet underarms?  Could we just keep that between us?  Yanno, it’ll be our little "secret."

Michelle blogs regularly about life and family at her personal blog, Life with Three.