Sweat Block | Smell Neuter or Perpetuate Humanity?

Gonna make you sweat… block

Sometimes, products come around that fill the right need at the right time. Payday loan and personal loan companies stepped forward to fill a need that banks and credit unions refused to adequately address.

Other times, products surface because we think there’s a particular need for them, but the reality is that perhaps they aren’t as necessary as we think. Take Sweat Block, for example. On the surface, the ability to “control excessive sweating and stop underarm sweat for seven days with one wipe” seems like an easy sell. Who wants to stink, I ask you?

I do. There’s survival all up in there!

It has to do with evolution and human sexuality. But I’ll get to that. First, let’s take a closer look at this evolution blocker.

Don’t sweat it

Admittedly, Sweat Block does not prevent a human being from sweating. That would be unhealthy. It claims to address excessive sweating. “No more Hyperhidrosis, unrelented or excessive sweating. Solve nervous sweating, underarm wet stains, and bring back your confidence in social situations!” That’s how their Web site sells the product. It is intended to “block the sweat gland, protect against irritation and soothe the skin.” They claim that, when applied correctly, Sweat Block blocks sweat and smells good. Yet it still uses a dosage of Aluminum Chloride, an ingredient common to other anti-perspirant products. So it still isn’t natural – Sweat Block “will form a chemical block in your sweat glands that will last a week. It will not wash off, it does not leave a film, and you won’t even know it’s there.”

Is it safe?

Again according to the Sweat Block Web site, it “mechanically blocks the sweat glands only, and is never introduced into the blood stream. Generally, if used as directed, Sweat Block claims their product is safe.

But that’s not the point… we are animals

A recent New York Times article referenced studies that indicate that “men’s sweat smells different when they are sexually aroused, and women can tell the difference, even though they are not conscious of it.” Thus, since odor is important in mating rituals and the transference of genetic material, odor is essential to the survival of the human race. Much human odor is transferred through pheromones in sweat, and the primary areas on the body where sweat congregates is the armpits. Men, do you want your armpits to smell like everyone else’s – neuter? Or do you want women to be able to subconsciously recognize the uniqueness of your genes?

Easy decision, as far as I’m concerned

Sure, sweat and “excessive sweat” are two different things. But the proper way to deal with problem sweat is not a product like Sweat Block. By its very title, it’s only covering up the problem, like every other product on the market. Seek help from a doctor if you have problem sweat, don’t simply cover it up.

Be a human animal

“In surveys, people say that body odors are important in selecting a mate,” said Dr. Denise Chen, the lead author of the study cited by the Times. “But we don’t really know exactly what role body odors play in human sexuality.” Not enough justification to fall back on over-the-counter cures, surely.

The study report, which initially appeared in The Journal of Neuroscience, does suggests that women have the ability to tell the difference between “the odor of sexual sweat” and “neutral sweat.” Furthermore, these different types of scent are processed in different parts of the female brain.

Sexual sweat lights up the brain

The substance used in the study was actual human sweat. Not a chemical compound synthesized for the study. All but two of the subjects could smell the sweat, and none of them came out and said they could tell the difference between sexual sweat and neutral sweat. Yet what’s truly interesting is what scientists observed in terms of brain activity. According to researchers, the right orbitofrontal cortex and right fusiform region in the female participants showed much more response to the sexual sweat that any other smell used in the study.

Does this mean men shouldn’t bathe?

That’s what the Times author wants to know, but the question itself is asked in jest. Dr. Chen says that the study does not “convey the suggestion that human sweat is an aphrodisiac.” No, human mating is much more complicated than that. Many factors, some conscious and some otherwise, are factored into female and male brains where mating and courtship are concerned. But it seems clear that scent plays a role. If you are looking to pass on your genetic material in a happy, healthy way like a good little human animal, it simply doesn’t pay to cover up who you are. Whether it’s Sweat Block or some other product, be a human being. Increase your chances the natural way. If you need to consult with a physician and find yourself budget challenged, a payday loan or personal loan are happy, healthy options.

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