It’s a change that happens to almost half our population, yet information is limited and advice even more so - today we’re discussing menopause and the sweat that comes with it ie. hot flushes and night sweats.
What is menopause and perimenopause?
Put simply, menopause officially marks the end of female reproduction. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Menopause refers to the period when menstruating stops. Perimenopause means ‘around menopause’. Changes in hormones can begin to happen 8-10 years before the onset of menopause, and perimenopause refers to when menopausal symptoms begin - including the dreaded hot flushes and night sweats.
Sweating, hot flushes and night sweats
It’s reported that over two-thirds of women experience hot flushes as they’re heading into menopause. Despite this, it has never been scientifically proven why it happens. Blood vessels near the skin’s surface begin to widen in an effort to cool off, making you break out in a sweat - this can be accompanied by a rapid heart rate, feelings of anxiety and sometimes a loss in concentration. When this happens at night it’s referred to as Night Sweats, and can make sleeping through the night extremely difficult. On average, a hot flush can last around four minutes. They can happen a couple of times or week or up to once an hour
The Sweat and The Smell
Many people experiencing menopause report feeling extremely self-conscious of the excess sweating caused by hot flushes - especially as they can occur any time. The bad news is, unfortunately at the moment, there’s no way to stop them from happening. As with all sweating, it can be very difficult to prevent the sweat from occurring, the key is combating the smell.
We’ve spoken before about deodorant not stopping you from sweating - only an antiperspirant can do that, and personally, we’re not big fans of those as they stop the body doing its natural thing and have been linked to some nasty conditions. So, many folks are turning to natural deodorants to help them out.
A Deodorant For Menopause
A deodorant’s job is to keep you smelling fresh all day long. Fussy’s natural deodorant does this in a number of ways - mainly by keeping the bad smelly bacteria from building up in warm places like your armpits and absorbing some of that moisture. You can read more about the science behind Fussy here.
All this means, that when those sweaty hot flushes do occur, you can feel secure in the knowledge your sweat doesn’t smell. We’ve scientifically tested it, and Fussy has been proven to last for 24 hours - but even if you’re feeling like you may need some extra swipes, or you’re giving your pits a midday wash after a hot flush - Fussy’s sleek, stylish case means you can pop your deodorant in your bag and add more swipes as needed.
Breaking the taboo
One of the main issues facing those experiencing hot flushes and night sweats is the lack of conversation. Despite being experienced by such a high proportion of the population, menopause is still something both under-researched and heavily ignored by society, making it difficult for people to find resources and recommendations.
At Fussy, we love all folks that sweat and we love to talk about sweat - we all do it, and there’s nothing shameful about that! So let us know any questions you have and we’ll do our best to answer.
