Why_Teens_Sweat

· Teenagers are renowned for their smelly bedrooms. This is not just because they cannot be bothered to wash. Teenagers do start to sweat in a slightly different way. · Humans have two types of sweat glands. 'Eccrine glands' are found all over the body and produce a slightly acidic watery fluid. When this sweat evaporates from the skin it cools the body down. Humans rely on this sweat to control body temperature. It has no odour of its own, but does start to smell when bacteria on the skin's surface begin to digest it.d to wash. Teenagers do start to sweat in a slightly different way. · Humans have two types of sweat glands. 'Eccrine glands' are found all over the body and produce a slightly acidic watery fluid. When this sweat evaporates from the skin it cools the body down. Humans rely on this sweat to control body temperature. It has no odour of its own, but does start to smell when bacteria on the skin's surface begin to digest it. Smelly sweat An altogether stinkier kind of sweat is produced by the 'apocrine glands'. These glands only start working at puberty. They secrete a thick, waxy, greyish substance which is diluted by fluid from other glands nearby. Although it has no odour itself, when bacteria start decomposing it, it releases a strong distinct smell - BO. Apocrine glands are only found in the armpits, belly button area, ears, groin and nipples. The sweat they produce has no role in temperature regulation. It is released in response to stress[->0], emotion[->1] and sexual excitement[->2]. Apocrine glands are related to the scent glands of animals. In other primates, the scent produced by such glands is thought to act as an erotic attractant. How the odour of rotting apocrine sweat might be used by humans is still a mystery which is being investigated. · [->0] - /science/humanbody/mind/articles/emotions/teenagers/moods.shtml [->1] - /science/humanbody/mind/articles/emotions/teenagers/rows.shtml [->2] - /science/humanbody/body/articles/lifecycle/teenagers/erections.shtml