Does Shaving Your Armpits Reduce Sweat?

For the sweaty person, dealing with armpit sweat stains on your shirts can feel like a full-time job. Sweat stains can be embarrassing, and damaging to clothing, as well. With all that hair growing in your armpits, you may have wondered, does shaving armpits help with sweat? In this article, we break down the answer and give you tips to help with your armpit sweat.

Your body produces sweat in response to a spike in its internal temperature. This spike can be caused by high temperatures or situations that trigger emotions like stress, anxiety, or nervousness. Production of sweat is overseen by two glands.

1. The eccrine glands secrete eccrine in response to physical exertion and external temperature.
2. The apocrine glands secrete apocrine in response to signals from the brain.

The armpit houses both glands. This means that at the slightest provocation, sweat is first produced in the armpits before the rest of your body. What’s more, the armpits are a great breeding ground for bacteria. Once sweat is produced in the underarms, the bacteria go to work… which can result in odor.

Originally published in November 2019, and updated in January 2025.

Does Shaving Your Armpits Reduce Sweat?

Based on the explanation above, shaving your armpits will not reduce sweat. Simply stated, sweat is not caused by the hair itself. However, many people believe that having armpit hair increases sweat, and for good reason. Having armpit hair causes moisture to linger in your armpits longer than it would if there was no hair, and it can make sweat stains worse.

Additionally, having hairy underarms can prevent antiperspirants from reaching the skin, which can make them less effective in stopping sweat.

So, does shaving your armpits make you sweat less? No, but it will likely reduce the damage to your clothes when you do sweat.

The lack of hair allows antiperspirants to penetrate your skin, effectively stopping the sweat glands in your armpits from activating.

Does Shaving Armpits Reduce Smell?

Okay, next question: does having armpit hair make you smell more? Yes. Freeing your body of thick armpit hair allows soap or body wash to reach the surface of your skin with ease, thereby killing bacteria that hide in the recesses of your underarms. The lack of hair also allows antiperspirants to penetrate your skin, effectively stopping the sweat glands in your armpits from activating.

So, does shaving armpits reduce smell? Yes. Because without sweat, the bacteria in your armpit will have nothing to breed on, which reduces your chances of developing BO.

Tips for a Good Shave

Follow these suggested tips to make sure your shave goes smoothly:

• Before you begin your shave, ensure that your arms and armpits are clean and fully moistened. Shaving in the shower, or immediately after, is always a good idea.
• Exfoliating before you shave is a smart tactic as it sloughs away dead skin and leaves your armpits with a smoother feel. You may not need to exfoliate every time you shave, especially if you shave on a regular basis.
• If you are shaving with a razor, make sure you lubricate your armpits. For best results, use shaving gel or cream. Or, at the very least, lather your armpits with soap.
• Never use a dull blade when you shave. At best, you will not get a clean shave and at worst, you will end up with skin irritations or razor burns.
• Invest in a high-quality razor that moves with the angles and curves of your armpits.
• Although the hair on your head grows in one direction, the hair in your armpit grows in all directions. Because of this, shave in all directions – up, down, and side to side – to achieve the best results.

Alternatives to Shaving Underarms

If you want to quickly and easily remove the hair from your armpits, a shave is your best bet. However, if you do not like the daily upkeep, then you might prefer a different method to optimal armpit maintenance.

There are alternatives to shaving your armpits that take less time or last for a longer period. Consider these options:

Trimming your underarm hair.

If you do not like the feeling of a bald armpit, try trimming your underarm hair instead. You can do it with an electric clipper or a pair of grooming scissors. All you need to do is trim the hair down to a minimal length to your preference. Having shorter hair in your armpits will make it easier for the antiperspirant to make contact with your skin.

If you do not like the feeling of a bald armpit, try trimming your underarm hair instead.

Exfoliating armpits.

If you shave regularly, you will find that your armpits may become discolored. An alternative to this approach is to reduce the frequency of your shaving and, instead, exfoliate your armpits from time to time. This can be done with an exfoliation cleanser and/or a soft brush.

Applying antiperspirant in the evening.

Contrary to what you may have been taught, the best time to put on antiperspirant is in the evening after a shower or bath, not in the morning. Antiperspirant requires time to work into the skin to be the most effective. Applying antiperspirant at night gives it enough time to set and take hold before you start sweating.

To recap, we’ve answered the question, “Does shaving your armpits reduce sweat?” We’ve also offered suggestions to ensure a clean shave and alternatives to shaving armpits for those who aren’t ready to take the bare-armpit plunge.

Take Control of Sweat and Odor

To help reduce the appearance of sweat and the occurrence of smelly underarms, check out our line of sweat proof undershirts (buy on our shop or on Amazon.) Coupled with clean-shaven armpits and a reliable antiperspirant, you can experience “wearable confidence” instead of worrying about sweating through your dress shirt.