Summer is here, and we all know that the temperatures rise as the schools close. We’ll be spending our days running, biking, batting, skipping and playing outdoors at the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience®! After a long day of summer fun, you might notice your skin feels a little wet – sweat! Why, you ask? Today, we answer this question with help from Mayo Clinic.  

Did you know you have about 2.6 million sweat glands all over your skin? Each of these glands plays an important role in your body’s built-in cooling system—sweating! 

The glands found over most of your body that open directly onto the surface of the skin are called eccrine glands. When it’s hot outside and you just spent time running and playing with your friends, your body temperature rises. Your eccrine glands secrete a salt and water fluid, and as it evaporates, you cool down. 

Eccrine glands are bit different from apocrine glands, found in the hairiest parts of your body, such as your armpits. Rather than secreting fluid when you’re too warm, apocrine glands produce a milky fluid when you're stressed or nervous. 

On its own, sweat is odorless, but when it comes into contact with the bacteria found on your skin, it can get a little stinky. Pew! But don’t sweat it! Daily showers and deodorant can help mitigate the stench.