The Reason You Sweat After a Shower—and How to Stop It

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skynesher/iStock via Getty Images / skynesher/iStock via Getty Images
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It's normal to sweat a bit when taking a hot shower—it's the sweat that drips after you towel off that becomes a problem. Perspiring when you've already washed your hair and body can make you feel as dirty as you did when you stepped into the bathroom. The good news is that sweating after you take a shower is normal, and there are steps you can take to prevent it.

As Popsugar reports, post-shower sweats are often the product of residual heat. If you take steaming showers, that hot water will continue to cling to your hair and skin after you turn off the faucet. At certain temperatures, those droplets are just as likely to make you sweat as the water streaming from your showerhead.

You may assume that drying off is the solution, but in some cases, your towel can raise your body temperature. The friction of the fabric rubbing against your skin generates extra heat, and if the towel just came out of the dryer, it can make you feel even hotter. Combine this with the humidity from the shower you just took, and you have a recipe for unwanted sweat.

To keep your skin feeling clean after bathing in hot water, give your body a cool-down period. Before getting out and drying off, lower the temperature of your shower. Standing in lukewarm-to-cool water for several seconds will wash away any hot water droplets and adjust your body's thermostat. Running your bathroom's exhaust fan or keeping the door ajar will prevent it from becoming overly steamy, but it still helps to move to a cooler environment as soon as you can after your shower.

Though most of us (hopefully) do it every day, showering isn't always straightforward. Here's what the experts have to say about the best way to get clean.

[h/t Popsugar]