Card 1. The Temptation of Sauna

As the weather gets colder after the passing of cool autumn, one naturally thinks of the warm ondol floor. Even though people may know that the artificial heat of the sauna quickens the pace of skin aging, they sometimes want to heat up their whole body. Here, the sauna becomes a price-effective shelter to rest at.

There is nothing so refreshing than sweating out the last drop of sweat so vigorously at the sauna. At this point, one starts to develop a greedy desire to sweat less tiringly and earn a bigger result at the same time.

CARD 2. Apocrine Gland vs Eccrine Gland

The 3~4 million sweat glands that are dispersed in our body are categorized into two categories: Apocrine gland and Eccrine gland. The sweat glands that are located where the hair grows are the Apocrine glands that produce a relatively unpleasant odor. The other sweat glands that are dispersed are the Eccrine glands, which are equally distributed throughout the whole body.

CARD 3. What Causes Perspiration?

The causes for perspiration can be widely divided into factors such as external temperature, exercise, phycological stimulation, and nerve stimulation with 99% of sweat being water and the remaining 1% containing a minimal amount of salt, ammonia, calcium, and minerals.

Although the composition of sweat is not much different in terms of the various causes of perspiration, the effects on the body bring out different consequences.

CARD 4. ‘Sweat’, the Natural Antimicrobial Agent

Sweat released through the skin generally plays a role in facilitating blood circulation, regulating body temperature, and effectively removing the accumulated waste in the body.

According to one study result, sweat is a 'natural antimicrobial agent' that removes the E. coli and the Staphylococcus aureus on the surface of the skin. However, will the sweat from exercise and sauna have the same effect on skin health?

CARD 5. The Sweat from Exercise : ‘Thankful Sweat’

We need energy when we exercise. We use up this energy by burning the carbohydrates and fat that are accumulated in our bodies, thereby naturally producing heat and releasing it as sweat.

This is the 'thankful sweat' that smoothly aids the metabolism throughout the whole body without breaking the balance of the body.

CARD 6. The Sweat from Exercise: ‘Natural Anti-aging agent’

Continuous exercise activates the functioning of sweat glands, helping the excretion of harmful waste in the body such as heavy metals as sweat. Steady exercise hardens the muscle and strengthens the fascia enveloping the muscles so that skin elasticity can be sustained throughout the whole body.

Furthermore, the sweat from exercise accelerates the release of the anti-inflammatory substance called 'Miokine' and helps the cell activation & blood circulation to prevent aging of the skin. At the end, it becomes a beneficial sweat that provides a significant aid to not only the overall health but also skin health.

CARD 7. ‘Heat Aging’, the Sweat from Sauna

In contrast, the sweat from sauna is artificially produced to excrete the electrolytes such as moisture, magnesium, and calcium that are required by our body in order to maintain the 'homeostasis' of the body temperature.

Thus if exposed to the high temperature of the sauna for a long period of time, dangerous conditions of dehydration may be caused by the strong heat stress and rapid rise of body temperature. Furthermore, one cannot be free from 'heat aging'.

CARD 7. “Artificial Perspiration" That Causes an Delusion

Sometimes skin can appear to have improved temporarily due to the swelling of dead skin cells along with the sweat from the high temperature but if the surface of the skin is exposed to the heat for a long time, the skin goes dry as sebum secretion increases and moisture escapes the body.

Thus artificial sweat can only result in rough and sensitive skin surface.

CARD 8. The Gift from Choosing Sweat from Hard Work!

Let us think about it. Sweat from exercise reduces weight and strengthens the muscles but no matter how much you sweat from sauna, will your fat be lost and muscles strengthened?

At the end, let us remember that the same sweat can have completely different influences on the skin health. It is the best decision to throw away our laziness for skin health and choose to work hard.