We have heard over and over again that sweating is good for your body, especially when you are exercising. Sweating is actually a means by which the body is cooling itself.
Excessive sweating means producing as much as five times more sweat than is needed and it usually occurs when a person’s cooling system is kicked into overdrive. This medical condition is called Hyperhidrosis.
To learn more about the condition, we spoke to Dr. Inas Musa, a specialist in dermatology and aesthetics, and an expert in treating various skin conditions with modern cosmetic procedures at Obagi Medispa in Dubai. Read on to find out about the treatments available to help you sweat less — and live more.
What is the medical definition of excessive underarm sweating?
This term is used to describe excessive sweat production in the underarm areas. Medically, it is called Hyperhidrosis, which is a condition where a person excessively sweats more than what is required to regulate body temperature.
How common is it?
This condition is quite common in both males and females. A lot of people who have this condition do not seek medical help either because they are embarrassed or they think that this condition is not treatable.
Does it have anything to do with one’s lifestyle and diet?
Yes it does. There are several medications and food supplements that can cause what is known as secondary Hyperhidrosis. In general the patient feels excessive sweating mainly when during physical efforts or even emotional stress.
Do deodorants help?
There are several medical deodorants such as aluminum-based antiperspirants that help to reduce the sweating level. It usually should be applied under doctor’s supervision as it causes irritation due to long-term use. General deodorants have an effect on limiting the odor of the sweat but do not help in reducing the sweating itself.
Are antiperspirants and deodorants harmful?
Until now there is no scientific evidence that authorized antiperspirants are dangerous and we advise medicinal deodorants to be prescribed or used under medical supervision.
Tell us about the Botox injections. What role do they play, how often can someone use them and how safe are they?
This treatment was one of the best that relieved many patients from the problem of excessive sweating. It has to be repeated approximately twice a year as its effect is temporary.
What about laser?
There aren’t any laser techniques that can be used for the management of Hyperhidrosis.
Tell us more about the newest treatment MirarDry.
This machine utilizes microwave technology that is applied on the skin. It affects only the lower part of the skin where the sweat glands are located while keeping the epidermis intact. Sweat glands do not regenerate, so if destroyed, the excess sweat glands are permanently disabled.
How often can one use it? How long does it last?
The patient should undergo two sessions within a gap of three months. Approximately 82 percent reduction in the sweating level is noticed and this effect is permanent.
Is it dangerous at all to block the sweat from coming out of the body?
Sweat glands that are located in the underarm contribute to only 3 percent of the total sweating capacity all over the body. And losing this 3 percent does not affect the body’s thermal balance.
Is this treatment good for both men and women?
The treatment can be used effectively and safely for both men and women.
—
Email: Rima.almukhtar@arabnews.com
Sweaty armpits: All you need to know
Sweaty armpits: All you need to know
Designer Alina Anwar takes over Times Square
DUBAI: Dubai-based designer Alina Anwar, founder of Alina Anwar Couture, this week appeared on a digital billboard in Times Square, New York.
Well known for dressing celebrities in Hollywood and Bollywood, including Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Kareena Kapoor and Idina Menzel, Anwar has expanded her reach internationally with her gowns and suits.
The billboard featured Anwar, who is famous for her structured silhouettes and feminine designs, wearing a red sequined skirt from her own collection, accompanied by her brand’s statement: “My aim is to empower women through powerful dressing and to set them on a path of personal freedom and possibilities.”
In a statement she said: “I created this brand to empower women, to make them feel confident, unstoppable and seen. To have that vision now broadcast in Times Square is surreal, but it’s also just the beginning.”
Anwar’s brand is a luxury eveningwear label that creates gowns and tea-length dresses using contemporary couture techniques and French finishing. The brand’s pieces feature fine fabrics and detailed tailoring, and are made in the UAE.
In 2019, her work gained global attention when US singer Mariah Carey wore one of her designs in a remake of the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” music video, released to mark the song’s 25th anniversary. Carey wore a pine green, fully sequined, long-sleeved cocktail dress with a scooped neckline, designed by Anwar.
“I hope to see more and more Hollywood stars wear my brand and as a Dubai-based fashion label, I am so overwhelmed by the trust that they are giving me. I am here to advocate UAE-made products (that) are world-class,” Anwar said at the time.
Anwar is not the only regional figure to appear on a Times Square billboard.
Several Arab artists have featured in recent years.
Egyptian singer Amr Diab became the first Arab musical artist to appear on a Spotify billboard in Times Square in 2019.
Since then, others have followed, including Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, who was featured in December as part of Spotify Arabia’s “EQUAL” campaign spotlighting female artists from the region.
From Shanghai to New York, stars show off Lebanese looks
DUBAI: International stars including Hollywood actress Emily Blunt and Chinese K-Pop singer Victoria Song showed off glittering looks by Lebanese designers at global events.
Blunt attended the American Institute for Stuttering's Annual Gala in New York late last week in a gown from Lebanese label Elie Saab’s pre-fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection.
The pleated gown came in a simmering shade of burnt sienna and incorporated a bouquet of ruffles on one shoulder. The Oscar-nominated actress chose to keep things relatively simple when it came to her accessories, opting for minimal earrings, bracelets and a few shimmering rings. Blunt’s look was put together by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster, who also works with singer Paris Jackson and actress and comedian Quinta Brunson. Launched in 1998, the American Institute for Stuttering is a non-profit organization offering speech therapy and community support for people of who stutter.
Blunt previously wore an Elie Saab design for the 2024 BAFTAs in London and proved she’s a fan of Lebanese creations by attending the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Albie Awards in a hot red dress by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad in September 2023.
Meanwhile, Chinese songstress Song showed off a full beaded lilac number by Elie Saab at the 2025 2025 Sina Weibo Movie Night Awards on Friday.
The red carpet in Shanghai, China, played host to a number of decadent Lebanese designs, with the likes of Elaine Zhong showing off a Zuhair Murad gown as Tong Li Ya opted for Georges Hobeika and Chen Du Ling stunned in Georges Chakra.
The actresses all opted for floor-length shimmering gowns in various shades of gold, with Zuhair Murad’s social media team describing the fashion house’s creation as “an embroidered corset with leaf petal detailing in champagne and silver paired with a draped silk chiffon skirt from the Zuhair Murad Couture Spring 2025 collection.”
Bella Hadid’s Orebella named conscious brand of the year
DUBAI: Ulta Beauty — one of the largest beauty retailers in the US — has awarded Bella Hadid’s fragrance brand, Orebella, its prestigious “conscious brand of the year” title, recognizing the label’s commitment to clean ingredients, ethical practices and sustainable packaging.
Hadid took to Instagram to announce the news with her followers. “Thank you to our Ulta Beauty family for recognizing our commitment to creating a healthy daily ritual for all,” she wrote.
Hadid went on to share the criteria that helped Orebella to earn the title, noting that the brand meets Ulta’s guidelines across several categories. These include clean ingredients — excluding parabens, phthalates and more than 20 other substances on Ulta’s “Made Without” list.
Orebella goes further, she said, banning more than 1,300 ingredients in line with EU standards.
She also emphasized that the brand is certified cruelty-free by PETA and Leaping Bunny, and is entirely vegan, formulated without any animal products or byproducts. In addition, all Orebella packaging is recyclable, refillable or made from recycled or bio-sourced materials, including its line of perfumes.
Hadid also highlighted Orebella’s philanthropic efforts, explaining that the brand’s Alchemy Foundation donates at least 1 percent of domestic net sales to causes “close to our hearts.”
The alcohol-free scents of Orebella, which launched in 2024, were Hadid’s answer to traditional perfumes.
Hadid wrote on her website: “For me, fragrance has always been at the center of my life — helping me feel in charge of who I am and my surroundings,” she said. “From my home to nostalgic memories, to my own energy and connection with others, scent has been an outlet for me. It made me feel safe in my own world.
“Through my healing journey, I found that I was extremely sensitive to the alcohol in traditional perfumes — both physically and mentally — it became something that was more overwhelming than calming to me,” she added. “That is the main reason I wanted to find an alternative, so essential oils became an artistic and experimental process for me.”
She started growing lavender on her farm, walking through the garden every morning and learning about her family’s tradition of making homemade scents. “I realized I might have a calling in this. I found healing, joy and love within nature’s scents,” she said.
Mya lights up BET red carpet in Alexis Bittar jewels
DUBAI: US singer-songwriter Mya Marie Harrison, who goes by the stage name Mya, showed off accessories by a part-Syrian designer at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night.
Grammy Award–winning singer and entertainer Mya showed off a handbag and jewelry by accessories designer Alexis Bittar on the red carpet before she delivered a dynamic performance of her 2000 hit “Case of the Ex.”
On the carpet, she was fully accessorized in Bittar’s flashy, decadent pieces — from an extravagant pendant at her neck to an eclectic stack of bangles, all topped off with a sparkly silver clutch.
Known for his bold, organic designs and use of mixed materials, Bittar infuses distinct Middle Eastern flair into his work. The New York–based designer, who is half Syrian on his father’s side, has built a global reputation for his statement-making accessories.
Mya is far from his first celebrity client. His expansive portfolio includes the likes of Michelle Obama and Cameron Diaz, and he famously served as the costume jewelry designer for HBO series “Sex and the City,” helping define character Carrie Bradshaw’s now iconic looks.
On Monday night, Bittar’s creations were just one part of a star-studded evening that balanced fashion, purpose, and powerful performances.
The BET Awards delivered a night of major star power and poignant moments, marking the ceremony's 25th anniversary with a mix of comedy, emotion and calls for justice, the Associated Press reported. The festivities included a powerful speech by Doechii, Jamie Foxx’s emotional reflection and Kevin Hart’s sharp comedic opener.
Doechii, in particular, made her presence felt early during the five-hour ceremony, using her acceptance speech for best female hip-hop artist to draw attention to the immigration raids and protest crackdowns taking place just miles from the venue.
Foxx, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin received the Ultimate Icon Award. They were selected due to their impact on entertainment as well as their community impact and advocacy.
Carey said this was her first time collecting a trophy at the BET Awards.
“It took me a while, but I finally realized that life is far too short to live for anyone else's approval, which is something I always did,” said Carey, a five-time Grammy winner. “I decided to own who I am.”
Cynthia Erivo wears Ashi Studio at Tony Awards
- Show’s major highlight sees cast of hit musical ‘Hamilton’ reunited
DUBAI: British singer-songwriter and actor Cynthia Erivo picked Saudi-helmed Parisian label Ashi Studio for two of her electrifying looks as she hosted the 2025 Tony Awards, the annual ceremony celebrating the best in Broadway theater, held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Erivo’s first Ashi Studio look featured an oversized black coat dress dotted with bedazzled details, which she wore over black pants and a tube top.
Her second look was a black and gold snakeskin-print tailored trench coat with voluminous sleeves and an oversized collar, cinched by a fitted corset from the SS25 Ashi Studio collection. She wore the look to welcome Auli'i Cravalho to the stage.
“Maybe Happy Ending,” “Purpose,” “Sunset Blvd.” and “Eureka Day” took the top prizes at the awards, winning best musical, best play, best musical revival, and best play revival, respectively.
The ceremony also saw Sarah Snook (“The Picture of Dorian Gray”), Cole Escola (“Oh, Mary!”), Darren Criss (“Maybe Happy Ending”), and Nicole Scherzinger (“Sunset Blvd.”) win the lead acting awards for plays (Snook and Escola) and musicals (Criss and Scherzinger).
“Maybe Happy Ending” won a total of six awards after going into the night tied with “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Death Becomes Her” for the most nominations, with 10 apiece.
“Buena Vista Social Club” won four awards, while “Death Becomes Her” only took home one trophy, for Paul Tazewell’s costume design, which was presented in the “Tony Awards: Act One” pre-show.
Also in attendance at the event as British Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, along with actor-husband George Clooney. The couple’s arrival at the Tonys came hours after George closed his record-breaking Broadway show, “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Amal wore an off-the-shoulder white gown with strands of pearls draped across the fabric, which she accessorized with a matching clutch.
A major highlight of the show saw the cast of the hit musical “Hamilton” reunited for a special performance in honor of its 10th anniversary.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of the Tony-winning show, was joined by more than two dozen members of the original cast, including Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Daveed Diggs, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Anthony Ramos, Christopher Jackson, Jonathan Groff, and Ariana DeBose.
The performance began with Miranda and Odom Jr. performing a snippet from the song “Non-Stop.” The show continued with a medley of tracks from the “Hamilton” score, including “My Shot,” “The Schuyler Sisters,” “You’ll Be Back,” “The Room Where it Happens” and “History Has Its Eyes on You.”
