Sweat contains lactic acid, sodium chloride, and other substances that directly irritate the damaged skin barrier, causing itching and stimulation. The humid environment from sweat also promotes increased skin friction and bacterial (especially Staphylococcus aureus) proliferation. However, exercise itself is not the problem — how long sweat remains on the skin is the key.

Practical management: ①shower quickly with lukewarm water (below 38°C) within 30 minutes after exercise, ②use fragrance-free, preservative-free, low-irritation cleanser, ③apply moisturizer generously within 3 minutes of showering, ④wear breathable cotton sportswear, ⑤avoid outdoor exercise during hot afternoon hours. Swimming produces less sweat and is appropriate, but if sensitive to chlorine, rinsing and moisturizing immediately after swimming is important.

Korean Medicine Perspective

In Korean medicine, constitutions with heavy sweating are seen as qi deficiency (氣虛) or yin-deficiency fire-rising (陰虛火旺). The summer atopy flare type generally follows a pattern where symptoms explode when external heat is added to an internal accumulation of damp-heat. Cheongseoyiggi-tang (淸暑益氣湯) or Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang modifications are effective in summer to clear heat and replenish qi-fluid. For external treatment, cold compresses with decocted herbal water provide immediate relief from heat sensation.