Health

Alan Carr’s admission sheds light on social attitudes towards sweating

The topic of sweat has gained significant attention, with participants on The Celebrity Traitors and numerous celebrities openly discussing it, as well as a growing trend of professionals utilizing saunas as a venue for business meetings.

An article about sweat and its increasing acceptance is being read by Michelle.

A treated image of Alan Carr posing in a framed portrait

From the outset, Alan Carr's participation in The Celebrity Traitors seemed uncertain. After being chosen as a "traitor" just 32 minutes into the first episode, his physical reaction became apparent.

As Carr's forehead began to perspire, he confessed to the cameras, "I thought being a traitor would be ideal, but I have a sweating issue and struggle to keep secrets."

Professor Gavin Thomas, a microbiologist from the University of York, observed the episode and noted, "Alan Carr does indeed sweat excessively, and it appears to be eccrine sweat, a common type of sweat triggered by stress."

What was particularly notable, however, was Carr's openness about his sweating and the subsequent analysis by viewers on social media.

Alan Carr is not alone in discussing bodily functions openly. Over the past decade, numerous celebrities, including actors, models, and singers, have shared their experiences with unprecedented candor.

Specifically, regarding sweat, Steve Carell and Emma Stone have spoken about their struggles, while model Chrissy Teigen revealed in 2019 that she underwent Botox injections to prevent excessive perspiration under her arms. In 2023, singer Adele disclosed on stage in Las Vegas that she had contracted a fungal infection due to sweating.

Adele told her audience, "I sweat a lot, and it doesn't evaporate, so I'm essentially sitting in my own sweat."

The growing acceptance of sweat is reflected in the increasing popularity of "sweat suits" for exercise and the long-standing British activewear brand Sweaty Betty, whose founder has declared, "Sweating is now cool."

Adele performs onstage during a Residency Opening at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace — Adele said on stage at her Los Angeles residency, 'I sweat a lot and it doesn't go anywhere, so I basically am just sitting in my own sweat'

Could this shift in attitude signal the end of the long-standing taboo surrounding discussions of perspiration?

At a sauna in Peckham, south London, young professionals gather, dressed in swimwear, and engage in intense heat sessions, followed by ice baths, all while a DJ plays music in the background.

Josh Clarricoats, a 33-year-old entrepreneur, frequently visits the sauna, where he meets his business partner every fortnight to discuss work.

Clarricoats admits, "Our most creative thinking happens when we're at the sauna, likely due to the combination of sweat, discomfort, and the release of endorphins."

While some professionals may have previously felt self-conscious about sweating in front of colleagues, Clarricoats believes this is no longer the case, saying, "When everyone is sweating, it becomes less of an issue."

In Finland, saunas have long been an integral part of daily life, associated with the concept of löyly, which suggests that sweat, heat, and steam can lead to a spiritual state.

Inside a sauna in Finland — British and American professionals are adopting the Finnish tradition and meeting work colleagues at saunas

Recently, the tradition of saunailta, or meeting colleagues in saunas, has gained popularity among British and American professionals.

The Wall Street Journal has noted that saunas have become a hub for networking, with the idea being that sweat helps to level the playing field, reduce inhibitions, and facilitate relationships.

In Scandinavia, "sauna diplomacy" has been used to facilitate high-level discussions, such as when Finnish President Urho Kekkonen invited Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev to an all-night sauna session in the 1960s.

Luxury sauna chains are now emerging in cities like San Francisco and New York, with members paying up to $200 per month to sweat together in style.

According to the British Sauna Association, the number of saunas in the UK has risen sharply, with over 400 now in operation.

Gabrielle Reason, a physiologist and director of the British Sauna Association, believes that sweating in a sauna can be liberating, saying, "When you're sweating, you look disheveled, but there's something freeing about that in a world that often prioritizes image."

Reason adds, "You're sweaty, red, and smelly, but you stop caring about your appearance."

Historically, our relationship with sweat has been complex, and for many years, it was a source of fear.

In medieval England, a "sweating sickness" was believed to be deadly, and some speculate that Mozart's death may have been related to the "Picardy sweat," a mysterious illness characterized by excessive perspiration.

However, the fear of sweat was further perpetuated in the early 20th century by the hygiene industry, which used it to sell deodorants, according to Sarah Everts, a chemist and author of The Joy of Sweat.

Everts notes that the most egregious marketing campaigns targeted young women, such as a 1938 advert for the deodorant Mum, which warned women that underarm odor could lead to unpopularity and social stigma.

The advert claimed, "Men often discuss women behind their backs, and unpopularity can begin with the first hint of underarm odor, a fault that men cannot tolerate or forgive."

Everts believes that this shame has been ingrained in Western culture, and she has personally experienced embarrassment about her own sweating.

Students practice the unique Yoga in London, England — 'In a hot yoga class, I'd notice that the first drip of sweat would always come from me,' says Ms Everts

She recalls, "In a hot yoga class, I'd notice that I'd be the first to start sweating, and I'd feel mortified, even though it's a space where sweating is expected."

However, in recent years, this shame has begun to dissipate, at least in some quarters.

The beauty industry has played a role in this shift, embracing a new mantra: embracing perspiration.

In 2020, Forbes described public sweatiness as a major fashion trend, while Vogue has featured photo spreads on the appeal of a sweaty face, known as "post-gym skin."

In 2023, Dove launched a campaign encouraging customers to share photos of their sweaty armpits under the hashtag "Free the Pits."

Remi Bader, a TikTok influencer with over two million followers, partnered with Dove and said, "I'm very open with my followers about my sweating, and it's completely normal."

This trend may have started as a niche or marketing ploy but appears to have permeated the broader culture.

Remi Bader attends the 2024 CFDA Awards at American Museum of Natural History — 'I'm very, very open with my followers about how I'm very sweaty. It's so normal,' said Remi Bader

Zoe Nicols, a mobile beauty therapist, reports that clients are now requesting a "sweaty makeup" look, which she describes as a "Sweaty Hot Girl aesthetic," characterized by a post-workout or post-sauna glow.

However, Everts remains skeptical, believing that the trend has been co-opted by the personal hygiene industry for commercial gain.

She argues, "Instead of saying, 'You smell, and that's bad,' they're saying, 'You smell, but we all smell, and here's a product to solve that problem.'"

Everts views this as a continuation of the same marketing strategies, albeit with a more positive spin.

There has been significant discussion about the potential health benefits of sweating, with spas offering services that claim to "sweat out toxins" using steam, heat, and infrared light, a trend that has gained traction on social media, albeit with varying degrees of credibility.

The concept of removing significant amounts of "toxins" from the blood through sweating has been met with skepticism by scientists.

According to Davide Filingeri, a professor of physiology at the University of Southampton, there is a lack of robust empirical evidence to support this idea.

Ms Everts offers a more candid assessment, stating that the notion is entirely unfounded.

Nevertheless, sweating serves a fundamental purpose: it helps to regulate the body's temperature.

BBC handout photo of Tom Daley, Cat Burns, Ruth Codd, Claire Balding, Niko Omilana, David Olusoga, Jonathan Ross, Celia Imrie, Claudia Winkleman, Mark Bonnar, Nick Mohammed, Charlotte Church, Tameka Empson, Lucy Beaumont, Alan Carr, Joe Mahler & Sir Stephen Fry Paloma Faith, Joe Wilkinson and Kate Garraway, the contestants for The Celebrity Traitors — Traitors contestant, actress Celia Imrie, also admitted to a bodily mishap in a recent episode

Dr Adil Sheraz, a dermatologist at the Royal Free NHS Trust, notes that eccrine sweat, the most common type of sweat, plays a crucial role in maintaining body temperature.

This type of sweat is produced by millions of tiny glands in the body, with each person having between two and five million of them, and it cools the body through evaporation.

Ms Everts has researched the historical benefits of sweating, tracing its advantages back to prehistoric times when it enabled early humans to engage in strenuous activities for extended periods in the sun, and evolutionary biologists consider it a key factor in human uniqueness.

She describes this ability as a remarkable asset.

However, there is a group of individuals for whom sweating is not a beneficial trait, but rather a source of distress: those affected by hyperhidrosis, a medical condition characterized by excessive sweating without any apparent cause.

It is estimated that hyperhidrosis affects between one and five percent of the population, although it has only recently gained widespread recognition.

While the condition is not life-threatening, it can be distressing for those who experience it.

Melissa, who prefers to remain anonymous, first experienced symptoms of hyperhidrosis in childhood, recalling that her hands and feet were constantly sweaty, even in cool or calm environments.

As a result, she was always self-conscious about her sweaty palms and feet, which made everyday interactions, such as holding hands or playing, a source of anxiety.

Even now, hyperhidrosis affects her confidence, making tasks like writing or using her phone challenging, and she often avoids physical contact due to concerns about how others might react.

Chrissy Teigen previously wrote on Instagram: 'Botoxed my armpits. Truly best move I have ever made. I can wear silk again without soaking'

Nevertheless, she has found solace in the growing willingness to discuss the condition openly and has learned to adapt to its challenges.

Experts predict that interest in sweat will continue to grow as global temperatures rise.

Prof Filingeri believes that climate change will highlight the limitations of the human body's ability to cool itself through sweating, as the body may not be able to produce sweat quickly enough to compensate for rising temperatures, although the increasing use of air conditioning may mitigate this effect to some extent.

As Prof Filingeri notes, humans have a limited physiological capacity to respond to extreme temperatures.

However, Ms Everts views the increasing discussion around sweat as a positive development, given the likelihood of increased sweating in the future due to climate change.

She argues that it is essential to overcome any lingering stigma surrounding sweat and instead cultivate a more accepting attitude towards it.

Image credits: BBC and PA.

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Health

Study Explores if Brain Stimulation Can Reduce Selfish Behavior

Researchers have found a way to temporarily and marginally decrease self-centered behavior in individuals by activating two specific regions of the brain.

Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding that temporary reductions in selfish behavior can be achieved by stimulating specific areas of the brain.

The image shows a brain scan seen from the dront of the head. The lobes of the brain are artifically coloured in bright red and you can see the pink outline of a person's skull around the brain.

A recent study conducted at the University of Zurich involved 44 participants who were tasked with dividing a sum of money between themselves and an anonymous partner, allowing scientists to observe their decision-making processes.

The experiment utilized electrical current to stimulate the frontal and parietal regions of the brain, located at the front and rear of the skull, respectively. When these areas were stimulated simultaneously, participants exhibited a greater willingness to share their funds.

According to Prof Christian Ruff, a lead author of the study, the observed effects were consistent, albeit modest in scale.

Statistical analysis revealed a notable increase in participants' willingness to allocate funds to others, indicating a shift in their behavior.

The findings not only provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying fundamental human behavior but may also have implications for the treatment of certain brain disorders characterized by impaired social behavior.

Prof Ruff noted that some individuals struggle with profound social difficulties due to an inability to consider others' perspectives, leading to consistently selfish behavior, and suggested that this discovery could potentially be used to address such issues.

However, the effects of the brain stimulation were found to be short-lived, suggesting that repeated application may be necessary to achieve lasting changes.

Prof Ruff likened the potential effects of repeated stimulation to the benefits of regular exercise, stating that consistent application over a prolonged period could lead to significant changes in behavior, much like the physical adaptations that occur with regular gym attendance.

This latest discovery builds upon a previous study in which researchers monitored brain activity while participants engaged in a similar money-sharing game, providing a foundation for the current findings.

A participant receiving non-invasive brain stimulation during an experiment in a laboratory setting. The volunteer sits in the foreground with another person, whose hands can be seen, holding a scanning device over the person's head. A scan of their brain is visible on a screen behind.

The earlier study identified two brain regions that appeared to be synchronized, with neural activity occurring at the same frequency, when participants made more generous decisions.

These brain areas are known to play a crucial role in decision-making and empathy, enabling individuals to distinguish between their own feelings and those of others.

When participants made selfless decisions, the regions responsible for empathy and decision-making were found to be communicating with each other.

The researchers sought to investigate whether electrical stimulation could be used to influence this communication and promote more selfless decision-making.

One participant who underwent the brain stimulation test described the experience as a gentle, soothing sensation, comparable to a warm shower or light rain on the scalp.

The participant reported making decisions while receiving the stimulation without feeling any external influence on their choices.

The discovery of a consistent neural pattern associated with selfless decision-making across multiple individuals suggests that altruism may be an innate, evolutionarily conserved trait that enables humans to care for one another.

Prof Ruff emphasized the clinical significance of this finding, highlighting the potential to modify and influence this neural mechanism.

Dr Jie Hu, a co-author of the study, noted that the research provides evidence of a causal relationship between brain activity and decision-making, demonstrating that targeted stimulation can alter an individual's sharing behavior.

By manipulating communication within a specific brain network using non-invasive stimulation, the researchers observed a shift in participants' decisions, influencing the balance between self-interest and altruism.

Addressing concerns about the potential implications of this research, Prof Ruff assured that the experiment was conducted with strict adherence to medical regulations and ethical guidelines, ensuring the well-being and informed consent of all participants.

The neuroscientist drew a distinction between the controlled, medically regulated nature of the experiment and the often-subliminal influences of social media and advertising, which can affect behavior without explicit consent.

Prof Ruff suggested that, in contrast to the experiment, the impacts of social media and advertising on brain function and behavior are often unforeseen and uncontrolled, highlighting the importance of careful consideration and regulation in such contexts.

Health

NHS Workers to Receive 3.3% Pay Increase

Labor unions have expressed displeasure, yet the government maintains that its actions showcase a dedication to its workforce.

The government has confirmed that NHS staff in England will receive a 3.3% pay increase in the upcoming financial year.

Nurses on a ward, checking patient notes

This pay award applies to approximately 1.4 million health workers, including nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, and porters, but excludes doctors, dentists, and senior management.

Although the Department of Health and Social Care initially proposed a lower figure, it has accepted the recommendation of the independent pay review body to demonstrate its commitment to NHS staff, resulting in a higher pay rise than initially suggested.

However, several health unions have expressed disappointment with the announced pay award.

Prof Nicola Ranger, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), noted that the 3.3% increase falls short of the current consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate of 3.4%, which measures the rise in prices over the past year.

Prof Ranger stated, "A pay award that is lower than the current inflation rate is unacceptable, and unless inflation decreases, the government will be imposing a real pay cut on NHS workers."

She criticized the government's approach, saying, "This strategy of making last-minute decisions is not an appropriate way to treat individuals who are essential to a system in crisis."

Prof Ranger indicated that she would wait to see the pay awards for the rest of the public sector and doctors before deciding on a course of action.

The RCN had previously reacted strongly to the 5.4% pay increase received by resident doctors last year, compared to the 3.6% increase received by nurses, which they described as "grotesque".

Prof Ranger emphasized, "Nursing staff will not accept being treated with disrespect, as has happened in the past when they were given lower pay awards than other groups."

Helga Pile, head of health at Unison, the largest health union, commented, "NHS staff who are already under financial pressure will be outraged by another pay award that fails to keep up with inflation."

"Once again, they are expected to deliver more while their pay effectively decreases, as it falls behind the rising cost of living," she added.

In response, the government argued that the pay award is actually above the forecasted inflation rate for the coming year, which is around 2%.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care stated, "This government greatly values the outstanding work of NHS staff and is committed to supporting them."

The pay increase is expected to be implemented by the start of April.

However, the government did not provide a timeline for the announcement on doctors' pay, as the pay review body responsible for making recommendations on their pay has yet to submit its report to ministers.

The government is currently engaged in negotiations with the British Medical Association regarding the pay of resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors.

Members of the BMA recently voted in favor of strike action, granting them a six-month mandate for walkouts, and there have been 14 strikes so far in the ongoing dispute.

Health

NHS Waiting List Hits Three-Year Low

In England, the backlog has fallen below 7.3 million for the first time since 2023, yet worries persist regarding prolonged waiting times in accident and emergency departments.

England's hospital waiting list has reached its lowest point in almost three years, marking a significant milestone in the country's healthcare system.

A group of surgeons operating on a patient in theatre

As of December 2025, the number of patients awaiting treatment, including knee and hip operations, stood at 7.29 million, the lowest figure recorded since February 2023.

However, the latest monthly update from NHS England reveals that long wait times persist in Accident and Emergency departments, with a record number of patients experiencing 12-hour trolley waits.

In January 2026, over 71,500 patients spent more than 12 hours waiting for a hospital bed after being assessed by A&E staff, the highest number tracked since 2010.

This translates to nearly one in five patients admitted after visiting A&E waiting for an extended period.

According to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, while progress has been made, significant challenges still need to be addressed.

Streeting acknowledged that "there is much more to do" and emphasized the need to accelerate progress, but expressed optimism that the NHS is on the path to recovery.

Dr. Vicky Price, representing the Society for Acute Medicine, noted that hospitals are operating beyond safe capacity in terms of emergency care.

Dr. Price highlighted the vulnerability of patients who require admission, often elderly and frail individuals with complex needs, who are at greater risk of harm when care is delivered in corridors and hospitals exceed safe limits.

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, commended the progress made in reducing wait times, achieved despite the challenges posed by strikes by resident doctors.

Burton attributed this progress to the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, describing it as a "triumph".

Although the waiting list decreased, performance against the 18-week target slightly declined, with 61.5% of patients waiting less than 18 weeks, compared to 61.8% in November, and still short of the 92% target set to be met by 2029.

Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals, welcomed the progress but cautioned that it obscures significant regional variations.

A recent BBC report revealed that nearly a quarter of hospital trusts experienced worsening wait times over the past year.

Deighton emphasized that the NHS is composed of numerous separate organizations, each with unique financial and operational challenges, making it more difficult to address care backlogs in some areas.

According to Deighton, this means that tackling care backlogs will be more challenging in certain parts of the country due to these distinct regional challenges.