From Stigma to Status Symbol: How Sweating Became a Western Wellness Trend

Sweating is shedding its long-standing social stigma in the West as celebrities and business professionals increasingly embrace the once-taboo bodily function.

Comedian Alan Carr recently sparked social media buzz after candidly discussing his "sweating problem" on the television show The Celebrity Traitors. He joins a growing list of public figures, including Steve Carell and Chrissy Teigen, who are speaking openly about their bodies.

During a residency in Las Vegas, singer Adele shared with her audience that she had developed a fungal infection caused by excessive perspiration.

This cultural shift coincides with a booming sauna culture in the United States and United Kingdom. Once reserved for spas, saunas are now emerging as popular venues for high-stakes business meetings.

The trend marks a sharp departure from the early 20th century, when aggressive deodorant advertising campaigns framed sweat as a source of shame and social anxiety.

Industry experts and fitness brands like Sweaty Betty now suggest that visible perspiration has become "fashionable." They argue that the public perception of sweating is transitioning from an embarrassment to a symbol of health and activity.

The shifting social perception of perspiration is not an isolated phenomenon but rather a bellwether for a broader Western cultural pivot toward "authenticity." In a digital landscape dominated by curated aesthetics, the willingness of high-profile figures—such as Adele or Alan Carr—to embrace physiological "imperfections" serves as a strategic bridge to the public. By humanizing their public personas, these figures trade distant idolization for a more durable, relatable cultural currency.

This trend is inextricably linked to the burgeoning global "wellness" economy. Sweat has been successfully rebranded; it is no longer viewed through the lens of hygiene deficiency, but as a testament to physical exertion, detoxification, and a high-performance lifestyle. This shift is particularly evident in the rise of sauna-based networking within the professional class. By transitioning discourse from the boardroom to informal, high-temperature spaces, entrepreneurs and tech leaders are effectively dismantling rigid social hierarchies. This environment fosters a brand of "radical transparency" and egalitarianism that has become a hallmark of the modern startup ecosystem.

Ultimately, this movement represents a strategic decoupling from the stringent beauty and hygiene mandates established by 20th-century marketing paradigms. Younger demographics in the U.S. and Europe are increasingly skeptical of legacy advertising and are opting instead for "body naturalism." The normalization of sweat is a key component of this shift, signaling a broader rejection of artificial standards in favor of a more organic, unfiltered reality.

This trend toward candidly discussing bodily functions can be quite jarring for many Vietnamese Americans, particularly the older generations. In traditional culture, such topics are considered deeply private and are rarely broached in public settings, whether at a family gathering in Little Saigon or a casual lunch at a phở restaurant. This contrast highlights the growing gap between modern Western social norms and the traditional etiquette that continues to define the immigrant experience.