Does fanning yourself actually cool your body temperature or does the act of fanning create more heat than it dissipates?

Congratulations on being one of the first people in a VERY long time to post a question i haven't seen here before that ALSO isn't completely idiotic. Unfortunately, i don't have an answer for you beyond my opinion: Even if it doesn't actually lower your body temperature overall, it can make you FEEL cooler.

Your body cools off by disapating heat usually through sweat. If there is no breeze to circulate air, then the heat radiates away from your body slower. Circulated air will carry the heated air away from you faster allow for more meat to disapate. Fanning yourself counts, but, just like electric fans, circulating air only helps 'so-much'.

The act of fanning yourself generates less heat than is dissapated, so yes it helps. And it feels soooo good too.

If you fan from a cool state, yes it will warm you up a little, but you will eventually balance out.