Have you ever caught a whiff of a foul odour after finishing an intense workout or spending an afternoon outside in the heat, only to realise the odour was coming from you? The smell goes with the sweat, and some of us give off a stronger and more pungent scent than others.
We’ve all been through it – sweating excessively and then experiencing body odour. Body odour is the disagreeable odour that dried sweat emits from the body and clothes. It happens every time we sweat excessively and after the sweat dries up. It can be a highly embarrassing condition for some people, who seem to suffer from it more than others. It occurs more during the hot summer months, because one sweats more and hence, has higher chances of body odour.
Most of the time body odour isn’t a problem and a shower will quickly wash it away. But if you notice a change in body odour or you’re sweating much more than usual, it could be a sign of a medical condition that needs treatment.
What Causes Body Odour?
Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down overheated skin. A rise in temperature makes the millions of tiny sweat glands under the skin active. These sweat glands then start processing extra water in the body to expel it out through the skin. This water is ‘sweat’ and it released on the surface of the skin. The release of sweat helps the body heat evaporate and cools down the internal systems as well as the skin – you are thus saved from getting too warm.
On an average, the human body has three to four million sweat glands. But the sweat itself is not responsible for the bad smell that we call body odour. Body odour is caused by the millions of bacteria thriving on the skin and which break down the acids in the sweat within minutes. The bacteria multiply rapidly and the entire process releases an unpleasant smell. A good personal hygiene routine can remove these bacteria and reduce the incidence of body odour, even during the hot summer months.
How To Tackle Body Odour
To prevent your body from smelling – and avoid the embarrassment of body odour – you should solve the problem at its root cause: bacteria. Body odour presents a social stigma and causes embarrassment if not taken care of properly. As a way of life, body odour can be controlled by having a healthy lifestyle.
- Shower With Antibacterial Soap
Wash away sweat and odor-causing bacteria by taking regular baths or showers. Be sure to use anti-bacterial soap as these are designed and proven to remove odor-causing bacteria.
Take time to thoroughly wash areas of the body that are more prone to sweating such as underarms and feet. Cap it off by drying yourself thoroughly to prevent bacteria from breeding on skin.
- Your Armpits Need Special Attention. Bacteria on the skin thrive on the protein and fatty acids produced by your sweat glands, and the problem is more in areas where sweat collects, such as the groin and armpits.
Other methods are wearing clean clothes, applying deodorant, eating proper food, shaving excess body hair, etc. From a scientific point of view, the first consideration should always be given to the source of the problem. If the odour is generated by bacteria, oral or topical medication should be applied to reduce microbial infection.
It is well recognised that certain types of wounds produce obnoxious odours which, even in moderate cases, can cause significant distress or embarrassment to patients and their relatives. In extreme cases this odor can become so overpowering that it may cause an individual to withdraw from social contacts, even with family and close friends.
With malodorous wounds, the most effective method is to prevent or eradicate the infection responsible for the odour.
When To See A Doctor
If you’ve used multiple kinds of deodorants or antiperspirants and nothing helps to reduce your underarm odour, talk with your doctor.
They can rule out underlying medical conditions and recommend stronger treatments.
The Bottom Line
Smelly armpits occur when bacteria break down the otherwise odourless sweat on your skin.
Some people sweat more than others and have a condition called hyperhidrosis. This excess sweating can lead to body odour. While it might cause people to be self-conscious, there are many solutions that can help.
Antiperspirant or deodorising sprays can help you manage body odour in the armpits. If these don’t have an effect, your doctor might prescribe stronger sprays or recommend injections.
Good hygiene, loose-fitting clothes, reducing stress, and possibly shaving or waxing the area might help prevent or reduce body odour.
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