Thoroughly washing, using antiperspirants, and shaving may all assist a person in managing unwanted body odor. If symptoms persist, a doctor may recommend prescription treatments and, in some cases, surgery. Body odor and excessive sweating may also be indicators of an underlying health condition.
Changes to body odor may be due to puberty, excessive sweating, or poor hygiene. Sudden changes are typically caused by the environment, medications, or foods that you eat. However, body odor, especially sudden and persistent changes to your normal odor, can sometimes be a sign of an underlying condition.
What causes the unpleasant smell is the bacteria that build up on your sweaty skin and react with sweat and oils to grow and multiply when sweat reacts with bacteria on the skin. These bacteria break down proteins and fatty acids, causing body odor in the process.
Smelly armpits occur when bacteria break down the otherwise odorless sweat on your skin. Some people sweat more than others and have a condition called hyperhidrosis. This excess sweating can lead to body odor.
Shower More Frequently
Infrequent showering can cause bacteria to build up on your skin. Shower at least once a day (or every morning and night) and scrub your extra-sweaty areas with a scent-free, antibacterial bath soap. Stay away from strongly scented soaps, which can make your armpits smell worse.
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas, like peppermint, chamomile, and hibiscus are naturally caffeine-free. Not only will the toxins flush out of your system, but the added hydration will further assist in flushing bad bacteria out of the body, for a better smelling you!
We're sure you've heard this piece of advice before, but drinking water can help reduce body odor. Water flushes out bodily toxins, and when toxins go, so does body odor because toxins cause odor. It's a simple science equation.
What does your body's smell reveal about you? A lot, as it happens: your age, your diet, your emotions, how robust your immune system is, if you're getting sick—and if so, with which disease (including Covid-19). It can even reveal whom you might marry.
Hormone imbalances and body odor often go together. Dips in estrogen can trigger hot flashes and night sweats, meaning you simply sweat more, which in turn can result in more odor.
Internal factors, like what you're eating, and external factors, like your environment, can impact how well your deodorant works. Increased humidity and altitude affect your “BO” profile, not just how much you sweat but also your microbiome and how it reacts to sweat.
● Citrus Fruits
Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are packed full of pleasant-smelling oils and compounds, which quickly become absorbed by the body and gently released through the skin. As such, eating such fruits is a quick way to improve your natural aroma.
Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Baking Soda
Baking soda helps in neutralising underarm odor by absorbing sweat, balancing the pH levels and suppressing bacterial growth. You can use baking soda as a talc. Pat it in your underarms and dust off the excess once dry. You can also make a semi-solid paste by mixing baking soda and water.
Pineapple is incredibly sweet and citrusy, and it helps our bodies to knock out odor-causing bacteria. Drink and eat extra pineapple, and you might notice a subtle change in the way you or your partner smells.
Body Odor Treatments
Try a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water to fight body odor. Use 1 teaspoon of peroxide (3%) to 1 cup (8 ounces) of water. Wipe this on affected areas (underarms, feet, groin) with a washcloth. This may help destroy some of the bacteria that create odor.
While in the shower fill your hand with hydrogen peroxide and splash and rub it into each of your underarms. At the end of the shower you may rinse it off with water only (This will kill some of the bacteria and is effective)
Deodorant: Mouthwash is effective at killing odor-causing bacteria, both in your mouth and under your arms. If you forget your deodorant on a trip or you want to freshen up during the day, but only have mouthwash on hand, you're in luck.