Three glands are responsible for body odor. The secretions of the apocrine glands (located the underarms, genitals, and around the nipples) and the eccrine glands (found mainly in underarms, hands, and feet) produce an odor when they interact with skin bacteria. Oil produced by the sebaceous glands (scalp, face, and chest) has a light odor with or without bacteria.
What can you do to chase the smells away? You know the basics—bathe daily with antibacterial or deodorant soap (twice a day, if you have to), wash pitted out, sweaty clothes, and use underarm protection. But here’s some other ideas that can help keep you smelling fresh.
Watch what you eat. Certain foods have the potential to make our sweat more pungent. A diet high in the red meat increases body odor as does curry, garlic, and other spicy foods. “We don’t fully digest garlic, curry and onions so they leave the pores with the sweat and create a strong smell.
Shave your underarm. If you have a lot of hair under your arms, it slows the evaporation of sweat so that you have more bacteria. (If your crotch area is a problem, consider waxing. And take pit stops, meaning, if you exercise a lot or sweat a lot, wash under your arms a few times a day and change clothing.
Use antiperspirant and deodorant. An antiperspirant blocks the sweating action while deodorants have fragrance to mask the smell. Deodorants also make the skin more acidic, making it less hospitable for bacteria.
Apply deodorant twice . Studies have shown that applying deodorant in the morning on dry skin and at night before bed makes a big difference. Night-time application allows the ingredients to get into the sweat glands and clog them, as opposed to the morning, when sweat glands may already be full.
Change shoes often. If foot odor is your problem, give shoes a chance to dry inside by changing them often. Dust them and your feet with foot powder to maintain dryness.
Wear breathable clothing. Natural fibers (linen, silk, cotton, light wool like merino) can breathe and decrease sweating. Also some of the high-tech fibers wick away moisture. Many exercise clothing now offer high-tech fabric that wicks away moisture from the body, so bacteria doesn’t have a chance to get at the sweat.
Wash regularly. Bathing at least twice a day can help limit the bacteria population on your skin, which is the source of most body odors . When washing, focus on traditionally troublesome areas like your feet and armpits. Dry your body well after washing since bacteria grow best on damp skin.
Baking soda . To get instantly rid of body odour, baking soda can come in handy. It can absorb all the moisture from the skin and take away the smell as well. Baking soda can kill the odour causing bacteria and prevent excess sweating and odour. Since it is alkaline in nature, it will lower down the pH level of sweating parts to counteract the acids in sweat. So this baking soda not only reduces perspiration but also clears body odor effectively. Simply take a little of baking soda into your hands while taking shower and apply it onto underarms and scrub it for few minutes and then wash it off normally to clear the baking soda and the body odor.
Use antibacterial soap. Since the underlying cause of body odour is bacteria, the best way is to get rid of those nasty pests. Using a good antibacterial soap can help you get rid of any body odour and make you feel fresh. We tend to wash ourselves quickly and head out of the shower, but antibacterial soaps are required to stay for at least two minutes to work. It might not work if you wash off the soap as quickly as you applied. The best way is to use a loofah with it to scrub away all the bacteria and dead skin cells which will make you squeaky clean and will keep bad body odour at bay.
See a physician.See a physician about underlying disease. The smell can be caused by hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) or trimethylaminuria (a.k.a. fish odor syndrome), a metabolic disorder that prevents the body from breaking down a smelly compound called trimethylamine. “Diabetes, tuberculosis, Parkinson’s disease, and cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma also can cause excessive sweating.
Ask about a prescription antiperspirant. Talk to your dermatologist about Drysol or Xerac, which have higher aluminum concentrations.
Think about Botox. Botox injections shrink sweat glands on hands, feet and armpits. The effect lasts on average for about eight months.
Consider electromagnetic therapy. For people with hyperhidrosis, a new procedure called miraDry, uses controlled, directed electromagnetics to destroy underarm sweat glands. (This cannot be used on other parts of the body.)
Get underarm surgery. It you are really desperate, various types of surgeries – excision, liposuction and laser – can remove sweat glands in the surface fat.
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