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.
Lifestyle modifications like decreasing the intake or avoiding foods that cause body odour like caffeine, alcohol, onions, garlic, etc., may help to manage body odour and smelly underarms. Removing underarm hair could also be helpful as hair act as a breeding ground for bacteria.
ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
So the key to eliminating body odor is to tackle the bacteria growth that exists in our armpits with a proper armpit washing routine, using an antibacterial soap.
Both white vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV are acidic in nature and have antimicrobial properties. It neutralises the environment in the underarm area and destroys the bacteria. It also works by lowering the pH of the underarm area and unclogs the pores of your skin.
Certain food, drugs and medical conditions may also cause body odor. If you have severe body odor or a change in body odor, see your doctor. Your doctor can look for what's causing it and then talk to you about treatment options.
New York Biology's Tea Tree and Mint Body Wash is the best antibacterial soap for underarm odor. It helps eliminate bad scents on the body and can treat fungal diseases on your feet. PROS: It's cruelty-free, contains no sulfates, and doesn't contain alcohol which can dry out your skin.
Similarly, water helps release toxins through sweat. If your body is dehydrated, you are unable to release these toxins (bacteria), which when accumulated leads to an unpleasant body odor, especially in the armpits, feet, and groin area.
One of the by-products of their metabolism is a group of sulphur-containing chemicals called thioalcohols. The exact thioalcohols produced will depend on your unique menagerie of skin bacteria, but some thioalcohols do indeed smell strongly of onion.
Apply some apple cider vinegar
"Apple cider vinegar is a great natural underarm deodorant," says Georgianna Donadio, PhD. She suggests applying it directly to your armpits to kill body odor.
In women, hormone levels change throughout the menstrual cycle, throughout pregnancy, during postpartum, or as a result of using medication with hormonal side effects. All of these changes can contribute to the intensity and pleasantness of body odor and there may be a link between our scent and attraction (5).
Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish. As this compound builds up in the body, it causes affected people to give off a strong fishy odor in their sweat, urine, and breath. The intensity of the odor may vary over time.
With the sun comes sweat and with sweat comes body odour, and no one enjoys smelling like a walking sweat box. The acidic nature of the lemons prevents the bacteria from building up, plus the anti-bacterial properties subdue the growth of the bacteria that produce the odour.
By the end of the study, researchers concluded that men who removed their armpit hair by waxing it off or shaving it with a razor had the least body odor. Those who simply trimmed their armpit hair had the next smelliest, with the strongest armpit odors coming from those who left their pit hair untamed.
Antibacterial soaps
Dial® is a great example of a common antibacterial soap. It can be a little too harsh to wash the entire body with, but is great for the areas that have a tendency to produce unwanted odor. My male patients particularly love it. Hibiclens® is another alternative and also available over-the-counter.
KNOCK OUT EXISTING ODOR - Lume Acidified Body Wash is clinically proven to remove odor better than traditional soap. CONTROL ODOR FROM SHOWER TO SHEETS - Our body wash doesn't just remove odor, it is also clinically proven to control odor for 24 hours after you step out of the shower.
Showering a few times a week, especially after you exercise or do other activities that make you sweat, may be enough to rid you of body odor without drying out or irritating your skin. After your shower or bath, apply an antiperspirant and deodorant.
While sweat in and of itself is odorless, the type of sweat produced in your armpits, feet, and groin smells bad when it combines with bacteria that's already on your skin. That's why frequent bathing or showering with mild soap and warm water is important to rinse sweat off the skin.
In addition, if you smell a strong, fishy odor, you may have bacterial vaginosis (vaginal infection) or trichomoniasis (a sexually transmitted disease caused by a parasite). Schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss antibiotic treatments to stop the infection.
Body odor is caused by bacteria breaking down the sweat from the apocrine glands in your armpits, groin, and pubic area. You may be more prone to body odor if you are overweight, eat certain foods, have certain health conditions, or are under stress. Genetics may also play a role.
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) - This vitamin helps with olfactory dysfunction and thus helps with complete or partial loss of body odor. So people who are sweating the most should eat vitamin B12 food sources such as fish, meat, eggs, etc.