Avoiding body odor: Sweat success

Having BO (body odor) can be an embarrassing problem. This unpleasant smell comes from a mixture of sweat and bacteria. Normally, our sweat should have little odor. However, it’s the bacteria in the skin that cause one’s perspiration to smell sour.

Have you ever wondered why people sweat? Actually, our bodies perspire to lower the body temperature and keep us cool. We sweat more during hot weather, when we exercise, and when we are nervous. There are also other hereditary causes of sweating, especially those with sweaty palms and feet.

Two kinds of sweat glands

Our bodies have two kinds of sweat glands — the not-so-smelly kind and the smelly kind. This refers to the eccrine glands and the apocrine glands, respectively. Eccrine glands are found all over the body and have little smell. Apocrine glands, however, are found in hairy parts of the body like the armpits, scalp, and groin. Apocrine glands excrete a fatty kind of sweat that, when it comes in contact with bacteria, develop a particularly foul smell. This is why the armpits, groin, and head area smell more, compared to the forearms and legs.

Now that you know these smelly body parts, let’s look at some tips to help control body odor.

1. Use an antiperspirant for the underarms.

Antiperspirants contain aluminum-based chemicals that block off the pores of our sweat glands. This is really the simplest solution to your body odor problem. The less you perspire, the less you will smell.

2. You can use a commercially-available deodorant or roll-on. Deodorants work by eliminating the odor but not the sweating. These are usually alcohol-based products that turn your skin acidic, making it less favorable for bacteria. Deodorants have fragrances that mask the odor. Commercially, there are preparations that combine both antiperspirants and deodorants.

3. As a home remedy, try an alcohol and  baking soda mixture for your underarms and feet. Since the bad smell comes from bacteria, then placing 70% rubbing alcohol will instantly kill the bacteria and reduce the smell. You can also use alcohol for your feet to lessen fungal infections like athlete’s foot. Alternatively, you can try the local tawas. Find which preparation works best for you.

4. Take a bath daily. Wash and scrub the whole body well, especially the smelly parts. Bathing will reduce the number of bacteria on the skin.

5. Wash your underarms, groin and feet twice a day. The sweat that comes from these body parts is different from the sweat in other areas.

6. Use an anti-bacterial soap. Choose a soap that works for you. There are some anti-bacterial soaps that keep you fresher throughout the day. Shop around.

7. Dry your feet and underarms after you  take a bath. Bacteria grow more in dark and damp places, particularly the area between the toes. Use a foot powder or sprinkle baking soda to dry the feet.

8. If your feet are really smelly, try to  change socks twice a day. Did you know that our feet secrete the equivalent of a glassful of sweat per foot every day? Wear cotton socks, too.

9. Choose shoes that allow your feet to  breathe. Closed shoes make your feet sweat more and thus smell more. You can opt to wear sandals and open-toed footwear. You can also air your feet from time to time by going barefoot or removing your shoes for awhile.

10. Take note: Avoid foods that make you  smell. Minimize spicy and hot foods. Avoid eating too much garlic, onions, curry, and smelly fish. It’s true that we are what we eat, and some of these foods’ components are excreted out of our sweat glands. If you like chili, fish sauce, and fish paste (bagoong), your sweat could smell like these sauces, too.

11. Drink eight to 12 glasses of water daily. Water cleanses the body and dilutes the smell of our sweat and urine. The more water you drink, the less smelly will your sweat be. So drink more.

12. Wear cotton shirts, pants, and underwear. Clothing made of cotton makes it easier for the sweat to evaporate. Hence, it makes you feel cool and fresher. Avoid nylon clothing because it makes your sweat stick to you.

13. Wash your clothes well. Indeed, clean clothes make the man. It also lessens your body odor. Change your shirt and socks daily. And please, no reusing of old clothes.

14. Don’t sweat too much. If you know you have an afternoon meeting, then don’t exercise and jump around in the morning. Try to reschedule your meetings in the morning (when you’re fresher), and do your outside chores in the afternoon.

15. If you really need to smell fresh  before a meeting, try bringing extra clothes and socks. Wash your underarms, neck, and face in the bathroom before wearing your new clothes.

16. Relax and take it easy. The more fidgety and nervous you are, the more you will sweat. Keep cool beside a fan or air-conditioner.

Finally, if your body odor persists despite these measures, you might need to see a doctor. The doctor will rule out medical problems like an overactive thyroid or kidney disease.

There’s also a disease of excessive sweating, medically called hyperhidrosis. Treatment for this condition is similar to the tips mentioned above. Doctors may also prescribe a special antiperspirant (like aluminum chloride).

For extreme cases of sweating, there’s a surgical procedure that cuts the nerve that causes the sweating. Don’t worry about it because it’s rarely done. For a lot of people, the above 16 tips are all they need to smell cleaner and fresher.

Good luck! –Willie T. Ong, MD (The Philippine Star)