BODY ODOUR/ HOW CAN I REDUCE BODY ODOUR

Body odour is never pleasant, and we’ve all been crammed at an event or been in a busy shopping mall and noticed the distinctive smell of stale sweat. Men sweat more than women, so it’s no surprise they are the worst offenders. But is it a case of poor hygiene or do some people have a medical condition that makes them sweat more than average? Strange as it may seem, many people with bad body odour are unaware that they smell. Scientific research has shown that some people cannot detect certain molecules. Their nostrils may be able to register the smell of garlic or curry, but not the smell emanating from their armpits. Everybody sweats. We have. Perspiration is the body’s anatomical way of cooling down. Sweat itself does not smell, but it is a wonderful culture for the bacteria that live on our skin. The bacteria break down sweat into aromatic fatty acids, which produce the unpleasant odour. Medical conditions such as thyroid disease and carcinoid syndrome can cause excessive sweating, as can the side-effects of some medicines, e.g. antidepressants.

Now to how can I reduce body odour. Wash with soap daily, particularly your armpits, groin and feet where there are many sweat producing glands. Washing removes sweat and reduces the numbers of bacteria that act upon it. some people have more sweat and oil producing glands than others. If you sweat a lot, you may need to shower two or three times a day. The use of antiperspirants and deodorants should be routine. It’s worth trying a few because they have different active ingredients, and you’ll find some work better than others. Deodorants work by masking the smell of sweat with fragrance, while antiperspirants reduce the amount of sweat your body produces. Roll-ons tend to be more effective for  heavy sweating. Another useful trick is to shave your armpits. Armpits hair provides a greater surface area for sweat to adhere to and gives the bacteria a fertile breeding ground. It is also essential to wash clothes thoroughly, particularly clothing that comes into contact with sweaty areas such as socks, underwears and shirts. Never wear yesterday’s clothes. However clean your body is, the clothes will retain the smell of yesterday’s sweat.

With these few tips body odour should be a thing of the past or at least minimal.

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