“Dammit, I stink!”
We understand. Happens to all of us guys: Bad BO
But not just any BO One of those that itch in the nose and make us take a step back. And what’s worse, when others catch a breath of our natural scent.
As we lead busy lives: work, gym, after-work events, and navigating the concrete jungle, none of us can escape bad BO. the top drawer of your desk for that emergency roll-on.
So how can you avoid raiding your backup deodorant and removing any traces of evidence on your valuable shirts?
We’ve put together this short article to help you understand what’s going on in that little dark crevice…commonly known as your “pits”, and what you can do to extinguish that itchy, nose-pinching stench!
There are two main types of sweat glands: apocrine glands, whose secretions contain their own “personal scent” or pheromones, secrete an odorless, oily sweat on areas of the body where hair follicles are most abundant, most commonly the armpits and back area. groin; and eccrine glands that secrete a dilute salty fluid and are distributed throughout the body (1).
As the sweat glands secrete sweat, the bacteria around the hair follicles begin to break down their oils, proteins, and keratin in the skin into ammonia and fatty acids, giving off a distinctive odor. Body odor arising from apocrine sweat is the strongest odor and is often described as pungent, musty, musty, or “sweet and sour.”
Sweat from the eccrine glands can also take on an unpleasant odor after ingestion of certain foods (spices), alcohol, and medications.
The apocrine glands are also very sensitive to adrenaline and therefore in times of stress, you may tend to sweat more due to being overstimulated (3).
Men tend to have more apocrine gland activity than women and therefore higher body odor associated with increased apocrine gland activity. Sweat gland activity decreases, so you may sweat less as you age (4).
We have put together 7 tips to eliminate body odor.
Keep squeaky clean: Take a shower at least once a day; this will remove old sweat and reduce the number of odor-causing bacteria.
Use antibacterial soaps: Try using soaps or shower gels with natural antimicrobial ingredients like tea tree oil (5). You can also add a couple of drops of these oils to your regular soaps and shower gels to enhance the antibacterial effects.
Dry off well: After your shower, dry off very well, especially those areas of the body that are prone to sweating. Dry skin makes it difficult for bacteria to grow.
Trimming or shaving: Trimming or shaving hair in the armpit and groin region can help reduce body odor associated with apocrine sweat. However, keeping these areas clean can be just as effective.
Keep your clothes clean and dry: if you sweat a lot, change and try not to wear the same clothes the next day, especially socks! If foot odor is a problem, try walking barefoot as much as possible while you’re home.
Cut down on foods and drinks that cause sweat: Some foods and drinks can make you sweat more, such as spicy foods, high salt or sodium intake, caffeine, and alcohol(7). Although sweat itself has little odor, the aromas of foods like onion and garlic can turn into sweat, so don’t overdo it!
Use a natural deodorant: Most supermarket brand antiperspirants and deodorants are loaded with chemicals. However, you can choose to use a natural deodorant that will keep body odor in check without any harmful side effects (6).
References
Wilke, K.A. et al. A brief history of the biology of the sweat glands. Int J Cosmetic Sci. 2007 June; 29(3): 169-79.
Hu Y et al. Neural control of sweat secretion: a review. Br J Dermatol. July 17, 2017.
Carson, CF et al. Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2006 January; 19(1):50-62.
Shahtalebi, MA et al. Deodorant effects of a sage extract stick: antibacterial activity and sensory evaluation of the underarm deodorant. J Res Med Sci. 2013 Oct; 18(10): 833-9.
Dumas, E. R. et al. Deodorant effects of a supercritical hop extract: antibacterial activity against Corynebacterium xerosis and Staphylococcus epidermidis and efficacy tests of a hop stick/zinc ricinoleate in humans through sensory evaluation of axillary deodorization. J Cosmetic Dermatol. 2009 Sep;8(3):197-204.
Kim, TW et al. Caffeine increases sensitivity to sweating through changes in sudomotor activity during physical load. Food J Med. 2011 November; 14(11):1448-55.
Watson, S. Can what you eat make you sweat? WebMed: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/what-you-eat#1 08/12/2010 accessed 02/20/2018.