Give Body Odor the Boot – There Are Many Options to Choose From!

Body odor is a problem a lot of people face. This has nothing to do with the season, it is all about your body’s reaction to your lifestyle. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to keep body odor at bay! Following these guidelines, you can keep feeling and smelling fresher for longer.

Shower at Least Once a Day

Lather up well and scrub down your entire body, giving special attention to the areas of your body most prone to body odor.

Using an antibacterial body wash or soap can help kill bacteria that lead to bad smells form body odor. Having a shower is of utmost importance to reduce body odor, especially in humid areas. If it is very humid, it may be best to have two showers.

Choose the Right Armpit Product

There is a difference between deodorant and antiperspirant. Antiperspirants work to block your sweat glands to reduce perspiration. If your problem is that you sweat excessively, then this is a good product for you. However, if your issue is body odor, then a deodorant is better. It neutralizes bad smells and mask smell with a better, delightful fragrance. Some products are antiperspirant and deodorant in one, which does double the duty! Products also come in different strengths. There are even prescription medications or roll-ons for excessive sweating, for example.

Watch your Fabrics

Yes, it does matter what fabric you wear. By wearing natural fabrics, like cotton, you are allowing your skin to breathe. Synthetic fibers like nylon, polyester, and rayon aren’t as effective at keeping away bad body odor. The fact that natural fibers breathe is great because it helps sweat evaporate from your clothes and your skin. Avoid wearing any types of fabric that trap sweat against your skin as these are creating the perfect breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. Work out in moisture-wicking fabrics, too.

Cut Out the Chili

If you typically enjoy very pungent foods rather frequently, like curry, spicy peppers, garlic, broccoli, onions, or Brussel sprouts, then you’re asking for more pungent sweat. Would you believe that even consuming alcohol can affect the smell of your sweat? Eating very spicy and sour foods means your sweat will smell more often. Reducing or eliminating strong foods from your diet can help you manage body odor.

Hair Removal

The apocrine glands are in parts of the body that are covered by hair. This is the armpit area and the pubic area. The hair provides a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, and it holds the sweat, making it moist. Removing this hair by shaving or waxing can go a distance in managing body odor. This means men should consider removing hair as well, or at minimum, trimming it right down.

Medical Alternatives to Treating Body Odor

F you feel like you have tried all of the above and you still struggle with body odor, then perhaps you should turn to a medical professional for help. Your body odor may be a symptom of another underlying health issue like a fungal infection, for example. However, perhaps you just need something more substantial to treat your sweating or your body odor. You still have options!

Prescription deodorants/anti-perspirants

You can get deodorants or antiperspirants from your doctor on a prescription that has higher concentrations of active ingredients that work much more effectively for people who sweat excessively. Your doctor will determine whether this is necessary and prescribe you these products.

Antibiotics

Topical or oral antibiotics can help to reduce the bacteria that are on the skin. The reduction in the bacteria will result in a decrease in body odor.

Botox

Yes, botox! Botox is for more than smoothening out fine lines! You can have a botox treatment to reduce the eccrine glands’ ability to produce sweat. The fix isn’t permanent, but it is long-lasting. Expect to repeat this treatment every few months or so for the long term.

Surgery

This is for the most extreme cases, where they altogether remove the sweat glands. Of course, the circumstances have to be extreme to perform such surgery. That’s because your body does need to sweat to cool itself down. It is not good to remove your glands simply because of a little body odor that you can treat in some other way.

With so many options to treat body odor and excessive sweating, there’s no reason to let this natural and common problem knock down your confidence. Often, the body odor is more apparent to the person than to those around them, anyway! Human beings are practically designed to produce some kind of odor, and it is normal. Don’t get hung up trying to eliminate odor, but manage it so that it doesn’t negatively affect your life.