How to get rid of Body Odor when Deodorant doesn’t work

I admit, my underarms can stink if I don’t take care of them. I realized over time that body odor happens even if  I maintain hygiene, even if I apply deodorant. I always wanted to get to the root of the issue.

Yes there are many remedies for body odor and I will share mine with you. Before that don’t you want to know why women underarms smell like onions and men’s smells like cheese?

Why body odor smells like onions ?

( Pin for Later )

Thiol is a compound which smells like onions in the armpits. This compound is formed when bacteria consume sulfur present in the armpits and convert it into thiol.

Now women have 10 times more sulfur in the armpit than men, hence our armpits stink like onions 🙁

Men’s armpits on the other hand smell like cheese 🙂

Men definitely seem to be from mars and women from Venus … sigh

What body odor means ? Why body odor smells and When body odor starts ?

Bromhidrosis or body odor is caused by the excessive sweating from the apocrine glands. The apocrine or eccrine sweat glands produce sweat which is high in proteins, which bacteria can consume hence the odor.

Bacteria overgrowth occurs on the skin.

The smell we get is actually the bacteria breaking down the topmost layers of our skin cells.

Yes they are feeding off our skin.

 Yikes…!!

This is forming chemicals which produces the smell.

Is body odor a sign of puberty ?

Puberty starts the functioning of the apocrine sweat glands, hence body odor or apocrine bromhidrosis is mostly associated with puberty.

Is body odor a medical condition ? when is body odor a medical condition

Medical conditions could cause body odour so this could very well be one of the reasons for body odor.

Is body odor genetic ?

I have read that people from African ancestry have more apocrine sweat glands, hence might have more body odor.

People from Asian descent tend to have fewer glands, hence body odor is much lesser.
Older people also have fewer glands so you might find yourself having lesser body odour as you age.

Why does body odor change with age ?

As you age the sweat glands reduce hence you will notice that you sweat less and also body odour reduces as you age.

Older people have fewer glands. So I guess this can be called one of the benefits of ageing 🙂

How to prevent body odor underarms ?

The sweat glands are more concentrated in the underarms. Yeah armpits have more apocrine sweat glands , hence the stink.

Maintain proper hygiene and also you can try some of the home remedies mentioned here to eliminate body odor.

How to remove body odor permanently naturally

Here are some natural ways to remove body odor.

• Eat more Vegetables, Fresh Fruit and Whole Grains
• Odor comes through your pores, so AVOID onions, chillis, garlic, curries ( I just cant do this ;(  ). You literally smell of your food, so STOP eating smelly food ( and spicy )
• Water Detox – Drink lots of water which will help remove all toxins
• No COFFEE or TEA – This is so difficult for me.
• Use warm to hot ( maybe not too hot ) water with antibacterial soap on your underarms or wherever the smells are ( maybe toes ?) . Soaps can cause smell and I will share why later.
• I thought mom was a tyrant, she always made us wash after playing or running or coming from outside. There is a reason, you need to maintain hygiene after every activity which makes you sweat – gym, sports, walk, runs. Don’t let those bacteria thrive

Why Deodorants might not help

Deodorants kill bacteria in your underarms, while you might consider that really good, you must understand this – they kill all bacteria. As per research some bacteria might be good for you.

Not only that researchers have found that the ecosystem of bacteria changes after deodorant use. They also found other bacteria started growing which are usually not found in the underarms.

I personally believe it is best not to mess with what naturally occurs.

Not only that do you know some of the chemicals you are putting in your underarms can get through easily through the nodes and get into your body. Some of these chemicals have been linked with cancer and other diseases.

Why should we put ourselves at risk?

Some people either make or buy natural deodorants like these and say that these work for them. There are others who say that natural deodorants can kill bacteria.

They are going with the theory that bacteria can help, hence we tackle bacteria with other bacteria.

Does it make sense?

It is like that probiotic theory where you introduce healthy bacteria into the gut. Same concept.

So they instead use probiotic deodorants like these to tackle underarm bacteria.

Do they work?

There is a lot of debate about that. Many swear by them, some don’t like the fact that they sweat a lot after using these.

[su_highlight background=”#fffe99″]There is a difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant. [/su_highlight]

Also they might be powdery or oily depending on their ingredients. I say that its worth a shot. Do expect some smelling and some adjusting and / or some reactions. Most people react to the baking soda in the products. If you do react, stop using it for a day and then you should be fine.

Also it takes a while for the effects of deodorants and antiperspirants to wear off , so expect some side effects, like sweating, excessive smell, staining.

In the long run it is best to stay away from chemicals and use either natural deodorants or probiotic deodorants.