Body Odour: Causes, Preventions And Treatments

What is body odour?

Body odour is the unpleasant smell produced by bacteria on the skin that break down the acids in your sweat.

Causes

Most patients with body odour have a problem with bacterial overgrowth on their skin. These bacteria produce odor by breaking down the skin's sebum (oil). People who don't bathe regularly are particularly at risk because folds of skin in the groin and armpits are the moist, warm, favored places for bacterial growth.

Body odour is most likely to occur in the following places:

feet, groin, armpits, genitals, belly button, anus, behind the ears, the rest of the skin, to a lesser extent, pubic hair and other hair

Ways to prevent body odour

1) Baking soda; 

Some people we say, how can baking soda prevent body odour? The truth is, to get instantly rid of body odor, baking soda can come in handy.

It can absorb all the moisture from the skin and take away the smell as well. Baking soda can kill the odor-causing bacteria and prevent excessive sweating and odor.  Since it is alkaline in nature, it will lower down the pH level of sweating parts to counteract the acids in sweat.

Simply take a little of baking soda into your hands while taking shower and apply it onto underarms and scrub it for few minutes and then wash it off normally to clear the baking soda and the body odor.

2) Consume odour friendly food;

Some food we consume may be adding to the excessive sweating. Fiber-loaded food helps you detoxify the body by maintaining proper digestion.

Consuming salad which comprises of raw vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, spinach, peppers, can naturally cleanse your insides. Adding citrus fruits to your meals can also detoxify your body by flushing out the toxins that may be causing body odor.

3) Always wash your feet;

After a long day at work or after working out for an hour or two, our feet get sweaty, leaving them smelling deadly and stinky feet are no fun. Sometimes we tend to neglect our feet in our skincare regime.

Washing your feet thoroughly after removing your shoes is necessary. Warm water is better at killing bacteria than cold water. Make sure you dry your feet thoroughly afterward, including in between your toes.

4) Use antibacterial soap;

Using a good antibacterial soap can help you get rid of any body odor and make you feel fresh.
The best way is to use a loofah with it to scrub away all the bacteria and dead skin cells which will make you squeaky clean and will keep bad body odour at bay.

Treatments

1) Avoid spicy foods: Curry, garlic, and other spicy foods have the potential to make some people's sweat more pungent. Some experts believe a diet high in red meat may also raise the risk of developing more rapid body odor.

2) Clothing: Natural fibers allow your skin to breathe, resulting in better evaporation of sweat. Natural-made fibers include wool, silk or cotton.

If sweat from working out is your No. 1 cause of body odor, wash your workout clothes often. Sweaty gym clothes are a bacteria-breeding ground.

3) Surgery: When self-care and medicinal measures are not effective at treating severe body odor, a doctor can perform a surgical procedure called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) that destroys the sweating-controlling nerves below the skin of the armpits.

4) Aluminum chloride: This substance is usually the main active ingredient in antiperspirants. If your body does not respond to the home remedies mentioned above, talk to a pharmacist or your doctor about a suitable product containing aluminum chloride. Follow the instructions given to you carefully.

5) Apply apple cider vinegar: Acid, like the kind found in apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, inhibits the growth of bacteria—including the kind that makes your sweat smell gross. Just be cautious, and use it sparingly: "While apple cider vinegar and lemon juice may help reduce levels of odour-causing bacteria on the skin, they may cause skin irritation," says Zeichner.