Table of contents:
- Why do the armpits give off a bad smell?
- Tips for dealing with bothersome underarm odor
- 1. Avoid certain drugs
- 2. Use deodorant or antiperspirant
- 3. Body cleanliness
- 4. Choose the right clothes
- 5. Pay attention to your diet
Smelling anything that isn't wearing definitely makes it hard for you to breathe freely. One of them smells of armpits. This condition can happen to anyone, including you and certainly makes you feel inferior. So, is there a way to deal with underarm odor? Come on, try some of the following tips so that you are free from underarm odor.
Why do the armpits give off a bad smell?
Your body is covered with skin that has sweat glands, namely eccrine and apocrine. These glands function to maintain normal body temperature. The eccrine glands cover most of the skin of your body. While apocrine glands are usually found in areas of the skin where hair is grown, such as the groin, armpits, and around the breasts.
When the body temperature increases, the sweat glands will cool the body by releasing sweat. Well, the sweat released by these apocrine sweat glands contains fat and is very easily broken down by bacteria compared to the water-based eccrine sweat glands. That is why in the armpits, groin, or around your breasts can give off an unpleasant odor.
Tips for dealing with bothersome underarm odor
There are many ways you can do to reduce unpleasant underarm odor, for example:
1. Avoid certain drugs
Although the smell is normal, there are some people who sweat more than usual. This condition is known as hyperhidrosis. To control excessive sweat production, you need to consult a doctor. The doctor will give you medicine according to your condition so that the underarm odor can be reduced.
The cause of excessive sweating that causes the underarms to smell is the use of certain drugs, for example some hypertension drugs or antidepressants. If the smell of your armpits really bothers you, ask your doctor to prescribe another medication that doesn't increase sweating as a side effect.
2. Use deodorant or antiperspirant
Using deodorant is the simplest way to treat underarm odor. The reason is, deodorant has a scent that can mask the unpleasant odor in the armpits.
Deodorants also cause the underarm skin to become more acidic, which can prevent sweat and bacteria from reacting.
In addition to deodorants, you can also use antiperspirants. This product contains active ingredients such as aluminum chloride or aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex which can block the apocrine glands from producing sweat.
The amount of sweat in the armpits will be less and underarm odor will also be reduced.
3. Body cleanliness
Lack of maintaining body hygiene causes bacteria to stick and dead skin cells to accumulate. As a result, the skin becomes dirty and smells bad, especially on your armpits. To prevent this, body hygiene needs to be improved.
So, apply bath twice a day. Use soap and scrub the skin thoroughly to remove bacteria around the armpits and other parts of the body. Then, dry yourself off to prevent damp skin and bacteria from multiplying rapidly.
4. Choose the right clothes
Preventing and reducing underarm odor is not just a focus on body hygiene. The cleanliness of clothes and the choice of clothing materials must also be considered. Washing clothes thoroughly, adding fragrance, and exposing them to the sun can kill bacteria. The place to store clothes must also be clean and dry.
If you are a sweaty person, the fabric you choose should be made of natural fibers such as cotton. Cotton allows the skin to breathe and absorbs sweat better than wool or polyester. Avoid using clothes that are still wet as this can cause more bacteria to grow.
5. Pay attention to your diet
Reducing the appearance of underarm odor, can be done by paying attention to your food again. The reason is, there are several foods that can cause underarm odor, such as onions, hot and spicy foods, and alcoholic drinks. Avoiding these foods can help reduce underarm odor.
