Body odor is a common problem that begins during puberty, and can continue all the way through adulthood. Although body odor is more prominent in men, women can also experience problems with body odor. Depending on how severe your body odor is, there are several treatment options available that may help you stay fresh-smelling longer.
Bathing
Regular bathing is one of the easiest ways to help control body odor. When you take a bath or shower, you wash off sweat that is produced by your apocrine glands. According to the Mayo Clinic, apocrine sweat is the most responsible for body odor. It contains oils and proteins that natural bacteria on your body break down and consume. The byproduct of the bacteria's actions on this sweat results in the distinct smell of body odor. Bathing with an antibacterial soap may also help reduce the colonies of bacteria on your skin related to body odor.
Deodorant
Deodorant is another way to quickly eliminate body odor. Deodorants contain fragrances that are designed to cover up the odor that bacteria produce when breaking down sweat. Deodorants come in many forms, such as sprays, gels and sticks, making them easy to apply to the offending areas of your body.
Antiperspirant
Antiperspirants take deodorant technology one step further. Antiperspirants not only contain fragrance to cover up the smell of offending bacteria, they also contain active ingredients that prevent sweat from reaching the surface of the skin. Common active ingredients responsible for this action include aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly.
Natural Fibers
Wearing clothes made of natural fibers such as silk, cotton and wool, may also help eliminate body odor. Natural fibers allow greater air circulation, which can decrease your body's need to cool itself. The lower the body temperature remains, the less the apocrine glands will release sweat, resulting in less body odor.
Shaving
Shaving offending sweaty areas, especially the armpits, may also help reduce body odor. Body hair provides more surface area for sweat to cling, and a more suitable environment for the bacteria that cause body odor to thrive.
Food
The foods you eat can also affect the way your sweat smells. For example, eating excess amounts of potent aromatic foods, such as garlic and onions, can alter the smell of your sweat. Refraining from eating these foods, or eating them less often, can help remedy food-related body odor.
Medical Intervention
For serious cases of body odor, medical intervention may be necessary. Medical intervention can range from simple prescription strength antiperspirants to medical procedures to reduce the amount of sweat being produced. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, two of the most common medical procedures for sweat reduction include Botox injections and sweat gland removal.
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