Although underarm odor is more commonly associated with men, it can also be a problem for women. Underarm odor occurs as sweat produced by the apocrine glands mixes with bacteria on the skin. As the bacteria ingest the sweat, their byproduct gives off the associated smell of body odor. Luckily, women dealing with body odor have several options for relief, depending on the severity of the problem.
Deodorant
Deodorant is one of the first lines of defense for women when it comes to body odor. Deodorants use fragrance as a way to cover up the smell left behind by bacteria when regularly applied to the armpits. Deodorant for women comes in a variety of fragrances, and many contain moisturizers to help keep the skin healthy and moist---as well as protect against damage from regular armpit shaving.
Antiperspirant
When deodorants are not enough to stop sweat, women can use antiperspirants, which are similar to deodorants except they not only cover up the smell of body odor but also prevent sweat from accumulating in the first place. This is done by using active ingredients such as aluminium zirconium trichlorohydrex gly and aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, which block or reduce the production of sweat onto the skin of the armpit. The less sweat on the skin, the less material bacteria have to ingest, thereby creating body odor.
Prescription Drugs
When over-the-counter strength antiperspirants are not enough, women can turn to their primary care physician for prescription-strength products. These types of antiperspirants use higher levels of active ingredients, such as aluminum chloride, to stop sweat. The higher strength products can cause side effects, however, such as inflammation and skin itching, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Botox
Botox is another option for women who are dealing with chronic underarm odor. Botox contains a potent neurotoxin that doctors can inject into the armpits to reduce the production of sweat. Once introduced to the armpit, Botox blocks the actions of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, suggests the American Academy of Dermatology. This neurotransmitter is necessary for sweat glands to function correctly. Without the neurotransmitter, sweat production is reduced, resulting in less material for bacterial ingestion.
Surgery
A final option for extreme cases of body odor is the surgical removal of sweat glands in the armpits. During this procedure. the small sweat glands of your skin are either cut, scraped or sucked from the skin through liposuction. The removal of the glands stops sweat production in the armpits, eliminating odor.
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