Body odor is an unpleasant odor a body can give off when bacteria that lives on the skin breaks down proteins in certain acids. This smell usually becomes more evident after puberty or in people who sweat too much. There are various causes for body odor, and many remedies for how to get rid of the bad smell.
Temperature
Your body's ability to regulate your temperature can result in sweating and body odor. When your body temperature rises, your eccrine glands are stimulated, secreting sweat to your skin's surface. This fluid is mainly water and salt, so it is odorless. On the other hand, apocrine glands secret a fatty sweat. When this fatty sweat is pushed to the surface of your skin, bacteria begin breaking it down, a process which causes body odor.
Body Acids
Propionic acid and isovaleric acid both cause body odor. The bacteria in propionic acid--propionibacteria--break amino acids on your skin down into propionic acid. Propionibacteria live in the ducts of adult and adolescent sebaceous glands, and may give off a vinegar-like smell because it is similar to acetic acid which gives vinegar its sour taste and bitter smell. Isovaleric acid is a result of the actions of the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, which results in a strong body odor.
Botulinun Toxin
Botulinun toxin is a relatively new remedy for body odor. This type of toxin is produced by Clostridium botulinum, a poisonous biological substance. However, small, controlled doses are available as a new treatment to help people who sweat excessively under their arms. According to Medical News Today, patients with body odor from excessive armpit sweat are given 12 injections of botulinun toxin in the armpit. The toxin blocks the signals from the brain to the sweat glands, which results in less sweat. One treatment lasts about two to eight months.
Antiperspirants and Deodorants
The aluminum compounds in antiperspirants help to temporarily block sweat pores. Deodorants, on the other hand, help to eliminate odor, not the perspiration. Deodorants turn your skin acidic so it is less likely to attract bacteria. Additionally, deodorants typically contain fragrances that mask the smell of perspiration.
Foot Care
People with body odor emitted from their feet have a number of options for eliminating the smell, including wearing shoes and socks made of natural materials to prevent sweaty feet, rotating shoes so they can completely dry before wearing them again, wearing cotton and wool socks that absorb sweat, and changing socks often.
Change Your Diet
Certain foods and beverages may be causing you to sweat more than usual or may cause your sweat to smell bad. Try eliminating caffeinated drinks, as well as getting rid of foods with strong smells, including garlic and onions.
Bathe Daily
Regularly showering or bathing will help eliminate the bacteria on your skin. Use an antibacterial soap to kill the bacteria, which will result in less body odor. Take particular care to keep areas of the body with hair clean, as hair slows down the evaporation of sweat, giving bacteria more time to break down into bad-smelling odors. Shaving these areas regularly can help reduce body odor.
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