On Body Odour

Kapil was a handsome 25 year old aspiring to be a model. But his complaint was ” I suffer from terrible underarm odour. I shower daily and also use a deodorant , but after a few hours I am back to square one . It really is very embarrasing and limits my career prospects and social
life ”.

A complaint which is not as uncommon as one would like to assume .
In this day and age where people are so conscious of their physical fitness and looks, smelling good has also become very important. When you walk into any party, you will smell a mixture of aromas from heady perfumes to sexy colognes . But ,our natural body smell can be just as effective, as it contains a mixture of sweat and pheromones, which can be attractive to the opposite sex. So, why is that some people have an unpleasant body odour ( popularly known as
B.O ), especially in the Bombay summer ?

Bad body odour ,as everyone knows can send friends and enemies scampering away from you,
leaving you to wonder why they suddenly had to leave.

What causes body odour ?
SWEAT + BACTERIA = BODY ODOUR .

Many people think that body odour is caused by sweat. But actually, sweat by itself, is odourless.
It is the bacteria which are present on our skin which breakdown the sweat components to give
rise to the malodorous stink. The greater the amount of sweat , the greater the bacteria acting on
it. and the stronger the smell . Hence, the misconception that B.O in due to sweat . But it’s only
the sweat present in the underarms, the genital region and the feet which causes body odour
when acted upon by the bacteria.

Why do only some people have B.O ?
Everyone sweats . But everybody does not radiate a malodorous stink. People who sweat
excessively or who have an overgrowth of bacteria on the skin do .
Stress , excessive humidity, and obesity cause excessive sweat production . Women with thyroid
disorders and menopausal women, and overweight people tend to sweat profusely . They also
have a higher growth of bacteria which can lead to more body odour.

How to prevent B.O ?
Prevention centres on decreasing sweat production or decreasing the bacterial activity.
The war on body odour is best fought with the following actions :
- Good personal hygiene. Bathe twice a day with an antibacterial soap . These soaps prevent
over-activity of the bacteria.
- No underarm hair. The hair traps the sweat and bacteria and provides a good foundation for
the smell of stale sweat.
- Never wear yesterdays clothes today . The stale sweat smell will emanate from you even if
you have scrubbed your body clean. The “locker room” syndrome of smelly unwashed socks
is only too well known !
- Wear natural cotton clothes and avoid synthetic materials. Cottons and natural fibres
allow the skin to breathe and help the sweat to evaporate. Whilst synthetic materials like
polyester and lycra are occlusive, and trap the sweat, making a good breeding ground for
the skin bacteria.
- Dust an antifungal powder on your feet , especially between the toes, before wearing
cotton socks . If your feet sweat profusely , wear open sandals or remove your shoes and air
your feet intermittently.
- Use a deodorant or an antiperspirant, Deodorants actually reduce the bacteria on the skin,
and at the same time the perfume in them masks the smell of B.O , whilst anti-perspirants,
actually block the sweat pores and hence decrease your sweating. But a few words of
caution -deodorants can cause allergic reactions in your skin due to the perfumes in them ;
anti-perspirants, because of the aluminium salts which block the pores, can harm your body.
Sweating is an important excretory mechanism of your body, and blocking it, interferes

with temperature regulation and excretion of toxins from your body.
Avoid foods with spices and garlic . Unfortunately, these same seasonings which incite
your taste buds and salivary glands, are also excreted in your sweat and they act as a signal
to the whole world that you indulged in them.
Do not substitute perfumes for a bath. A soap and water bath can never be substituted by
perfume. It is a disastrous combination of stale sweat and perfume which makes others
noses curl in disgust.
Learn to relax. Since stress and anxiety are known factors for increased sweating , learn to
stay cool. Practice meditation and relaxation techniques.

So, stay cool , smell good and win friends !