Causes And Treatment Of Body Odour

What is body odour?

Body odour, also known as bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia is an unpleasant smell given off when bacteria on the human skin break down protein in sweat into acid.

Causes of body odour

Body odour can be caused by;

*High rate of perspiration (sweating) as people who sweat more are bound to have it.

*Obesity with obese people more likely to have it.

*Hairy armpits and privates.

*Wearing of (wet) socks and/or shoes which causes moist air to become trapped in the feet.

*Excessive consumption spices of spicy foods.

*Consumption of foods with strong odour e.g; garlic and onions.

*Medical conditions like diabetes, liver disease and kidney disease.

Treatment of body odour.

(1) Always keep the armpits and privates clean and well-shaved: Shave all those hair off your armpits and privates and wash with anti-bacterial soap and warm water.

(2) Bathe regularly: The action of warm water on the skin kills bacteria, so ensure you bathe at least twice daily and up to thrice on hot days.

You should also ensure you use very clean dry towels after bathing as bacteria doesn't thrive well on dry skin.

(3) Always wear clean clothes: Change your clothes daily (no matter how clean they are). Wash them thoroughly; allow them to dry properly; iron them (as the heat kills any bacteria left) and finally, store them in a dry environment.

Also clothes made of natural fibres like cotton, wool and silk are good for people with body odour as they help the skin breathe.

(4) Avoid fatty, oily, fried and (fast) foods which contain alot of additives and preservatives as these chemicals leave the body through the sweat pores.

(5) Use deodorants and antiperspirants: Deodorants make the skin more acidic thus making bacteria have difficulty surviving on it while antiperspirants stop the sweat pores from producing sweat.

(6) Surgery: Surgery is usually recommended for cases of severe body odour. It involves removing a small area of skin from the armpit and the tissue just below it so as to get rid of the sweat glands there.

(7) Botulinum toxin: For those of us who don't know, botulinum toxin is the most poisonous biological substance known to man. Nevertheless, it is very effective in treating excessive sweating temporarily for about 4-9 months. Should you choose this procedure, you should consult a skilled dermatologist who would inject small measures of the toxin into multiple sites in the skin at the apex of the armpit. And before you start getting any ideas about buying the toxin somewhere and applying it yourself so as to avoid paying the doctor's fees, I would advice you to read the first line over again.