Can't stop the body odor caused by the hot and humid summer? Doctor: 5 tips to improve armpit odor
Embarrassed by body odor? Fear of increasing social barriers and youth bullying
Every summer, are you worried about the unpleasant “odor” in your armpits, which will affect your partner’s perception and even your relationship? According to statistics, about 4 out of every 10 people in Taiwan are troubled by “underarm sweating”. In addition to emitting sweat odor, excessive sweating also causes the apocrine glands (apocrine glands) to secrete rich proteins to provide bacteria on the surface of the skin. As soon as the body temperature rises, the bacteria will start to decompose and excrete synthetic substances that produce a strong odor. , which is the main cause of “body odor”.
Although body odor is not harmful to the body, because the odor is difficult to mask, it can easily arouse disgust in those around you, or it may be considered a sign of poor hygiene habits. Dermatologist Zhang Xiangxuan said that the skin has two types of sweat glands, namely eccrine glands (commonly known as eccrine glands) and apocrine glands (commonly known as apocrine glands). Body odor is distributed in the pores of the armpits, external auditory canal, areola, and vulva. The sweat secreted by the apocrine glands has a unique smell that is decomposed by bacteria on the skin surface.
Dr. Zhang Xingxuan pointed out that apocrine glands are most distributed in the armpits, so armpits are particularly prone to odor. The main way to eliminate body odor is to reduce the combination of apocrine gland secretions and bacteria. In particular, Taiwan is humid and hot. Excessive sweating causes body odor in some people, leading to social barriers and even bullying among teenagers. This is worthy of public attention.
Is body odor related to genetics and earwax? Can hyperhidrosis co-occur?
Dr. Zhang Xuanxuan said that body odor has 7 characteristics. There is not much difference in gender, with slightly more females. Among the races, the highest proportion is nearly 100% among blacks, more than 60% among whites, about 10-15% among Japanese, and about 10% among Taiwanese. Symptoms are more severe after adolescence and begin to lessen after middle age.
In addition, body odor is related to genetics. For children whose parents have body odor, the chance of having body odor is as high as 60-80%. If only one parent has body odor, the chance of their children having body odor is about 50%. Since apocrine glands are distributed in the external auditory canal, body odor is relatively obvious in people with moist earwax. In terms of living habits, diet, mental state, and armpit hair volume will all affect body odor. Finally, hyperhidrosis often co-occurs with body odor, so it is best to improve both.
Is eating more meat more likely to cause body odor? 5 medical tips to improve armpit odor
Those with mild body odor can first improve it in the following ways:
Keep clean: Take a shower and put on clean clothes as soon as possible after sweating during exercise. Keeping your skin clean and dry can reduce odor.
Change eating habits: Excessive intake of meat and dairy products will activate sebaceous glands and apocrine glands. Minimizing the intake of meat and dairy products and increasing the proportion of root vegetables can help improve odor and prevent high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
Shaving: Shaving and hair removal can keep the armpits clean, prevent sweat and bacteria from adhering, and achieve the effect of improving odor.
Topical medicine: Doctors prescribe topical medicine “aluminum chloride” to help stop sweating and improve odor.
Antiperspirants: Commercially available antiperspirants can inhibit sweat and make odor less likely to appear. Appropriate use can help reduce the problem of body odor.
Are there any side effects of surgical treatment for body odor? What is the difference between invasive and non-invasive?
Dr. Zhang Xuanxuan explained that if the above-mentioned lifestyle adjustments cannot improve the body odor problem, it is likely that the symptoms are severe and body odor must be treated through medical treatment. Treatment methods are mainly divided into two types: invasive and non-invasive.
Invasive: apocrine curettage, sympathetic denervation, botulinum toxin injection
Apocrine gland curettage is performed using tools such as a rotary scraper to remove the apocrine glands. The recovery period varies depending on the excision tool and the size of the wound. Physician skill also affects surgical results. The postoperative recovery period is long and the scars are obvious, but it is more effective in removing body odor.
Sympathetic denervation surgery Sympathetic denervation can reduce armpit sweating, thereby reducing odor, but it may cause compensatory sweating in the hands, feet or other parts, and may also cause side effects such as reduced body temperature regulation ability.
Botulinum toxin injection inhibits the function of autonomic nerves through the injection of botulinum toxin. It can last for about 5 to 6 months. It has relatively no side effects but requires continuous treatment.
Non-Invasive: Refreshing Microwave Thermal Antiperspirant
- Fresh Microwave Thermal Antiperspirant uses microwave heat energy to deodorize and remove sweat, and uses non-invasive microwave technology to treat underarm sweat glands. By emitting microwave energy deep into the interface between the dermis and subcutaneous fat to generate heat, it heats the sweat glands to shrink them, and simultaneously reduces the amount of underarm sweat, which can effectively improve underarm sweating and body odor. A single treatment course lasts about one The effect lasts about an hour.
Dr. Zhang Xingxuan reminds that the above medical methods can all reduce the problem of body odor. However, due to different personal constitutions and symptoms, you must consult a doctor to inform your condition before choosing a treatment method. The doctor will conduct a professional evaluation and prescribe the right medicine to find the most suitable treatment for you. method, while minimizing side effects, so that daily life and interpersonal relationships can be significantly improved.
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