How to relieve body odor in summer? 8 tips from dermatologists: In addition to spraying antiperspirants, you can improve your skin in this way
Summer has arrived, and many people are worried that the “bad odor” under their arms will affect their partner’s perception, workplace social interaction, or interpersonal relationships. Dr. Weng Ziyu, the attending physician of the dermatology department of Shuang Ho Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, pointed out in an interview that about 4 out of 10 people in Taiwan suffer from “hyperhidrosis”; the “apocrine glands” secrete rich proteins, etc. When substances are fermented and decomposed by bacteria on the body surface, substances that emit odor are produced, which is commonly known as “body odor”.
How to distinguish between sweat odor and body odor? Are women more concerned about body odor?
Dr. Weng Ziyu said that the human body’s sweat glands are composed of “apocrine glands” and “ecrine glands” (exocrine glands). The eccrine glands are almost distributed throughout the body and are mainly responsible for secreting sweat; the apocrine glands are mainly distributed in the armpits, groin, and around the genitals. , near the nipples and around the navel and other places. Although the secretion of sweat comes mainly from the eccrine glands, the smell-producing part comes from the secretions of the apocrine glands.
The secretion of apocrine glands contains proteins, fatty acids, sugars and some ammonia, so its composition will be relatively viscous. When the apocrine glands are stimulated to secrete into the hair follicle openings and interact with the microbial flora on the body surface, “short-chain fatty acids” and “ammonia” will be produced after decomposition. This is the reason why body odor causes a strong odor. Dr. Weng Ziyu emphasized that body odor and sweat odor are actually different. Sweat odor is usually caused by excessive sweat secretion, which makes the skin surface moist, thus producing a moist smell. Body odor comes from the secretions of apocrine glands that are decomposed by bacteria. The smell produced.
Body odor and sweat odor may also affect each other. For example, if an individual is prone to sweating, the relatively moist skin surface will serve as a breeding ground for bacterial growth, thereby increasing the odor of body odor. Therefore, sweat odor and body odor are actually two interrelated phenomena, not completely independent. In addition, clinical observations show that the proportion of male and female patients with body odor is roughly the same, but women may be more concerned about the signals sent by body odor and the impact of sweat stains on clothing on the appearance of clothing.
Does body odor have to be a natural problem? What behaviors make the taste worse?
Does having body odor problem have to be something you are born with? Dr. Weng Ziyu said that body odor and hyperhidrosis are indeed affected by genetics in most cases and are called “primary”. About 35-55% of body odor patients have a family history. In other words, if one or two parents have body odor, the probability of an individual getting body odor is also higher. However, due to the diversity of genes and complex genetic mechanisms, everyone’s performance is different. No matter how light their diet and healthy their living habits are, it is difficult for these people to completely eliminate body odor.
In addition to genetics, the severity of sweat secretion is also affected by many external factors, namely “secondary symptoms”, including diet, exercise, stress, and even weather. Situations such as eating spicy food, being stressed, strenuous exercise, and taking certain medications (such as psychiatric medications, diabetes medications) will increase the amount of sweating, increasing the possibility of bacterial growth and decomposition, thereby making the smell of body odor more obvious. In addition, obese people have more and thicker skin folds than ordinary people, and the composition of skin flora is different from that of ordinary people, so the smell may be particularly noticeable.
Dr. Weng Ziyu pointed out that body odor can be reduced by adjusting lifestyle, such as avoiding foods that increase body odor (garlic, onions, curry, asparagus, etc.) and avoiding the use of specific oral medications. The problem of excessive sweating and body odor requires more professional medical intervention, such as drug treatment, surgery, etc. to solve the problem.
Is conservative treatment effective for mild body odor? Dermatologist teaches 8 tips to improve body odor
Is surgery necessary if I have body odor problem? What methods can be used for relief? Dr. Weng Ziyu said that conservative treatment of body odor includes the use of antiperspirants and deodorants. Antiperspirants usually contain “aluminum salts” that can clog sweat pores and reduce sweat secretion; while deodorants may contain some antibacterial drugs or fragrances that can improve or cover body odor. If your body odor problem is not resolved after using an antiperspirant and deodorant, you should immediately consult a dermatologist to discuss further treatment options.
In addition, maintaining good personal hygiene can also help reduce body odor. For example, changing your clothes promptly when sweating, or quickly drying your armpits with a towel or handkerchief and keeping your armpits dry can reduce sweat secretion and odor. Regular cleaning of the armpit area is also an important part of preventing body odor. It is recommended to use cleaning products with antibacterial effects to help reduce the growth of bacteria and odor.
In addition to cleaning the armpits, patients with body odor should also choose suitable clothing. For example, synthetic fiber clothing may not absorb sweat well and may easily feel stuffy. Therefore, it is recommended to choose clothing mainly made of cotton, because cotton clothing is cooler and has poor sweat absorption properties. better. Specific products such as underarm patches can be placed under the armpits before putting on clothes to absorb sweat, keep clothes dry, and reduce odor caused by bacterial decomposition. Factors such as emotions, spicy food, and alcohol can affect sweat secretion, so you should pay special attention to it in daily life.
In addition, Taiwan has a hot and humid climate, which makes hyperhidrosis and body odor sufferers even more troublesome. . Moist areas tend to breed bacteria, and sweat provides a moist environment, which is extremely conducive to the growth of bacteria, especially in folds and tightly closed areas of the body, such as armpits, soles, etc. Therefore, keeping the environment ventilated and dry, and avoiding excessive body temperature can prevent excessive bacterial growth and cause body odor.
Finally, Dr. Weng Ziyu reminded that if conservative treatment is found to be ineffective, or the body odor problem seriously affects your life, it is recommended to consult a specialist in advance to prescribe the right medicine and discuss advanced treatments, such as instruments, injections or surgery, so that the body odor problem can be solved.
Further reading:
Can’t stop the body odor caused by the hot and humid summer? Doctor: 5 tips to improve armpit odor
