ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.
Make sure you use an underarm product that says “antiperspirant” on the packaging. The active ingredient in most antiperspirants is aluminum. Apply antiperspirant after showering or bathing and before bed. Make sure you apply antiperspirants to dry skin for the best results.
If sweating is excessive, it can cause smelly armpits even if a person washes regularly and uses deodorant or antiperspirant. The first thing that a doctor will recommend is usually a prescription strength antiperspirant. Sometimes, these might burn or irritate the skin.
Washing thoroughly with an antibacterial soap bar will help get rid of some bacteria, which can help with the odor.
When the sweat from your glands meets the bacteria on your skin, it breaks down into products called thioalcohols. The thioalcohols give off a strong, often sulfurous scent that can also be comparable to onions or meat. Genetics plays a role in how many thioalcohols your body produces.
Hair is another place where bacteria like to hide. If you still smell a strong body odor after a shower, consider shaving the hair in your armpits, groin, and chest. The hair's surface is a perfect place for bacteria to call home, and it's harder to eliminate them from the hair than your bare skin.
By: Stu Bloom. New clients often ask us why their dry cleaned garments still smell of perspiration after they're returned by the dry cleaner? Our answer is quite simple: Your dry cleaned garments still smell of perspiration because they haven't been professionally cleaned.
If you've been using conventional deodorant or antiperspirant for years, it can take 2-4 weeks to detox and release all of the aluminum in your pits that's been preventing you from sweating. During this time, you might notice that you're a little more stinky than usual.
Wash daily with a mild soap
Using warm water and anti-bacterial soap will help kill off bacteria that lives off your sweat. It may mean taking more than one shower a day, or just a quick clean at the sink with soap, a wash cloth, and warm water.
In short, antiperspirant can make you smell worse because it alters the composition of bacteria in your armpits. And if you're a heavy sweater but only use deodorant, you may find yourself still sweating, which can make you smell worse.
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It's also called "fish odour syndrome". Sometimes it's caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn't always the case. There's currently no cure, but there are things that can help.
Stinking Breath and Body Odor
Similarly, water helps release toxins through sweat. If your body is dehydrated, you are unable to release these toxins (bacteria), which when accumulated leads to an unpleasant body odor, especially in the armpits, feet, and groin area.
Research has found that the salts in antiperspirants can cause an imbalance of bacteria. The aluminum compounds kill off the less smelly bacteria, giving the smellier bacteria more opportunity to thrive, causing more body odour.
Some people have turned to hand sanitiser as a remedy for underarm body odour thanks to its bacteria-killing effects. While this might work, it's not recommended to use hand gel on your underarms. You risk upsetting the natural balance of the delicate skin in this area, similar to use on the face.
Clindamycin and erthromycin are topical antibiotics available via prescription and safe to use daily to reduce the bacterial load in the underarm area.
Apple cider vinegar can help body odor by reducing the pH of the skin. This lowers the pH level of the underarm area and prevents foul-smelling bacteria from growing there. It also acts as a natural astringent, closing the pores and reducing sweat production.