The Truth About Body Odors

Often times, we tend to assume that "smelling" is a bad thing, but this assumption completely discards the true reality that we are, in fact, organic beings. Body odor, is in fact, a completely normal part of being human. Most of us put on deodorant from the moment we hit puberty, but is that really the best way to manage body odor? Understanding what exactly body odor is and how to properly and healthily manage it is essential to truly know the dynamics of the human body.

What do you need to know about the science of body odor and the best way to manage the smell? Let's take a look.

Understanding the functioning of the Body Glands

There are two types of sweat glands: the apocrine sweat glands and the eccrine sweat glands. The eccrine sweat glands are dispersed all over the body, but more numerous on the palms and soles, the forehead and the armpits. They are activated when the hypothalamus (temperature and metabolism regulator) senses a change in body temperature.  The eccrine glands are responsible of excreting sweat only. The apocrine glands in turn release waste materials, proteins and lipids. The apocrine glands get activated at puberty with the hormonal fluctuations that are typical of that stage of development. They are present in the groin, armpits and around the nipples.

A priori, even the sweat and excretory products released by the apocrine glands are not odorous in nature. It is the contact of the sweat with skin that sets the tone for everything. Normal microbial flora present at the surface of the skin feed off the sweat that is released. When they enter into contact with that sweat, oxidation and reduction reactions occur, and as a byproduct of those, body odor is formed. However, because we are all genetically unique, we are definitely going to smell different.

What about Genital Odor?

Just like other mucosa in the body (oral, gastrointestinal, ocular, etc.) the vagina has its own specific mucosa and henceforth needs to remain moist all times to prevent infections or other complications. Henceforth, to maintain moisture in that special organ, women have the so-called bartholin glands and Skene glands that release mucus to lubricate the vagina. Normally, with the interaction of normal vaginal flora, the secretions become slightly odorous but barely noticeable. The odor here is also characteristic for every female. Genital infections however would produce more offensive odors.

Body Odor cannot be prevented, but can be managed.

The conception that body odor can be prevented is absolutely false, as this is a genetic factor that cannot be changed! However, it can be diminished and attenuated. By far, hygiene is the most important factor that affects body odor. When you take showers and baths, ensure that you scrub your armpits for about 5 minutes for each axilla to eliminate the odors. Body odors are very long-lasting, which makes them tenacious to remove. Similarly, the groin region (which is another area where body odors commonly develop) should be scrubbed thoroughly, for about 3-4 minutes per side of your thighs.

Read More: How to Stop Excessive Sweating Odor?

Deodorants and antiperspirants are also commonly used to deal with unwanted body smells. However, they have two different functions: deodorants eliminate the smell or mask it when it has already formed, whereas antiperspirants prevent sweat from forming. Antiperspirants generally have a dual action though, where they not only prevent the smell from forming, but also mask it when it has already been formed. This is the most appropriate option for people with strong body odor. Deodorants and antiperspirants come in the form of sprays, sticks or roll-ons. The choice is truly yours, and their variation in shape and form will in no way affect their efficacy. While some people tend to prefer roll-ons and sticks because of their smooth applications, others would rather opt for sprays to avoid the whitish marks left by roll-ons and sticks under the armpits after application; but also to benefit from the feeling of freshness that they experience with directly spraying their deodorant under their axilla.

Other methods and techniques

Underarm liners (underarm pads, sweat guards, dress shields, etc.) are also another great option for this problem. The work as antiperspirants, but also have the added benefit of removing (or better, preventing) the stains left by antiperspirants on clothing. This is possible because the underarm liners are directly applied to the clothing. They can be either reusable, or disposable. If they are reusable, they are lined with a double layer of ply cotton on one side, or a nylon or vinyl barrier on the next side. They are best used for women. However, remember that you can’t use the same underarm pad for too long otherwise the body will persist (since it is embedded in the sweat pad). 

Special creams (such as Triclosan) or soaps could also be a great ally in your fight against body odor. Triclosan for instance is an antibacterial and antifungal cream effective against the bacteria that are commonly present under the armpits and the groin. Soaps and foams based on plant extracts (such as chlorophyllin or liquorice) are also a great alternative.

How Does Your Diet Influence Your Body Odor?

Last but definitely not least, a change in diet has a huge role to play in the way you smell. Watch out for what you eat, as the ingredients of your foods could easily be translated into body odor. So yes, you truly are what you eat (or at least, smell like)! Researchers have demonstrated that “non red meat eaters” had a less pungent body odor and are henceforth found more attractive in that sense. This is possibly due to the fact that digestion of red meat releases a handful of amino-acids residues, which when mixed with bacteria, produce a strong body odor. And the fact that red meat is not easy to digest makes it even worse. Other foods that can increase tour body odor are fish, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, junk food, or a low-carb diet. Fish smell is attributable to Choline, a vitamin from the B-complex that is richly found in fish species like tuna and salmon. However, the body odor can only be detected with excessive consumption of those fish species (almost daily). Junk foods are rich in carbohydrates which convert into glucose, and the excessive glucose reacts with the bacteria and this causes body odor. Broccoli and cauliflower are vegetables rich in sulfur. Sulfur is broken down by the body and absorbed into sweat, giving you a “rancid butter-like” odor.

Read More: Natural Body Odor Remedies

Body Odor for Sexual Arousal

Research has shown that our body odor is an important part of the sexual response of other people towards us. This observation is even noticeable with animals: dogs for instance get aroused by sniffing the buttocks of their female counterparts. In humans, smelling a person’s body odor can trigger a hormonal response which would stimulate someone to have desire for sexual intercourse. However, it is not clearly determined whether or not this is caused by the odor of the sweat itself, or the overall combined odor of the sweat and other physical and topical secretions.