Tips to take the stink away from your body

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Do people turn their noses up every time you walk into a room?

Your overpowering body odour could be the reason few people, or none, want to relate with you closely.

Let’s explore the reasons for stinking bodies.

We begin by accepting that every individual has a unique body smell and this is natural and present both in man and animals.

In humans, this characteristic is evident in newborns to enable them recognise their mothers, while in animals, these chemicals, known as pheromones, influence the behaviour of the opposite sex, triggering sexual interest (mating).

There are a thousand reasons why some people have unending and nauseating body odours. This could range from hygiene to the foods one eats.

Hairy armpits and pubic areas are the most embarrassing and likely to cause repulsive smells.  According to the biology of the body, sweat is naturally odourless and begins to smell when bacteria break it down.

People, who sweat excessively from their apocrine glands, or have a lot of bacteria on their skin, tend to have very bad body odour.

Spicy foods and others like raw garlic, fenugreek and onions are likely culprits of body oduor and so does alcohol and smoking.

Certain medical conditions like diabetes, thyroid and kidney disease are also likely to cause body odour.

Your genes also influence how good or bad you smell. It’s why overweight and obese people are more likely to have bad body oduor because they sweat frequently, a condition known as hyperhidrosis.

Your feet could also be a haven for bacteria, leading to smelly feet. This can be worse if you do not wipe between your toes after bathing and wear non-absorbent socks, which could lead to athletes’ feet.

Closer to the mouth, smells emanating from oral cavities are common in people with cavities and those with poor oral hygiene, which leads to what we call halitosis.

Saliva plays a key role in moistenening  the mouth, neutralising acids and washing away dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums and cheeks that could cause bad breath. When bad breath persists, this may be a warning sign of gum (periodontal) disease. This will require you to visit your dentist.

To reduce body smell, shower at least once daily with warm water and soap, because bathing removes sweat and reduces the number of bacteria on your skin. In addition, remember to change and wash your clothes regularly.

You can also find a suitable antiperspirant or deodorant daily to help prevent body odour, however, they should not replace daily baths or other basic hygiene regimes.

It has been however proven that deodorants only work temporarily because they cover the smell and eliminate some of the odour. But the solution should start with basic body hygiene.

The choice of fabrics that you wear could make all the difference. Avoid synthetic fabrics and opt for cotton and linen because they effectively absorb sweat and enable your skin to ‘breathe.’

You can also try shaving the hairy areas that are known to trap sweat and oduor, providing favuorable conditions for bacteria to multiply.

For smelly feet, wiping your toes and the spaces between them with absorbent material, wearing cotton socks and regularly airing your shoes, especially for men, will sort out stinking feet.

It’s interesting to know that there are some people who believe that they sweat profusely, yet they aren’t. Such cases are referred for psychiatric management.

If the above suggestions don’t work,  you should not be embarrassed to get checked by the doctor, as that isn’t as bad as being shunned by a loved one or colleagues.

You need not stink!