Sweat itself doesn’t actually smell; the problem arises when the sweat is trapped. Photo/FILE
By TOROOTI MWIRIGI nation@askadoc.co.ke
Posted Tuesday, April 3 2012 at 00:00
Posted Tuesday, April 3 2012 at 00:00
IN SUMMARY
- Sweat itself doesn’t actually smell; the problem arises when the sweat is trapped, creating a conducive environment for bacteria
Dear Ask a Doc,
There is a bad smell that surrounds me, and I have had this problem for a long time now. The smell persists even when I take a bath and change my clothes frequently.
There is a bad smell that surrounds me, and I have had this problem for a long time now. The smell persists even when I take a bath and change my clothes frequently.
I am worried that people think I do not shower. This is very embarrassing, especially at work. I also sweat a lot and sometimes it even shows on my clothes. Could this be the problem? Can I be cured?
Hi,
Body odour is a very common problem that can be quite embarrassing. This is how body odour occurs: Your body releases secretions like sweat throughout the day.
In addition, you shed your skin on a monthly basis. The bacteria found on your skin feed on these body secretions and dead skin cells. As these bacteria feast on your body secretions, they release chemicals that cause foul body odour.
Sweat itself doesn’t actually smell; the problem arises when the sweat is trapped. The parts of the body that most commonly have bad odour are the arm pits, the folds of the skin, the feet and the private areas. The reasons why these areas are notorious for generating foul smell are:
1. They have more sweat glands and release more secretions
2. They are often moist, which makes them ideal for bacteria to thrive.
3. These areas have a lot of hair that traps the body secretions and leads to body odour, so people with a lot of body hair tend to suffer body odour problems.
4. These areas are often not properly cleaned.
Sweating a lot can be normal or suggest an underlying disease or condition. The scientific name for excessive sweating is hyperhidrosis. In normal circumstances, you sweat a lot when you: engage in heavy exercise; wear tight clothing; are in hot humid conditions; are anxious about something.
Some of the conditions that can cause excessive sweating include infections that cause fever, diseases of the thyroid gland and some cancers. However, these causes are not common.
In cases of severe sweating, it is important to visit your medical doctor to find out the cause and to have the most appropriate treatment prescribed. Some of the medical interventions that can help control the sweat include:
Oral medications to help your body regulate sweating.
Botulinum toxin (botox) injections in the areas with excessive sweating have been shown to be effective. The botox injection reduces the nervous system activity thereby resulting in reduction of sweat secretion.
Surgery to remove nerves to sweat glands, or remove the sweat glands themselves by surgery or by sucking them out through subcutaneous liposuction.
Controlling body odour
You cannot be completely odour free; it is not possible. What you can do is try and control it in the following ways:
1 Taking a bath — This is the best way to control body odour. You should take a bath at least once a day, using soap and clean water. If you have a tendency to sweat at night, you should take a bath at least twice a day, that way you wash off any sweat that has accumulated during the night.
2 Thorough drying — Ensure that you dry your body with a clean towel after a bath, and pay particular attention to the hidden areas, like the armpits and the private areas.
3 Trim any excess body hair in order to reduce the trapping of sweat.
4 Use antiperspirants in the armpits to reduce sweating. These antiperspirants have chemicals that control the amount of sweat produced.
5 Use deodorants to help mask any odour. The deodorants can be in the form of sprays or oils.
Did you know?
Every day we produce an average of one litre of sweat
Sweating is a mechanism of cooling the body and getting rid of waste products from the body.
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