Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Fighting With Body Odor

In hilly areas summers are really pleasant. But for people in places where temperature reaches the extreme levels, summers are very annoying. In such areas summer means excessive sweating and stinking body so who can enjoy the summer in such areas.
The interesting fact is that sweat itself is odorless. The main culprit is the bacteria growing on the body who multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat and break it down. The process releases chemicals that results in body odor. So by reducing the sweating we can control the body odor to some extent and thus reducing the stinking effect. However there are certain diseases which can lead to excessive sweating like thyroid problems. Some medicines like antidepressants also lead to excessive sweating. Here we are discussing about certain points which can help us to fight body odor to some extent.

Some important methods to control body odor:

  • As body odor occurs due to bacteria growing on the body, so proper body cleanliness is needed. Take regular baths or showers at least once a day. Some persons have more sweat and oil producing glands so they need to bath 2-3 times daily. Properly cleanse the area with soap where there is excessive sweat production like armpits, groin, feet etc.
  • Remove the hairs from the areas of excessive sweating as these hairs provide greater surface area to the bacteria to grow.
  • Deodorants or perfumes mask the body odor to some extent. Moreover they also refresh you. So they can be used. But don’t use them in excess otherwise instead of putting a pleasure effect on others you will repel them.
  • Use fresh clothes daily if you wear unwashed clothes covered in sweat in bacteria after the bath, the body odor will reappear. While washing the clothes use of anti fungal is also recommended. Wash the clothes at a high temperature as possible and dry them quickly as bacteria grow on damp clothing.
  • For feet wash them, dry them properly and if necessary use antifungal powder. Use fresh cotton socks. Avoid closed and sweaty shoes.
  • Some antibacterial or antiseptics can also be used which reduce the number of these bacteria but use them after consulting your doctor.
  • Avoid synthetic and tight fitting clothes.
  • According to some studies by avoiding spicy foods the problem of body odor can also be controlled.
  • Use plenty of water and fruit juices to hydrate the body and reduce sweating.

Excessive sweating or Hyperhidrosis

Generally men sweat more than women. Moreover our diet also influences the process of sweating. Sweating is more in persons consuming very hot drinks and spicy foods. In persons suffering from thyroid disease or carcinomas there is excessive sweating. Some drugs also lead to hyperhidrosis like antidepressants.
In case of hyperhidrosis usual methods mentioned above alone may not help. In such cases they need to consult the doctor. In such cases surgical treatment involving the surgical removal of triangular area in the armpits or by destroying the nerves that control sweating is done. Recently non surgical treatments are also used as an alternative to surgeries in which botulinum toxin is injected in the armpit area.

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