Managing body odour better

I don’t know about you, but I am paranoid about body odour.  This hot weather has been with us for too many weeks now, and every now and then I get a whiff of myself after a long day and hope no one else can “smell that”.  Do you find the same?

If you’re like me, you shower every day, sometimes twice a day, use perfume, deodorant and other wonderful inventions that mask or propose to kill “the smell” that comes from everyday body odour.  But the reality is, we’re all human.  That means the occasional whiff of reality is there in the hot days of summer.  So what can you do about body odour?

1. Stay clean

The first step is to shower regularly to keep the bacteria that might be causing odour at bay.  When you shower you wash away the sweat which is in fact usually odourless, and you also remove the bacteria which likes to combine with sweat and multiply to cause odour.

2. Use antibacterial soap

If you are prone to odour causing bacteria, using a soap with an antibacterial capacity is a good second step.  They are designed to kill that bacteria mentioned above that is what is usually behind the odour.

3.  Make sure you dry yourself well

After bathing, it is important to dry your body well.  Bacteria likes moist environments much more than it likes dry ones, so be sure to towel off, and even apply cornstarch talc if needed to areas that are prone to moisture.

If it’s dry it will be harder for bacteria to breed.

4. Find a killer anti-Perspirant with deodorant in it and use it twice a day

You are probably already aware that there is a large difference between antiperspirant and deodorant.  A deodorant is something that treats the odour, masking the smell; an anti-perspirant is something designed to keep you dry in the first place.   If you can find one that combines the two, you will likely find it performs better than either one alone.

Doctors can also prescribe antiperspirants if you think you have a larger and more clinical issue.

Use your deodorant/anti-perspirant twice per day, morning and night for best effect.

5. Wash your clothes regularly

If you are prone to odour, it is wise to wash all clothes after wearing them and to change your clothes frequently.  Bacteria will live in your clothes as it will on your body and be easily attracted to you when re-wearing clothing.

6.  Look for foods that affect you more

Some foods in your diet are known to cause people to sweat more, and if you are affected, you should consider how important it might be to avoid them.  Firstly, some foods make you sweat, like chilis, coffee or alcohol.  In addition, some foods are known to affect the smell of your swear like onion and garlic.

Do you think these tips are helpful?  Share them with a friend.