Why Do Armpits Smell? 5+ Tips How To Smell Great Throughout The Day

by John Griffith
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Body odor and smelly armpits are super common. After all, we are all human. However, now with the start of the hot summer months, it seems the unpleasant odor keeps showing up more and more. And it’s very annoying. Especially when you just got out of the shower, and it seems that all it takes is 15 minutes for the stench to occur and haunt you. And while this is normal, nobody enjoys it. On the bright side, there are plenty of things you can do to stay fresh and nice-smelling. But before we show you how to smell great throughout the day, it’s first important to understand why do armpits smell?

Body odor and smelly armpits are super common

woman laying on the bed with hand on her head

Why Do Armpits Smell?

Our whole bodies are covered with sweat glands. They are essential, as is sweating. This is because sweating helps the body cool down. There are two types of sweat glands – eccrine, which cover the entire body and open up right on the skin’s surface or apocrine, which contain hair follicles, such as the pits and groin. However, both of these glands produce odorless sweat. The odor actually comes when the fluid gets into contact with the skin’s bacteria.

Sweating helps the body cool down

why do armpits smell woman exposing her armpit

How Do I Stop My Armpits From Smelling?

Okay, so now we know that it’s bacteria’s fault for smelly armpits, what can we do about it? There are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself smelling good throughout the day. Here are some suggestions.

#Shower Regularly With Soap

Taking daily showers is a must when it comes to fighting off the bad smell. It’s very important to take a shower after intensive physical activities in order to get rid of the bacteria.

Use soap when showering 

three different homemade soaps

#Breathable Fabrics

Tight fabrics are a big no-no when it comes to the warm months. If you tend to sweat a lot, it’s a good idea to stick to fabrics that are loose-fitting and breathable such as linen, cotton or moisture-wicking blends. This will help you stay cooler and sweat less.

Stick to fabrics that are loose-fitting and breathable

woman looking down while streching her black and white t shirt

#No More Hair

You may not be a big fan of removing the hair from your armpits, but it does help with reducing the odor. Hair tends to trap in all the bacteria, so it makes it a perfect place to produce odor.

If you sweat a lot, it’s a good idea to get rid of the hair 

why do armpits smell woman with a bit of armpit hair

#Avoid Stress

Stress is generally bad for your health. However, it also triggers the sweat glands to start producing more sweat. So, try to avoid stressful situations as much as possible. Try some anxiety-reducing techniques that can help modulate the stress reaction.

Try to avoid stressful situations as much as possible

woman meditating in the sunset

#Avoid These Foods

Having a bad diet can also cause a bad odor. Certain foods can make you smell more than others. Foods rich in sulfur are best to avoid. This includes foods such as onions, garlic, cabbages, red meat, cauliflower, alcohol, coffee, cumin, and broccoli.

Onions contain sulfur 

how do i stop my armpits from smelling red and yellow onions

#Antiperspirant

Antiperspirants are great for stopping sweat to get out. They contain certain chemicals that keep the sweat at bay as they plug the sweat glands. It’s best to apply antiperspirants at night, so they can absorb while you sleep.

Antiperspirants are great for stopping sweat to get out

woman putting on antipersipirant in the0mirror

#Deodorant

The main difference between antiperspirants and deodorants are that while the first stops sweat, the other has fragrance that helps mask the smell of sweat. So, if you don’t sweat a lot, you can get away with using deodorant.

Deodorant has fragrance that helps mask the smell of sweat

woman putting on deodarant

#Botox

While this may seem weird, you can get Botox injections inside your armpits to help with sweating. This is because it blocks the chemical in the body that stimulates the sweat glands. The effects take a couple of days to kick in but last for four to six months.

Botox blocks the chemical in the body that stimulates the sweat glands

hand holding needle of botox on pink background

#Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is amazing at helping with blackheads and razor bumps. However, it can also help with armpit odor. This exfoliant can help reduce the smell. This is because it can help inhibit bacteria growth.

Glycolic acid is an exfoliant 

why do my armpits smell glycolic acid liquid on pink background

So, now you know why do armpits smell and how to fight the smell, you can’t take a deep breath, as there will be no more unpleasant odors. If you feel like you sweat more than the average person, it’s best to seek out help from a medical professional to get you started on treatment.

No more smelly armpits

woman streching showing her armpits

Sources:

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.