Felly, Why do my armpits smell so bad? I shower daily and wear deodorant.
Well, sometimes a shower just aint enough. I know – it has happened to me, and I’ve had clients come to me with the same problem.
Often, it’s a simple case of wearing the wrong fabric on the wrong day. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon on a hot day will stink despite your strongest deodorant, especially if the top is tight around the underarms.
But if that horrifying stench has become an everyday occurrence all over a sudden, we need to discuss that. I had a house manager who would stink up the entire house despite showering twice a day and wearing deo. It was what led me down this rabbit hole and here’s what I found out.
1. Bacteria
Bacteria on your underarms cause the bad smell, not your sweat- let’s get that straight.
Sweat on its own is odorless until it comes into contact with the bacteria, and gets broken down into a smelly compound known as thioalcohols. Depending on your diet, hormones, and other factors, these compounds can give off a sulfuric, meaty or onion stench.
Unfortunately, armpits make the perfect home for bacteria- they are moist, warm, and dark.
Usually, a good wash and deodorant should stop the increase of bacteria imbalance, leaving you fresh all day. But most people do not clean their armpits thoroughly and this leaves some bad bacteria thriving and overpowering the good ones.
What’s worse, the build-up of deodorant and hair also makes the area very habitable for bad bacteria.
Solution?
Let’s start with getting rid of that bacteria and making armpits less hospitable.
- Shave
Hair makes the underarms more homely for bacteria. It’s not possible to get rid of all the sweat and bacteria that hold onto the hair, so it’s best to shave it clean. I find that shaving or waxing your pits exfoliates the area, getting rid of dead skin cells and gunk.
I shave once a week but some people may need to do it twice. If you are prone to discoloration, waxing is a better option.
- Exfoliate
I finally got rid of the new-found stench from my pits when I started to exfoliate. As it turns out, applying some soap there or using a washcloth simply isn’t enough to get rid of the bacteria, deodorant buildup, and dead skin cells. You need something rougher.
I started with a pair of exfoliating gloves and switched to Dettol antibacterial soap. My friend swears by Dr. Bruner’s bar soap too for killing the stubborn bacteria. Scrub the area thoroughly twice and rinse properly. A loofah or a facial exfoliating brush will do as well.
On days I’m exfoliating the rest of my body, I use the product on my armpits as well and give a good scrub. A good sugar or salt scrub like the TREE HUT Tropic Glow exfoliating scrub will get rid of all dead skin, bacteria and leave the skin baby soft.
This alone should make a big difference.
A friend who is a nurse recommends using the surgical scrub doctors use to clean their hands before surgery to wash armpits only. It’s sold over the counter as chlorhexidine gluconate and it is a powerful anti-bacterial.
- Apple cider vinegar
I’ve been recommending taking a cup of apple cider vinegar in your morning water for a long time. It deodorizes your body and increases acidity to keep bad bacteria from thriving.
The same thing happens when you apply some diluted ACV on your clean, dry armpits. I use makeup removers to do it and I can stay for hours without wearing deodorant. And if you have glycolic acid for your face, it works the same way to acidify the armpits and keep bad bacteria from flourishing.
These are best after a night shower but you still need to wear your deodorant or antiperspirant in the morning.
2. Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a condition where one sweats excessively, especially on their hands, feet, and armpits. Its causes range from extreme stress to hormonal changes like menopause and other diseases. A doctor can confirm if you have this with a test and recommend solutions.
While sweat alone wouldn’t be a problem, except for the wet clothing, too much sweat mixed with bacteria means more stinking. That much sweat also washes deodorant away, leaving you prone to smelly armpits.
Solution?
A prescription-based antiperspirant will be the first recommendation to stop the excessive sweating. Most store-bought antiperspirants don’t do the job.
Botox is also a common solution because it decreases sweating when injected into the sweat glands every few months.
If it’s really bad, the doctor can recommend anticholinergic medicines. These will stop the body from sweating, which is not healthy and hence has some unpleasant side effects.
3. Diet
Yes, certain foods can make your sweat suddenly smell awful. Foods that have a strong smell like onions, garlic, asparagus, spices, and beer are common culprits. Add red meat to that, especially if you do a regular raw to medium-rare steak. And I hate to break your heart but too much coffee will alter your body scent as well.
“Odor depends on the various types of bacteria found on the skin, along with the different types of food you are eating”. Says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, “If you find your sweat switching from smelling like ammonia to smelling like fish, for example, it could be due to different foods triggering different effects while mixing with the bacteria on your body.”
Solution?
Well, avoid eating or drinking too much of these foods. Drinking a gallon of water per day as recommended will also help to dilute the sweat and cleanse your body in other ways. Lastly, eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Pineapples, melons, citrus fruits, cucumber, and mangos are great cleansers that will make your bodily fluids stink less.
4. Medication
Did you start new meds recently?
Certain meds cause hyperhidrosis and others make your sweat smell horrible even before it comes into contact with bacteria. Examples of these include:
· Opioids like Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin,
· Antidepressants such as Norpramin, Elavil, and Pamelor
· Alzheimer’s and dementia medication
Solution?
For this you just have to ride through the wave until the dose is over. If you are on the meds for a long time though, talk to your doctor to see if they can switch them with something better. The other alternative is a prescription-strength antiperspirant to stop the sweat. The smell will still come off through your pores though.
5. Medical Condition
Some medical conditions can alter how your body and bodily fluids smell. I remember smelling like death the one time I had pneumonia. Diabetes, gout, kidney disease, liver disease, and malaria are other culprits. Infections like uncontrolled HIV and vertigo also cause the skin to smell musty.
With these, only a doctor can help. If you have a skin condition, soap with ketoconazole will help.
BONUS TIP: CHLOROPHYLL
The scientific jury is still out on whether chlorophyll does deodorize the body from the inside out or not. That said, chlorophyll supports the body’s detoxification process, resulting in less odor from sweat and breath. Chlorophyll also supports a healthy gut, and as we know, your gut controls everything from your hormones to your digestion and everything in between.
So, how do you incorporate chlorophyll into your diet?
I would recommend a green diet to start with. Spinach, kale, and parsley are great sources of chlorophyll. Add a good portion of greens to your daily smoothie and drink away. You can also add liquid chlorophyll or supplements to your water or smoothies.
FAQ’s
How do I stop my armpits from smelling without deodorant?
While most kitchen deodorants like lemon, baking soda, and ACV work, they do not last more than a few hours and they can burn your skin. The one homemade deodorant I’ve seen last is a mixture of magnesia and rubbing alcohol 1:1. Coconut oil and 3 drops of tea tree essential oil is also a good option but rub some rubbing alcohol on your dry pits first.
Why do my armpits smell bad even with deodorant?
Overgrowth of bad bacteria on your underarms is the most common reason why you stink even when wearing deodorant. Interestingly, deodorant buildup makes this possible if you don’t scrub it off properly. A simple solution is to ensure you wash up thoroughly- use a loofah or exfoliating gloves and antibacterial soap to clean, and shave the armpits clean. Chlorophyll supplements can also help your body stink less.