Tackling body odour

Our bodies secrete fluids, sweat and oils as we go about our various vigorous activities. These, when left unattended to, become a problem known as body odour. Body odour can be defined as the unpleasant smell that occurs when you sweat, or talk or the smell your body generally issues forth. However, it is not […]

Our bodies secrete fluids, sweat and oils as we go about our various vigorous activities. These, when left unattended to, become a problem known as body odour.
Body odour can be defined as the unpleasant smell that occurs when you sweat, or talk or the smell your body generally issues forth. However, it is not the sweat itself that smells but it is when the bacteria on the skin breaks the sweat into acids, that causes the smell.
Some symptoms of body odour include heavy sweating, nervous behaviour and anxiety. In most cases the individual may on his or her own get to know only when a friend or relation tells him or her.
Body odour does not, most times, need medical attention; there are some self-care techniques that an individual can practice that could treat the problem successfully.
It can also take on an offensive odour if you consume certain food and drink, such as garlic, spices and alcohol, as well as some types of medication, such as antidepressants.
Managing body odour
The best way to avoid getting body odour is to keep certain areas of your body that are prone to sweating clean and free of bacteria.
Use soap to bath every day, paying particular attention to the areas that produce the most sweat, such as your armpits, genital area and feet.
Washing removes sweat and reduces the number of bacteria on your skin.
Changing and washing your clothes regularly will also help. Using an antiperspirant or deodorant daily will help prevent body odour.
Antiperspirants work by reducing the amount of sweat your body produces. Use perfume to mask the smell of sweat. Regularly shaving the armpits can also help reduce body odour. The hair in your armpits traps sweat and odour, providing ideal conditions for bacteria to multiply.
Sometimes, body odour may occur as a result of dietary habits. This could be in the form of over processed foods such as canned foods like corned beef.
Causes of bad or unpleasant body odour
Everybody sweats. In fact nature has made it in such a way that perspiration is the body’s best way of cooling down. However, body odour can be caused from poor hygiene, body fluids, normal aging process, stale sweat, stressful conditions, excessive intake of caffeine, strenuous exercises, emotional problems, psychological problems, smoking and many others cause bad body odour.
Bad body odour could also be gotten from medication administered to a person, a common side effect of many drugs is sweating and this can cause very bad odour if not taken care of properly.
A health worker, Mrs. Glory Adah, told Home Front that the reason most people have body odour is that after they are through with the day’s work, they do not freshen up.
Citing other causes of body odour, she said ‘’It could be due to the food we eat and how well we take care of ourselves especially our clothes and body. Drugs too can cause it. So people need to know the side effects of the drugs they are given before taking them.”