Body Odor

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• QHow can I control my foot odor?

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  A Dr. David C. Fiore, MD , Family Medicine, answered on behalf of Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine

  To control your foot odor you must start by maintaining good foot hygiene, like regularly washing your feet and cleaning your footwear and clothing.

  Foot odor can be related to a number of things. If the problem persists, it can be a sign of a fungal or other infection.

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• QDoes more deodorant on your underarms work better?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  There is no evidence that a heavier application of deodorant works better.

• QWhat is the relationship between body odor and skin health?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Body odor is caused by bacteria and yeast that live on the skin. As the bacteria and yeast break down the proteins in your sweat, an odor is produced. Some simple skincare and hygiene steps, such as washing once or twice daily with water and mild soap, can help remove the bacteria that are causing the smell. Washing clothing often, using antiperspirant, and shaving armpits can also help. Sometimes, though, body odor does not go away with these steps. Persistent body odor may be caused by excessive sweating or other medical conditions that require treatment, so talk to your doctor if you're concerned.

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• QIs there a natural antiperspirant I can use?

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  A Mother Nature Network answered

  Antiperspirants aren't the most green item to have in your medicine cabinet or gym bag because they contain aluminum compounds, the key ingredients that block your sweat glands and prevent moisture. As you might know, aluminum mining is destructive, resource-intensive and polluting. Environmental damage aside, perhaps the most controversial aspect of antiperspirant use is its rumored link to breast cancer and other diseases. Even though hearsay about the correlation between the two continue to swirl, the National Cancer Institute claims that evidence linking breast cancer and the neurotoxins found in antiperspirants is inconclusive. However, the Food and Drug Administration has made it mandatory for antiperspirants to carry a warning label recommending that consumers with existing kidney disease consult with a doctor before using the product. To be clear, it hasn't been proven that aluminum is directly responsible for health issues like breast cancer and kidney disease. Yet, because of the scary but indeterminate health risks and the proven environmental hazards of aluminum-based antiperspirants, many folks opt not to use it. So do these folks use natural antiperspirant? Unfortunately, there isn't an aluminum-free, natural antiperspirant. Deodorant, however, (unless combined with antiperspirant) is always aluminum-free and can be found in natural varieties. That means that these products don't enlist chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde and triclosan to help combat underarm bacteria. You may be familiar with crystal rock deodorants that rely exclusively on the stink-busting power of natural mineral crystals. If sweat, not the stink, is your primary concern, give natural deodorant a shot. First, check out the amazing Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to see how different brands stack up and see if that helps at all. If deodorant doesn't do the trick and your sweating remains an issue, drink lots of water, maintain a healthy diet, buy a jumbo-sized bucket of OxiClean for stains and see an MD.
• QHow can I manage body odor?

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  A Dr. Susan Evans , Dermatology, answered

  Managing body odor is a fairly easy task. Try the following suggestions to see if they help you to keep your offensive odors under control:
  
  • Because of the great number of apocrine glands found in your underarm area, bathing with warm water and soap is the best way to control odor. If the weather is very hot, or if you sweat heavily, you may consider showering twice a day.
  
  • Because underarm hair slows down the evaporation of sweat, you may consider shaving your armpits to help prevent odors.
   
  • Daily application of deodorant or antiperspirant helps because deodorants have a nice smell while they acidify your skin, making it more difficult for bacteria to grow and multiply. Antiperspirants temporarily block the apocrine glands, minimizing sweating.
  
  • Clothing choices can make a difference. Try to wear natural fibers that allow your skin to breathe. Choose cottons, linens, silks, or wool.
  
  • Food can sometimes cause problems with body odor. Garlic, onions, curry, and a diet high in red meat can sometimes be responsible for offensive body odor.
  
  • Tobacco is a big source of body odor, not only on your breath, but coming through your skin as well.

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• QWhat makes sweat smell?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  You actually have two types of sweat glands that produce stuff that looks and feels like sweat. Most of this secreted fluid serves a beneficial purpose by helping to flush toxins out of your body. It's only the apocrine sweat gland that secretes the odor-the smell that produces part of our identity, attracts mates, and makes you pick the treadmill at the other end of the gym. These glands are located in predictable locations-including arm pits and genitals.
• QWhat causes body odor?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  If you smell funkier than a Rick James album, then there's probably a good explanation. Our major sweat glands (they're called eccrine glands, in case you're ever on Jeopardy) release a sterile solution that attract smelly bacteria in some people. These secretions are stored in coiled circular glands 4 feet long and covering our entire skin surface.
  
  But the actual composition of your sweat is based on your genes and your food. Garlic will quickly pass into your skin and quickly share itself with others. Washing frequently helps, but sometimes a quick course of topical antibiotics from your doctor is the best anti-smell solution.

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• QHow do spicy foods increase body odor?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Quite simply, spicy foods increase body odor by making you sweat more. When you eat spicy foods, your output of sweat increases, leading to an increase in body odor. Although many people believe pungent foods like garlic and onions can increase body odor, there is no scientific evidence of this.

• QWhen did the social taboo to body odor develop?

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  A Discovery Health answered

  The social taboo to body smell did not occur in most Western societies until the late 1950s, around the same time that marketing firms began ramping up advertising campaigns to sell deodorant.

  The firms tapped into social insecurity among consumers by suggesting to them that they would become pariahs if they did not use deodorant to cover their body odor.

  Even though deodorants, unlike soap and toothpaste, offer no real health benefits the marketing campaigns succeeded. In 2006, sales of products to prevent sweating and combat body odor reached $2.5 billion in the United States.

• QWhat is the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant?

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  A Discovery Health answered

  An antiperspirant keeps you from sweating, while a deodorant cuts down on the odor when you do sweat.