Smell fresh and nice this summer

Body odour or ‘BO’ is an issue we face everyday.

 But surprisingly, though our sweat has no odour of its own, it gives off an unpleasant smell when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids - some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body, but it really is the result of bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids. 

Broadly, there are three different problems that are responsible for body odour. Hygiene being one of the major factors. Not cleaning up properly, not having a proper bath or wearing clean clothes can all lead to body odour. If you suffer from eczema or allergy problems, it is possible that a skin infection, probably fungal, is contributing to the problem. There are some uncommon genetic conditions that are associated with odour as well. 

Dr Rohit Batra, dermatologist, Sir Gangaram Hospital, informs, “Warm temperature also stimulates sweat glands and cause bacterium to break sweat down into a sticky coating that becomes a magnet for dirt, thereby causing bad body odour. Synthetic fabrics like polyester look good but trap sweat. This trapped sweat makes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Tight fitting clothes and shoes also increase the likelihood of excess perspiration and body odour.”

“People with body odour should avoid food that are rich in lecithin or choline or cantine/lysine such as soya products, corn, wheat and also chocolates, peanuts, nuts, raisins, cereals, eggs, etc or limit the intake of these foods to a small part of the daily diet,” advises Dr Batra.

Following are some tips to tackle sweating and bad odour:Vinegar: Add natural vinegar with apple cider vinegar and rub it on your underarms with a cotton ball. It will not only help you to get rid of sweating and bad odour but will also improve your underarm skin complexion.

Foot sweating: Keep your feet dry and clean, especially after bath pat your feet dry between the toes. You can also apply vinegar on the sweating areas.

Palm sweating: If you have sweating problem in the palms then the best way is to boil water and soak four-five teabags in it. When it cools down, soak your palms for at least 30 minutes. It will help a lot in reducing sweating problems as tea has astringent properties that play the role of an antiperspirant.

Diet intake: Drinking homemade fresh aloevera or tomato juice can show wonderful results. And apart from that taking less salt in your diet is also very important.

Tea tree oil is also one of the best remedies which can be used for the excessive sweating problem. Tea tree oil can be bought from any herbal store.

Face sweating: Using wet wipes with deodorant properties can help a lot to control the problem of excessive sweating on the face.