How to Get Rid of Body Odor

If you’ve got body odor, it’s important to remember that the most common factor to body odor is a person’s diet. Qualities of food, types of food, and how your body digests and processes foods can cause body odor that is hard to get rid of. Usually doing a one to three day detox, drinking plenty of water, and staying away from overly fatty food, excessive sugar and overly processed foods can make a dramatic difference in body odor.

Covering Up Body Odor Won’t Get Rid of It

Spending an exorbitant amount of money on perfumes, body sprays and deodorants to cover up body odor is not the answer. Covering up the odor won’t stop it, and some perfumes, body sprays and deodorants can actually irritate pores and cause the odor to become worse. There is a condition called hyperhidrosis which causes excessive sweating and strong body odor- this is usually caused by bacterial growth. There are ways to combat body odor, regardless of the cause.

Daily Bathing and Cleaning

Daily bathing will help prevent body odor- obviously when dealing with body odor issues, sometimes taking more than one shower or bath a day will help. Use a good body wash that doesn’t leave a “perfumy”scent or sticky residue. Try to avoid bath oils, baby oils or lotions that are too heavy- these can cause you to sweat more, which will increase odor.

Use Baby Powder

Using baby powder, or another type of talcum powder under arms, in folds of skin or other parts of the body which sweat excessively, can help prevent sweating. These powders should be dusted on after a bath or shower, they will help absorb excessive moisture, and therefore cut down on odor and wetness. Avoid using baking soda or other harsh powders on your skin in place of talc, talcum powder is best because it won’t interfere with your body’s natural PH balance.

Stay Away from Antiperspirants

Avoid using antiperspirants, these will help get rid of body odor- but at the expense of your pores. These products clog pores and cause bacteria and toxins to stay trapped underneath the skin. Clogged pores in your underarms can cause cysts and pimples, and further irritate your skin and sweating problems.

Watch What you Wear

Avoid wearing fabrics such as satin, polyester, or other man-made fabrics. They are synthetically made and will keep your skin from “breathing,” which in turn causes body odor problems and exacerbates sweating issues. Cotton, wool and silk are naturally “breathing” fabrics which help your body to stay cool and dry- cotton also helps wick moisture away from the body- decreasing odor issues.

Keep your Bedding and Clothes Clean

Making sure to wash your bedding, towels, and clothing regularly and using a minimal amount of fabric softener will also help keep body odor to a minimum and help reduce sweating. This will also help keep your pores from clogging and bacterial build-up in pores as well.

Certain Foods Can Cause Body Odor

Eating large amounts of fish, meat, onions and garlic can also be a major factor in causing body odor. Avoid excessive amounts of these items. It’s also a well-known fact that alcohol and tobacco usage contribute to body odor. It’s a great idea to avoid these items, and to make sure to drink plenty of water. Refined sugar is also a big no-no when you’re trying to get rid of body odor, it increases bacteria and causes body odor to worsen.

Sweat It Out!

Allow yourself to sweat, sweat is the body’s natural way of detoxing! Strenuous exercise, saunas, even hot tubs will help you to sweat. Even when trying to avoid odor, sweating will help flush toxins from your body and will help clear your pores. Your sweat may smell really bad at first, but after a bit, you’ll find that your sweat is no longer smelly.

Keep in mind, that while body odor and excessive sweating are usually just an annoying and easily treatable issue- sometimes excessive sweating and strong body odor are symptoms of a medical problem. Kidney disease, liver disease, fungus infections and even just plain old poor hygiene habits can cause harsh body odor. If none of the above precautions work to control your body odor, it’s a good idea to see your physician to help rule out a medical condition as a cause.

Professional Treatments to Get Rid of Body Odor

If all else fails, there are treatments out there for body odor and sweating such as anticholinergic medications which will inhibit sweat glands and help control levels of the chemicals which control those glands in your body. There are also surgeries that will help with excessive sweating(and also control your body odor as a result)- discuss with your physician whether you are a candidate for any of these options.

Body odor is an embarrassing problem, but it is controllable and even preventable!