Live Life Team
The condition where an unpleasant smell is emitted due to excessive sweating is known as body odour. The sweat emitted by the body is broken down by the bacteria into acids which results in this foul smell. People above the puberty age are usually subjected to this condition. Factors that can worsen body odour are:
- Intake of food that is very spicy
- the person having obesity
- high level of obesity
Hyperhidrosis is a condition where the person tends to sweat profusely. This does not give rise to body odour as the bacteria will not be able to break down the sweat because of the high salt content.
Causes
The eccrine glands present in our skin helps the body in regulating its temperature by producing sweat when it is very hot. The aprocrine glands are the scent glands present in the breasts, genitals and arm pits which release the pheromones, which influence the reaction of a particular person towards another person.
Body odour is cause mainly due to the aprocrine glands. This is because the bacteria easily break down the protein which is present in the sweat released by these glands. The sweat released by the eccrine gland contains very high level of salt. So bacteria will find it difficult to break down the sweat completely.
Smelly feet are found in people who wear shoe and socks continuously. The sweat released by the feet does not evaporate completely. This helps the bacteria to break down the sweat.
Fungi grow around the feet due to accumulation of moisture in the feet. This may also lead to emission of an unpleasant smell.
Diagnosis
One need not usually go to a doctor for consultation if he or she has developed body odour. Self care methods are there which will help them to treat this condition of body odour.
But in certain conditions, the person must visit the doctor. These medical conditions result in a change in the smell of the sweat as well as the quantity of sweating.
The presence of a hyperactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) can cause excessive sweating. If the woman has reached the menopause stage, excessive sweating occurs. The other conditions which can cause excessive sweating as well as the change of the sweat smell are;
- Hepatic or liver diseases
- Renal or kidney diseases
- and Diabetes.
Some of the following conditions which require the immediate consultation of a doctor are:
- Sweating suddenly and excessively in the night.
- If a person starts sweating suddenly at a very high rate than the normal level, for which there is no proper reason
- If a person experiences cold sweats
- A change in body odour
Treatment
Self care advices include:
- Take bath at least once regularly.
- Use an antibacterial soap to clean the armpits
- Use an antiperspirant.
- Regularly shave the armpits
- Use clothes of natural fibre
- Restrict the intake of spicy food.
In extreme cases, aluminium chloride in slightly large amount as well as botulinum toxin in very micro doses can be used for treating body odour.
