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Body odour is an unpleasant body smell. The main cause of body odour is the secretion of some chemicals by the apocrine sweat glands. Sweat is a natural process that helps the body to regulate its temperature. The more people sweat, the greater the chances of body odour. The body sweat is odorless but the body gives out unpleasant smell when the bacterium that lives on the body breaks down the body sweats into acid. These acids are harmless to the body but only give the skin or body an irritating smell. The acids are the propanoic acid with pungent smell and the isovaleric acid, which is mostly found on the feet, has a strong pungent cheesy or sweaty smell.
Body odour can be inherited, this simply means that it is genetic. Body odour can also be because of poor personal hygiene. Most people are so dirty and lazy to the extent of procrastinating when it comes to bathing. Some people, after a long day find it hard to wash off the sweats on their body. By not having your bath, you are given to the bacteria opportunity to act on the body sweats. Women in their menopause (read more about menopause and menstruation here) sweat much at night. This usually serves as a sign that their menstrual period will soon cease to stop coming. The body regions that are more prone to odour are the armpits and the genital parts. These parts contain hair that helps in the diffusion of the body odour, other sensitive parts parts are the navel, feet, back of the ears and the rest of the body.
Body odour can also be due to some diseases. The presence of chronic or life threatening diseases like diabetes, kidney disease, liver problem tends to be associated with body odour. In this case, the body finds it difficult to process and excrete the body toxins. These people sweat more than normal, they sweat more at night and in the cold. These sweats may give a strange smell, either fruity or not. Also people with high body fat content, large body mass and the obese in nature tend to sweat too much, this can leads to them having body odour. Body fats usually serve as insulators that increase body temperature. Also, the skin of the obese people folds, sweats hide in between the folds and the inability to wash the folded part of the skin make them smell. Heavy drinkers especially alcohol drinkers are also prone to body odour. The body breaks down the larger part of alcohol in form of acetic acid and the remaining percentage are excreted through the urine and sweat.
How to Cure And Stop body odour:
Washing the body with antiseptics can help wash off the sweats on the skin. Those with body odour should frequently wash their bodies with warm water and soap. Special attention should be given to the armpits, hairy body parts, pubic areas, folded skin, feet and toes. Deodorants and antiperspirants should be used on the body. Wearing light fabric clothes in hot weather helps to reduce body sweats. Reduction in alcohol intake and increase in water consumption to help flush out the alcohol by urination should be encouraged. Spices, garlic and red meat consumption should be reduced to the minimal level because they increase body sweats. Cottons and wool clothing should be worn as they help in the evaporation of sweats. Clothes should be worn once, washed and spread out in the air and under the sun. Medical attention should be sought in severe cases of body sweats and body odour.
Feet Odour Or Smelly Feet:
Anyone can get sweaty feet because the foot has the highest no of sweat glands. The pregnant women, teenagers, those who engage in stressful activities, those who have kidney and heart diseases, athlete’s feet and those that sweat more than normal ( hyperhidrosis) are prone to foot odour. Feet odour is mainly because of the bacteria growth on the sweaty feet. Feet odour also known as “bromodosis” also results mainly from wearing of socks and shoes 24/7 without leaving the shoes and feet open in the air in between and after the day’s work. The use of thick fabric and synthetic socks coupled with the everyday use of socks makes the feet moist and result to foul smell.
How To Cure And Stop Feet Odour:
To reduce or cure smelly feet, silk or sweat-porous socks should be worn. Shoes that do not need the use of socks should be purchased. Socks should be changed in a day and should not be repeated. Tight shoes should be avoided and the free ones that allow air circulation, preferably the open toes shoes and sandals, should be embraced. Shoes should be aired regularly. Insoles should be used with shoes without insoles. The insoles should be frequently washed and left open in the air.
You can also reduce feet odour by removing your shoe for few minutes during the day, this allows air to blow on the feet, dries the perspiration, thereby reducing bacteria growth. The feet should be washed regularly and creamed always with warm water antiseptics or antibiotics. The spaces between toes should be cleaned with methylated spirit. Foot or talcum powder should be applied on the feet before wearing socks or shoes. Feet deodorants can also be sprayed on the feet. Pumice stone should be used to remove the dead skin of the feet. Help should be sought from the podiatrists or doctors in cases of severe feet swear and odour.
We should have good personal hygiene (read about proper personal hygiene here), take our bath at least twice a day, seek medical attention when we notice any changes in sweat rate, slip out of shoes and walk barefooted at home or in a clean environment. Lastly, we all should perceive our clothes, body, shoes, socks for any offensive odour or ask people around us on how we smell.
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