Can Antiperspirants Make Your Sweat Smell Worse? - Science World (2024)

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Can Antiperspirants Make Your Sweat Smell Worse? - Science World? ›

The aluminum compounds kill off the less smelly bacteria, giving the smellier bacteria more opportunity to thrive, causing more body odour.

"Your armpit microbiome is altered considerably when you wear antiperspirant," says Chris Callewaert, the study author, who goes by the name Dr. Armpit (yes, really). "It can contain more of the corynebacteria, and can thus make your armpit odor more unpleasant."

The aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants — their active ingredients — keep sweat from getting to the surface of the skin by blocking the sweat glands. There's a concern that if the skin absorbs these aluminum compounds, they can affect the estrogen receptors of breast cells.

Giuseppe. "When switching from an antiperspirant to a deodorant, you are removing the aluminum and releasing waste which has been blocked. This is a natural process as part of our body's built-in mechanisms, but it may contribute to releasing some slightly unusual body odor in comparison to what you are used to.

Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.

But is wearing antiperspirant deodorant on your skin all day and all night harmful? Lipner says “there are no known health risks associated with wearing deodorant at night or wearing deodorant too often.”

The best way to prevent smelly armpits is to wash daily and after sweating. Using antiperspirant or deodorant and shaving the armpits can also help. Avoiding alcohol and certain foods, such as onions and garlic, will also help prevent smelly armpits in some cases.

Contrary to popular belief, one isn't better for you than the other. If you don't like the feeling of underarm wetness or you sweat through clothes, then an antiperspirant may be your best bet. If sweat doesn't bother you as much, but body odor is out of the question, try an aluminum free deodorant.

In reality, an antiperspirant only blocks sweat from developing, and it does not address the bacteria that causes body odor. In fact, higher concentrations of chemicals or bacteria that are created when your body does not detox through sweat could make your body odor worse.

This adjustment typically happens in a few different stages. It may take a few days or even a week before you notice any unwanted side effects of detoxing from antiperspirants. The smelliest part of your detox will likely last a week or two.

Are there natural antiperspirants? ›

Annie Gonzalez of Miami's Riverchase Dermatology adds, “Given that aluminum cannot be an added ingredient in natural deodorants, there is technically no such thing as a natural antiperspirant.” But there is a longer answer that is less cut and dry. Dermatologist Dr.

Sometimes, the effectiveness of natural deodorant rests entirely on the formula or fragrance and your body chemistry. If you try a scent and you find you are smelling even worse then you probably need to switch to a different scent profile. If you tried a minty scent try a floral scent.

“The most common cause of odor coming from that area is caused by the action of bacteria on sebum,” explains Dr. Robert Brodell, Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “The other major cause is what I'm going to call a 'yeast infection. ' We call it intertrigo.

Limiting frequent bathing can lead to dirt, sweat and dead skin cells build up leading to Your clothes have a strong smell. You can reduce these effects by showering regularly and washing with mild soap and warm water. Sweating in the groin area can attract fungi and bacteria that lead to bad odors.

A person should also contact a doctor if their body odor suddenly smells different. A fruity smell could indicate diabetes due to having high levels of ketones in the bloodstream, while liver or kidney disease can often lead to a bleach- or ammonia-like smell due to a buildup of toxins in the body.

Antiperspirants are considered the first line of treatment for excessive sweating of the underarms, hands, feet, and sometimes face. They are called the first line of treatment because they are the least invasive and experts recommend that they be tried first, before other more invasive treatments.

Contrary to popular belief, one isn't better for you than the other. If you don't like the feeling of underarm wetness or you sweat through clothes, then an antiperspirant may be your best bet. If sweat doesn't bother you as much, but body odor is out of the question, try an aluminum free deodorant.

Antiperspirants contain aluminium-based compounds that temporarily block sweat pores, thereby reducing the amount of sweat that reaches your skin. Deodorant. Deodorants can eliminate odor but not sweat. They're usually alcohol-based and turn your skin acidic, making it less attractive to bacteria.

Best Overall

Give your pits the protection they need with our top pick, the Uriage Clinical Strength Deodorant. It's a roll-on antiperspirant that glides on in just a few swipes to keep sweating at bay. The aluminum-based formula works by reducing underarm wetness, though it also targets odors.