Don't Sweat It: Tips for Underarm Hygiene (2024)

FAQs

Don't Sweat It: Tips for Underarm Hygiene? ›

Personal hygiene and lifestyle

Use a topical antiperspirant

Preventing underarm sweat from secreting underarm sweat glands and killing odor-causing bacteria can be done by using an antiperspirant. If using regular antiperspirants doesn't work, look for products with a higher amount of aluminum chloride (at least 13%).

The number of sweat glands isn't the only factor in body odor. Remember, hormonal changes—including those stemming from a rise in stress and or anxiety—can contribute to stinky armpits. Menopause can also lead to a change in an individual's typical scent.

Wash your underarms regularly with soap and water to make sure there is no accumulation of germs and bacteria. Baking soda is a natural deodourizer that can help to neutralize underarm odour.

Anticholinergics help block signals from nerves that would otherwise tell sweat glands to produce sweat - thus, they help tackle the problem of too much sweating at the source. Anticholinergics include medicines such as glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, benztropine, propantheline, and others.

Applying equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water to the affected area using a cotton ball can help reduce sweating.

If sweating is excessive, it can cause smelly armpits even if a person washes regularly and uses deodorant or antiperspirant. The first thing that a doctor will recommend is usually a prescription strength antiperspirant. Sometimes, these might burn or irritate the skin.

TRY NATURAL REMEDIES FOR ARMPIT ODOR

Mix two parts cornstarch and three parts baking soda to create a natural antiperspirant deodorant powder. Lemon juice: Rub half a lemon directly on your armpits daily to reduce skin pH and make it uninhabitable for bacteria.

Keep your armpits shaved, so sweat evaporates quickly and doesn't have as much time to interact with bacteria. Hair is a breeding ground for bacteria. Regularly wash clothing, and wear clean clothes. Wear loose-fitting clothing made of cotton.

How do celebrities get clean underarms? ›

When it comes to treating dark underarms, celebrities frequently choose professional procedures like chemical peels or microdermabrasion. To exfoliate and lighten the skin, they could also utilise skincare products that contain substances like kojic acid or glycolic acid.

Washing thoroughly with an antibacterial soap bar will help get rid of some bacteria, which can help with the odor. Look for the word "antibacterial" on the soap's packaging.

“This is helpful to rebalance the armpit microbiome, which is usually suppressed with a typical deodorant,” Bhatia says. To do an underarm detox, use 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay (a natural, detoxifying clay) mixed with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, which has cleansing properties, and 1 teaspoon of water.

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.

Although we can indeed smell our own odors — a quick sniff of the underarm will bear this out — over time, we become desensitized to our particular scent, said Hiroaki Matsunami, a molecular neurobiologist at Duke University.

When excessive sweating affects the hands, feet, and armpits, it is called focal hyperhidrosis. In most cases, no cause can be found. It seems to run in families. Sweating that is not caused by another disease is called primary hyperhidrosis.

Choose Appropriate Clothing Colours and Materials

Navy blue or black shirts are much less likely to show sweat and can help you feel comfortable. Some people find that wearing an undershirt decreases their sweat stains because it absorbs the sweat before it can reach the overshirt.

While shaving the armpits won't make you sweat less, it can help reduce the appearance of sweat stains and body odor. It can also improve the effectiveness of antiperspirants. Having hairy armpits plugs up sweat glands, making them less effective.

You can manage heavy sweating by acclimating to a hot environment over time, getting used to being active, using antiperspirants, and wearing the right clothes. You might consider talking to a healthcare provider if you have excessive, ongoing sweating.