Perspiration and Odour


If you ask most people what causes body odour, they will answer perspiration or sweat.  It's not true.  Moisture excretion, which is the body's air conditioning system, is not to blame.  Sweat is colourless and practically odourless when it appears on the surface of the skin.  It consists for the most part of pure water and a few salts, which are responsible for giving a faintly salty smell .  What causes body odour is a group of bacteria that turns the innocuous moisture into stale smells through decomposition.  This only happens if moisture cannot evaporate fast enough.

Areas exposed to air have no problem getting rid of surface moisture, but when perspiration is trapped next to the skin, body odour begins.  The underarms, feet and outer vaginal areas are the usual problem spots.  Synthetic materials hinder evaporation and tights, underwear, shirts and sweaters shut off air circulation. 

All-over perspiration is adequately dealt with by regular bathing.  Under-arms need particular control, for the problem here is not only odour but visible wetness.  Extra precautions are usually necessary and this is one reason for shaving underarms, though in many cultures it is considered a de-sexing procedure and therefore not done.

The problems of wetness and dryness have two basic solutions in the underarm area.
Deodorants and deodorant soaps which control odour by impeding bacterial action.
Anti-perspirants which limit both odour and wetness by reducing the volume of perspiration as well as fighting bacteria.

Deodorants and anti-perspirants come in cream and liquid form and allergic reactions are extremely rare.  They must be used regularly and are most effective when applied to a thoroughly clean area.  It is helpful to remove hair, as this traps sweat and makes it harder for the controlling agents to reach the skin.  Apply when the body is cool and at rest - not directly after a shower or bath because the skin is hydrated and perspiration ducts are not sufficiently open: fifteen minutes later is better.  One application a day is sufficient for most women, while an additional one gives complete twenty-four hour protection. 
How well deodorants and anti-perspirants work depends on many factors - temperature, clothes, exertion, stress, tension and whether you naturally perspire lightly or heavily.  Odour is more easily brought under control than wetness and no anti-perspirant is 100% effective.  A deodorant or anti-perspirant does not last until washed off, it's durability is limited.

Why use a deodorant instead of an anti-perspirant when the latter does two jobs instead of one?  Some women are irritated by the additional chemicals that go into an anti-perspirant.  A deodorant is simply a germicide (a very small amount, 1% or less), a fragrance and a mixer that makes it easy to apply.  Anti-perspirants contain aluminium or zinc salts which penetrate the sweat duct openings, and it is this activity that prevents the delivery of a lot of the sweat to the surface.

Underarm irritation is not necessarily directly caused by a deodorant or anti-perspirant.  It could be from a chemical finish or dye in fabric, from sensitivity to your own perspiration, or from cutting or grazing your skin when shaving.  To help prevent irritation, the first thing is to make sure you shave correctly.  A blade must be sharp, otherwise you drag off layers of skin.  The cause of irritation may also be a particular perfume in a deodorant, many  that are now available are unperfumed and these also avoid clashing with
the perfume that you choose to use.
 
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