Bad body odor is an embarrassing problem that can cause social, cultural, and professional difficulties. While there are many deodorizing products, many contain harmful chemicals that should not be used for long periods of time. Therefore, many people are looking for more natural ways to get rid of body odor.
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Method 1 of 4: Improving Personal Hygiene
Step 1. Shower regularly
Since body odor is caused by bacteria reacting with the sweat produced by the apocrine glands, the first step is to take a regular bath. Use a mild soap made from plant oil and rub it on your body until it lathers. The more foam and the longer you scrub, the more effective the bacteria removal process will be.
Not all soaps have antibacterial properties, and you don't necessarily need them. Try using peppermint castile soap in the shower. Peppermint oil contains a small amount of antiseptic that can help get rid of body odor
Step 2. Dry the body thoroughly
This is especially important in some areas of the body that are prone to odors: groin, armpits, and around the nipples. Make sure all areas of skin folds (under the chest, groin, stomach) are also completely dry.
Don't use cornstarch as a powder. Many doctors believe that corn flour can be used as a "mushroom food". We recommend using talcum powder
Step 3. Eliminate the bacterial growth site
For example, shaving armpit hair can help eliminate body odor. Also, clean the inside of your shoes regularly as they can be a good breeding ground for bacteria.
Step 4. Put on clean cotton clothes
Wear clothes with natural fibers such as cotton, silk, or wool. If you're exercising and sweating, wearing synthetic materials that absorb fluids can help, but change into clothes with natural fibers after your shower.
Cotton clothing makes it easier for the skin to breathe, thereby reducing perspiration. Therefore, wearing cotton fabrics keeps the skin healthy, dry, and odor-free
Step 5. Avoid wearing closed shoes with socks for a long time
Closed shoes will spread bad odors if your feet are very sweaty due to lack of air circulation. As much as possible always use sandals, flip-flops or shoes that are more open.
Method 2 of 4: Improving Lifestyle Choices
Step 1. Quit smoking and chewing tobacco
Smoking and chewing tobacco trigger the production of free radicals that damage the body, as well as the formation of bacteria on the skin that give off an unpleasant odor.
Step 2. Drink plenty of water
Water is the perfect solvent that removes toxins from the body. Water is the most neutral substance and reduces the formation of bacteria in the gut. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily helps keep skin healthy, hydrated and odor-free.
Step 3. Eat foods that contain probiotics
Probiotics are natural bacteria that are good for controlling the growth of other toxic bacteria in the gut. Probiotics help the growth of lactobacilli bifidus bacteria, which improves digestion and reduces toxins in the stomach. Foods like yogurt and buttermilk contain probiotics.
Consuming a cup of probiotic substances every day is very beneficial and should be done for 6 months. This will improve your overall health, as body odor is often just a matter of good digestion
Step 4. Eliminate odor-causing foods from your diet
There are several foods that can change your body odor. Fatty foods (fatty meats, poultry with skin, fried foods) and seasonings (curry, garlic, onions) can alter your body odor. Avoid these foods for at least 2-4 weeks and see the difference.
- For some people, coffee and soft drinks containing caffeine can cause body odor.
- Other foods and drinks that can cause body odor are: alcohol, asparagus, cumin, and red meat.
Step 5. Eat enough green vegetables
Not eating enough green vegetables can cause body odor. Leafy greens contain chlorophyllin, a natural substance that absorbs odors.
Method 3 of 4: Use Natural Deodorant
Step 1. Use deodorant from natural ingredients
If you don't like chemical deodorants, use natural products. There are many popular products like Nivea and The Body Shop, which are available everywhere.
Step 2. Make your own deodorant
You can find many variations of recipes on the internet, here is one recipe that you can try. Mix cup arrowroot powder and 4 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda. Melt 6 tablespoons of organic cocoa or mango butter (a mixture of shea and cocoa) and 2 tablespoons of unprocessed coconut oil in a steamer. Mix all the melted and dry ingredients together, then add teaspoon of lemongrass essential oil.
Store in a glass jar with a lid, no need to refrigerate
Step 3. Eliminate body odor with an antibacterial hydrogen peroxide solution
Mix 1 teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 cup of water. Soak a cotton washcloth in the hydrogen peroxide solution, squeeze out the excess water, and wipe your armpits, groin, and feet with the solution.
Step 4. Wipe your skin with apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can be used to kill odor-causing bacteria. Soak your feet daily in a 1:3 solution of apple cider vinegar and water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray it on your underarms
Apple cider vinegar is very pungent and people with sensitive skin can experience side effects such as itching or burning. Therefore, it's best to do a test run on a small area of your skin and make sure you haven't just shaved your armpits
Step 5. Treat the skin with tea tree oil (tea tree oil)
Add 8-10 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of witch hazel. Pour this liquid into a spray bottle and use it as a natural deodorant, especially after a workout. Witch hazel is an astringent that makes skin cells contract and reduces sweating. This tea tree oil acts as an antibacterial agent.
- Tea tree oil is known as an antiseptic and has a pungent smell with a pleasant aroma.
- When applied to the skin, this oil kills bacteria that live on the skin thereby reducing the formation of toxins.
Method 4 of 4: Understanding Body Odor
Step 1. Find out why body odor occurs
Body odor, technically known as bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia, or BO for short, is caused by the breakdown of skin proteins by bacteria on the skin. The type of odor depends on the type of bacteria on your skin, the proteins that are broken down, the acid produced, the food you eat, the amount of sweat you produce, and your general state of health.
- For example, people with diabetes, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) who take certain medications, or people who are obese are more at risk of having body odor.
- When sweating, bacteria on the skin break down sweat and skin proteins into two types of acids; This acid is what causes body odor. Both types of acid are produced by two different types of bacteria: Propionic acid and Isovaleric acid. Propionic acid is produced by the bacteria Propionibacteria. Propionic acid tends to smell like vinegar. Isovaleric acid is produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis. Isovaleric acid tends to smell like cheese; probably because the same bacteria are used to make certain types of cheese.
Step 2. Find where body odor usually occurs
Body odor tends to appear in folds of skin or areas of the body that are covered or sweat easily; feet, groin, armpits, genitals, genital hair and other hairy areas, navel, anus, and behind the ears. Other areas can also sweat and smell, but generally not as bad as these areas.
Step 3. Understand how and why we sweat
Sweat is produced by two types of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands are basic sweat glands that the body uses to regulate temperature. Apocrine glands are odor glands that produce pheromones.
- Pheromones are used by all mammals, including humans, to attract the opposite sex and convey mood.
- Apocrine glands are found in the groin, armpits, and around the nipples.
Step 4. Understand that foot odor is different from body odor
Foot odor can be a bit different. Feet have eccrine glands, but because most people wear socks and shoes (mostly synthetic) all the time, sweat doesn't evaporate as well.
- Synthetic materials (as opposed to cotton or leather) tend to retain sweat and prevent evaporation unless specifically made to facilitate evaporation.
- Non-volatile sweat provides a good environment for mold; and many types of mold that produce bad odors.
Step 5. Find out other factors that cause body odor
For example, age can make a difference in the type of body odor produced. Children before puberty usually do not produce body odor. Androgens produced at puberty are associated with the production of unpleasant body odor.
Step 6. Consider consulting a doctor
Generally, body odor can be treated with homemade remedies, but sometimes body odor can signal that you need to see a doctor. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a skin specialist. Make an appointment with your doctor if:
- You have tried to deal with this problem but none of the treatments have succeeded in reducing or eliminating body odor in 2-3 weeks.
- You start to sweat more or less than usual.
- Sweat interferes with daily activities.
- You start to sweat at night.
- Your body odor changes drastically.
