Dealing With Body Odour? These 8 Tips Can Help

First impressions matter, and it's never more true than in the case of how a person smells. Think about it, can you ever forget the person who you thought smelled absolutely divine? Without even realising it, we tend to gravitate towards people who smell wonderful. The converse of that is true, too. No matter how great a person might be, if they smell funny, they will repel the people around them. Body odour is caused due to the breakdown of the acids in our sweat by the bacteria on the skin. It can occur any time after puberty, because that is when the body develops the apocrine sweat glands that produce the sweat that can be quickly broken down by the bacteria. There are several causes of body odour. Obese, diabetic and people who sweat too much due to an overactive thyroid gand or menopause are more susceptible to BO. Areas such as armpits, feet and groin are most likely to develop BO. It is important to know that sweat, on its own, is virtually odourless. It is only the particular breakdown of the acids in it that causes odours in individual people. While some cases of extreme BO might require medical intervention, most often, mild to moderate cases can be handled with some timely changes to diet and lifestyle. If you find yourself worrying about that faint funky smell coming from you, or if a kind friend sheepishly suggests that you use a perfume, here's what you need to do.

1. Keep yourself clean

Showering at least once everyday is very important. Not just to smell good, but also to be fresh and energetic through the day. Try and use an antibacterial soap it, will reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin. Apply it to all areas thoroughly, especially the ones that are sweat prone like your armpits. If you sweat a lot, shower twice a day, or at least after any rigorous physical activity.

2. Dry your body well

Bacteria and moisture are BFFs. Bacteria grows and multiplies rapidly in damp areas, so make sure you dry yourself thoroughly every time after showering.

3. Make deodorant your best friend

Lucky for us that we live in an era of abundant deodorants and antiperspirants. Understand the difference! Deodorants mask the smell, whereas antiperspirant reduces the amount of sweat. Use a combination of deodorants and antiperspirants to both reduce and manage odour.

4. What you eat is what you smell like

What you eat can influence the way you smell. Spicy foods and meats can affect and alter your body's odour. Similarly, foods such as onions or garlic carry their smell in the sweat, Drinks containing caffeine or alcohol may intensify the sweating, which leads to BO.

5. Lemon juice

Lemons have great antibacterial qualities, curtailing the growth of bacteria quite effectively. Most good antibacterial soaps have lemon extracts or essence for this purpose. While that is great, since lemons are so easily accessible to us, use it directly to get rid of BO. Mix some lemon juice with water and spray it on the areas prone to BO. Leave the water on for 5-6 minutes before you shower and dry. You will definitely start noticing a difference.

6. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar works wonder for BO. Its antiseptic properties kill the bacteria on the skin, preventing them from causing BO. Dab some apple cider vinegar on the affected areas using a cotton swab, and leave it on for a couple of minutes, before showering. However, it is important to know that apple cider vinegar can cause side effects on sensitive skin, so test it before proceeding

7. Take care of your feet

Most of us don't pay as much attention to feet as we ought to because their smell tends to be masked and contained by socks, shoes and does not travel all the way up, making us and people aware of the odour. But they can become the source of terrible odour, unless you take proper care. For starters, make sure you wear socks that allow the sweat to evaporate, instead of trapping it. Natural fibers such as cotton are the best options. Also, routinely remove dead skin from your feet with the help of pumice stones or a scrub, since bacteria thrives on dead skin. If your feet tend to sweat a lot, keep switching your footwear, to allow them to dry completely before you wear them again. And try walking around barefoot, to allow your feet to breathe, if you spend most of your time in closed shoes.

8. Water

Hydrated skin is the key to a problem-free body. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water. Water flushes down toxins found in the body and keeps your skin hydrated. No toxins means no body odour.