The Sunday Mail
WHILE a deodorant or an antiperspirant roll-on can be a temporary solution for your smelly underarms in summer. Here are a few home remedies which can help you get rid of the embarrassing smell of your underarms. It is also important to know what triggers body odour in us. The bacteria living on the surface of our skin breaks down the proteins when we sweat and there is a release of some distinct acid compounds, which leads to the pungent smell.
Taking daily showers with soap. Regularly showering after strenuous activities like working out or playing sports gets rid of the bacteria and sweat that cause odours.
Wearing loose-fitting, breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, and moisture-wicking blends. This is especially important if you sweat a lot. These will allow your body to stay cooler better than constricting clothes made from non-breathable fabrics.
Removing hair. A 2016 study found that shaving or waxing the armpits significantly reduced armpit odour. This is because cleaning is more effective on shaved or waxed skin.
Relieving stress. Since the stress reaction can cause sweat glands to produce sweat, stress management and anxiety-reduction techniques can help you modulate your stress reaction and minimise your physiological sweat response.
Here are some additional do-it-yourself (DIY) body odour life hacks that you can try at home.
Use rocksalt
Put some rock salt in a bucket full of lukewarm water. Mix well till it dissolves and then take shower. It has cleansing properties and also eliminates extra sweat.
Spray apple cider vinegar
Take one cup of apple cider vinegar and mix it with half a cup of water. Put it in a spray bottle and use it every night on your underarms before sleeping. Wash it with lukewarm water in the morning.
Use potato
Cut thin slices of potato and rub it on your underarms for 30 minutes. Wash it with water and your underarm smell will fade away.
Apply baking soda with lemon
Take two tablespoon baking soda and mix it with one tablespoon lemon juice. Make a paste. Massage the mixture on your underarms for 10 minutes in a circular motion.
Wash off with water. Applying baking soda on your underarms can keep the area dry and avoid too much sweating. Also, it has anti-bacterial properties that can remove the foul smell creating bacteria from your armpits.
Use tomato juice
Mix tomato juice with lemon juice. Apply the mixture for 10 minutes around your armpits and then wash it off with cold water.
Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil is known for its pleasant fragrance that can easily suppress the armpit odour. Also, its anti-bacterial properties can destroy bacteria present in the area. Lavender oil has various other benefits when it comes to treating skin conditions.
To use it, you need to mix four to five drops of lavender oil in a glass of water and pour the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray the liquid on your underarms twice a day to permanently reduce the stinky odour of your underarms. — Wires.
Green tea bags
Famed for their antioxidant and detoxifying potential, green tea bags are a blessing to treat smelly armpits or stinky feet. Dip some tea bags in warm water and once completely soaked, press against the underarm region for five minutes and rise off, to regulate the sweat glands.
Aloe vera
Scoop the gel out of an Aloe Vera Leaf into a bowl. Apply the gel on your underarms. After leaving it on for 30 minutes, wash off with water.
When to see a doctor
If you have used multiple kinds of deodorants or antiperspirants and nothing helps to reduce your underarm odour, talk with your doctor. They can rule out underlying medical conditions and recommend stronger treatments. — Wires.
