Is Your Body Odor Keeping Friends at Arms Length? 4 Methods of Prevention and 2 Treatment Options

Although body odor is not a disease, unpleasant smells emitted from the armpits can be embarrassing and offensive. Here, a Taiwanese specialist provides prevention and treatment methods for readers of The Epoch Times.

The human body has two types of sweat glands: small sweat glands and large sweat glands (also known as apocrine glands). Small sweat glands are distributed throughout the body and large sweat glands are mainly located in the ears, eyelids, armpits, breasts, and groin areas.

Dr. Li Bingxun, a New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital plastic surgeon, told The Epoch Times that body odor is highly related to genetics. If one parent has it, there is a 50 percent chance of inheriting it—if both parents have it, the probability increases to 80 percent.

In addition, during puberty, when hormones are secreted vigorously, large sweat glands secrete more fatty acids and produce a stronger smell.

Since large sweat glands are also distributed around the ears, people with body odor usually have wet earwax. Studies have shown a strong correlation between body odor and earwax humidity or stickiness (related to the single nucleotide polymorphism of the ABCC11 gene). Data shows that strong body odor can be inherited with about a 50 percent chance if one of the parents has it and 80 percent if both do.

4 Methods for Preventing Body Odor

Li suggests four ways to prevent body odor:

1. Keep your skin clean by washing and drying it after sweating. Wearing clean, breathable clothing can reduce odors.

2. Change your diet habits:

• Avoid eating spicy foods such as chili, ginger, and garlic. Spicy foods stimulate the skin and sweat glands, promote sweat secretion, and exacerbate body odor problems.
• Eat less seafood, such as shrimp, crab, and shellfish. Seafood is high in protein and amino acids that produce an unpleasant smell during digestion, affecting body odor.
• Eat less red meat. Red meat, such as pork and beef, is also high in protein, producing an unpleasant smell during digestion.
• Eat more vegetables rich in dietary fiber to improve body odor and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Drink less alcohol. Alcohol stimulates sweat gland secretion and increases body odor.

3. Shave or remove armpit hair to prevent sweat and bacteria from adhering.

4. Use antiperspirants or deodorants. Antiperspirants can temporarily suppress sweating and prevent odors. However, excessive or frequent use of antiperspirant products may block pores and cause folliculitis (inflammation of the skin follicles), whereas deodorants help reduce odor without suppressing sweat.

Treatment Methods for Body Odor: Surgical and Non-Surgical

According to Li, body odor treatment can be divided into surgical and non-surgical methods. In recent years, non-surgical treatments have become mainstream and can achieve the same results as surgery, such as the miraDry treatment.

The miraDry treatment uses microwaves to generate heat energy from spinning water molecules, precisely destroying sweat glands of all sizes to eliminate excessive sweating and body odor.

Additionally, botulinum toxin injections can also be used, with effects lasting for about six months before requiring another injection.

A study published in the journal Dermatologic Therapy, in 2022, showed that microwave therapy could improve symptoms of body odor and excessive sweating by reducing the number of sweat glands through safe, effective, and stable means.

Surgical treatment involves removing large sweat glands to eliminate body odor permanently. However, it is important to note the following:

1. Detailed diagnosis before surgery is essential. A professional doctor must conduct a detailed diagnosis before surgery to confirm the method and scope of surgery.
2. Choose the correct surgical method. There are various methods for removing large sweat glands, including minimally invasive surgery, traditional surgery, and laser surgery. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages that need to be carefully understood. Be sure to consult with your physician to select the best method for you.
3. Rest after surgery and pay attention to diet. In the first few days after removing large sweat glands, apply ice packs frequently and avoid heavy lifting or intense shoulder activity. The diet should consist mainly of light and easily digestible foods.