We’ve all been through it – sweating excessively and then experiencing body odour. Body odour is the disagreeable odour that dried sweat emits from the body and clothes. It happens every time we sweat excessively and after the sweat dries up. It can be a highly embarrassing condition for some people, who seem to suffer from it more than others. It occurs more during the hot summer months, because one sweats more and hence, has higher chances of body odour.

If you suffer from body odour, fret not – you can easily manage the problem as part of your daily personal hygiene regime.

What causes body odour?

Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down overheated skin. A rise in temperature makes the millions of tiny sweat glands under the skin active. These sweat glands then start processing extra water in the body to expel it out through the skin. This water is ‘sweat’ and it released on the surface of the skin. The release of sweat helps the body heat evaporate and cools down the internal systems as well as the skin – you are thus saved from getting too warm.

On an average, the human body has three to four million sweat glands. But the sweat itself is not responsible for the bad smell that we call body odour. Body odour is caused by the millions of bacteria thriving on the skin and which break down the acids in the sweat within minutes. The bacteria multiply rapidly and the entire process releases an unpleasant smell. A good personal hygiene routine can remove these bacteria and reduce the incidence of body odour, even during the hot summer months.

How can I manage body odour?

You can tackle body odour by keeping the sweaty areas of your body fresh in the hot summer months. If you are confused about how to do this, simply follow these steps:

Take a daily shower: Wash your body every day with warm water and an antibacterial soap to kill the body odour-causing bacteria on your skin. You might need to shower twice a day on especially warm days, when you may sweat more than usual. Feel and smell fresh for longer by using Dettol Cool Bar Soap.

Your armpits need special attention: Bacteria on the skin thrive on the protein and fatty acids produced by your sweat glands, and the problem is more in areas where sweat collects, such as the groin and armpits. These areas need more attention – try cleaning them with Dettol Skincare Bar Soap.

Use a clean, dry towel: Dry yourself thoroughly with a clean, crisp towel after your shower. Dry skin makes it harder for bacteria to multiply.
Use a deodorant. Making sure your armpits are completely dry, apply a deodorant or antiperspirant in the armpits so that they smell fresh for longer periods of the day.
Wear cooling fibres. Wearing clothes made of natural fibres including cotton and jute allows the skin to breathe, so that sweat evaporates quickly.

Wear clean clothes: Sweat dries on the clothes and bacteria can multiply on them as well. So it is important to change and wash your clothes regularly. Do not use the same pair of socks more than once, as your feet can get really sweaty in this weather. Add Dettol Disinfectant Multi-Use Hygiene Liquid or Dettol Antiseptic Liquid to your laundry to kill germs on your clothes.
You can contain body odour even in the severest summer. A little extra care to remain fresh and clean with some tweaks to your personal hygiene routine will ensure that body odour is controlled. The Dettol range of bar soaps can help you keep your body clean and fresh during the summer months.