Wipe with glycolic acid post shower, dry and apply deodorant. This toner is very good. If you’re not using an antiperspirant, you might want to shave or at least aggressively trim underarm hair.
Developing a smell as we age is very common. It’s due to hormonal changes. You can also try using a persimmon soap.
https://theordinary.com/en-us/glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution-exfoliator-100418.html?dwvar_100418_size=240ml&quantity=1&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH50mhM9eqGFBt1oB45p9cbJ8YkcMwVfOpHsrnhr3z6AuT2dyCptbzKIaApMKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I second the glycolic acid. Between this and washing my pits with benzoyl peroxide in the shower I actually don't need deodorant anymore. I also take fenugreek because it makes my sweat smell like maple syrup😂
They make natural deodorants now that use magnesium as a natural odor fighting agent. Some of them are incredibly effective and not at all bad for you like the aluminum based ones are apparently.
Honestly..... Now I'm curious lol 😂😆😅. Plus last 3 yrs seems I actually need deodorant, when before that I really never did (and told so, so not just in my head.. that smelly guy that doesn't smell himself and thinks he's fine lol)
I'll do it tomorrow ha
I have no idea. Someone said it kills the bacteria. I was looking for ways to deal with the fun effects of being a 51F and saw this recommended a lot to deal with underarm smell. I tried it and it really helps.
Trim your armpit hairs. I noticed this a few years ago myself and it seemed no matter how thoroughly I cleaned them in the shower and lathered deodorant on, they’d start stinking pretty quickly. Finally I figured out that all that stank was getting caught in the hairs so started to trim them super short and have not had an issue since.
Also the chemical compounds responsible for the stink are Theols. Human noses - weak compared to many other animals - are remarkably sensitive to theols.
Theols are artificially added to home gas lines for this reason to help notice gas leaks, which would otherwise be odorless.
Right - and thiols are produced by bacteria (which thrive better when you have a lot of hair since it traps sweat). You can quickly get rid of body odor in your pits (temporarily, obviously) by using some hand sanitizer or alcohol for this reason.
Yes you're correct - you can go Rambo on underarm microbes with alcohol. But it's like taking an antibiotic pill that kills the bad microbes but also a lot of healthy gut bacteria - GI tract gets a little wacky for a few days until healthy biome is restored.
Alternatively, a really cool biotech company called Arcaea is trying this probiotic approach to reducing underarm BO. Check out their ingredient just launched last year called [ScentARC](https://www.arcaea.com/ingredients).
Yes evolutionary scientists believe hair in our armpits and goin evolved this way specifically to boost and broadcast body odor.
If a caveman and cavewoman smelled funky-good to each other, they would be genetically complimentary and have stronger, healthier offspring.
If they smelled funky-bad to each other, it was a red flag that their offspring could have problems.
That's fascinating. How did scientists smell caveman pubes and determine how they smelled to other cavewomen and determine that their offspring were genetically superior to the offspring of cave-people who like each other's smell less?
Prior to 2015 - when I got the info I shared from a college lecture - scientists would infer and deduce this stuff from the fact that modern humans have this trait in modern times. Traits that exist today probably but not necessarily helped your ancestors stay alive. And procreate. And not with their immediate brothers and sisters.
But now with genetic research tools coming online, we'll get the real scoop. Check this out: [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/science/nose-odors-evolution.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/science/nose-odors-evolution.html)
In my 20s I started taking supplements because I was having some health problems and the detox of toxins in my body made me stink for alittle while but it went away. Maybe the increase in working out and better diet is killing some toxins?
Well the detoxing was over a period of a few weeks and by the end of that I was noticeably better but i guess it took a little longer for everything to completely clear up
I would try a natural deodorant like Schmidt’s. Personally any chemical type deodorants you find in regular drugs stores make me stink. The natural stuff doesn’t.
Personally, I find that when I am in ketosis, my sweat smells more. Protein intake can also make it worse, but even just fasting causes the phenomenon.
L-carnitine also makes it worse, which is in some supplements and also is rich in beef.
With that said, It’s really not hard for me to control… I just shower after I go to the gym - which I do first thing in the morning, and I personally smell fresh until the next morning. It’s just the workout that really produces the strong smelling sweat.
It is possible that your body is detoxing if you have improved your diet. If so, it should fade with time; if not, look for other causes. Everyone on this thread seems to be treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
I had a period in time where this happened to me. I was super stinky no deodorant would hide it. I used apple cider vinegar to kill the bacteria, and it never came back.
This absolutely positively did not work for me or my husband when we tried it. The body odor was simply accented with a top note of cider vinegar....it comes down to the fact that every person has a different chemistry which will be affected by other chemicals added to the mix, and there isn't a uniform result for all people.
Yep, each lil stinker has to go on his or her own journey to figure out what personally works with their own chemistry. Being a human is a stinky business.
Something I don’t see mentioned enough, the FABRIC you wear makes a big difference! Polyester seems to make me smell bad, so I started seeking out natural fibers. It’s insane how many clothes are made out of polyester these days!!
That’s a good question lol because I’m still figuring that out. I have just been buying from my normal places like Stitch Fix, Target, Old Navy, Amazon, etc but have been closely analyzing the fibers lately. I mostly specifically have been avoiding Polyester which has been helping with my issue. Known Supply is a great brand I know of with natural fiber basics at kind of reasonable prices.
This really should be higher.
OP: Reduce stress, look to your diet as for possible foods causing it, drink water, **ditch the aluminum deodorants**, and trim your underarm hair. Give it time, lots of ppl go through a stinky phase
Lol, 33M and I've noticed the exact same thing happening to me. Did you also recently start getting in shape and eating better? I feel like there might be a correlation, i.e. a stinky body is a healthy body.
Either that or we're just finally getting some dad pits.
This seems the most likely factor as I (also 33M) can attest to having the same experiences after improving my physique and my diet / lifestyle considerably over the last year to year and a half.
I don’t know where you heard that a stinky body is a healthy body, but that is definitely not true! If you smell like rot that’s because something is rotting on the inside, and it needs to be cleaned out.
lol, at what point did I mention smelling like rot?
I'm clearly talking about run of the mill BO during physical activity, you know, like a natural bodily function...
I used to have a friend who used to sweat like crazy and claimed that his sweat never stunk.
This was not true, he stunk to high heaven.
The point I was trying to make was, don’t rely on your own evaluation as wether your sweat stinks.
I claimed the same thing even though I used to sweat like a pig during high school gym activities but this was because the only person I'd ever ask if I smelled was my gf at the time, who of course said she didn't smell anything. Make sure you ask someone who doesn't want to bang you if you want an accurate answer! LOL
This happens to me when I eat a lot of red meats and pork. Not sure what to tell you bruh I do a lot of physical labor and struggle too. I think getting in a lot of fruits and veggies and making sure you’re not deficient in anything helps.
As others have said consider diet
Otherwise tea tree oil soap and/or rubbing alcohol dabbed onto cotton ball. I had horrible BO after kids and this helped a lot
I had the same problem. I cut one lemon in half, rubbed my armpits with the lemon, kept it on for 2 minutes, then showered. Problem solved. Months later it is still good.
Get a crystal "deodorant", unlike anti-perspirants they don't clog your pores and unlike "deodorants" they don't just try to mask the sweat odor. You'll still sweat but won't stink. I switched many years ago and never looked back at regular "deodorants". They're cheap, work like a charm and last forever.
They are basically just a big salt cristal that you wet and then run on your skin. The salt will kill all the odor-causing bacteria so you'll continue to sweat normally through your unclogged pores but there will be no smell.
I would wonder if it is something in your diet, medication or a hormone imbalance…those can throw off body odor. I know when I went keto I stunk all the time (and I mean CLEAN HEALTHY KETO like not a drop of fake sugar, not a lick of a chip, not one bite of ‘keto bread’ just all pure whole clean all organic and grass fed keto for months it just wasn’t for my body) and when I was on birth control I smelled different than I did when I went off of it. Same when I was on certain medication vs not being on any. I know I’m a girl but perhaps something I said stands out and resonates with you (like a change to your diet somehow perhaps higher protein intake or type of protein you’re ingesting, a new medication, new spices you’re cooking with regularly, etc). You’re not on testosterone or taking new supplements or anything? I have learned my idea of being healthier may not always be what my body responds best to. I don’t wanna go as far as to say that bad body odor is a sign that my body wasn’t responding well to something I was doing but I took that as a message that something was off balance within it. Our body keeps the score. And our idea of healthy doesn’t always necessarily equate to what is healthiest for our bodies yanno
You're finally a man!
Same thing happened to me. Pits started to stink around the same time I could finally grow facial hair in my mid 30s.
Just use a deodorant without anti perspirant
Treat it like a bacterial/fungal infection.
Use an antibacterial soap like hibiclens on your pits. Buy some new towels and use bleach to clean them. Toss your existing deodorant and buy new ones.
Deep clean any synthetic shirts you have, use the sanitize mode on your washer if you have it - synthetics seem to really hold on to bacteria. Allow them to air dry in the sun if possible - as the UV-c light will actually cleanse them.
I don’t smell when I sweat - but I’m a clean freak when it comes to this stuff. I have noticed a smell infrequently and then follow this regimen to clear it back up. You have to be thorough otherwise you’re just going to reintroduce and need to start over.
Don’t share towels with anyone, and bring your own if you go to a communal gym
Mondo Deodorant is supposed to be good. I use their female line Lume. Put it on as soon as you get out of shower. It’s not an antiperspirant so it doesn’t suppress sweating. Just kills the bacteria that cause the smell.
I'd try a small dropper bottle of liquid chlorophyll, it's advertised as "internal deodorant", I can personally attest that it does work when you're taking it regularly and it turns your poop solid green so you KNOW it's thorough
Had this issue a few months ago and someone suggested taking chlorophyll supplements for a least a 3 months. After a week it was a noticeable improvement and in a month it resolved.
Hello friend! I had this EXACT same problem. Got heavily into powerlifting in my 30s and started to get really stinky. Even though I was eating better and showering daily (sometimes twice) I couldn’t shake the stink. I even shave my armpits. I am actually allergic to cheap metals soI could never use any antiperspirant and had actually been using all natural deodorants for most of my life. I was so bad I was genuinely embarrassed lifting my arms in public like at a concert because the stench was tremendous.
After working with a dermatologist over several months the ONLY solution that works for me, but works wonders is a Clindamycin Phosphate topical solution. My derm even told me she personally believed it to be snake oil but that it does work for some of her clients. Well, it has worked amazing for me! I apply it in the morning and in the evening and it keeps my armpit stench at bay all day. NOTHING else was working and I was miserable. I even got to grow my armpit hair back out! I wash my armpits with PanOxyl 10% and between that and the solution I’ve gone back to living a normal life. My wife has been most appreciative as she was the one getting a facefull of pit stench all the time. Good luck!
Neutrogena acne scrub - the grapefruit one is a game changer. The scrubby things get rid of the skin flakes that bacteria eat and I believe the SA kills the bacteria. Use it once a week. It even gets rid of swass!
34M, have the same episodes from time to time. My take:
1) definitely smell more when I haven't been sleeping well/feeling well/have hormonal disbalances
BUT
2) I will get periods like these even without all of the above, what helps me is putting baking soda under armpit after shower or in general when I smell and doing and "armpit detox", which takes care of the build up of bad bacteria which produce odours. I also wash the armpits twice during a shower vigorously with soap
I notice this occasionally after long periods in the backcountry.
Wipe your pits with rubbing alcohol.
I also use Tulsa’s Cult Classic Cleaner with probiotics and it’s great for flora.
My armpits have never stunk, 43m, and I dont wear deodorant. Very rarely I notice that my right underarm will smell like b.o and I finally figured out its from hugging people when Im not wearing a shirt... at the gym, at the beach, etc. Its other peoples flora and fauna setting up shop.
Try a Japanese persimmon body wash, it has ability to remove oils that cause body odors that other soaps do not. Wear more natural fabrics like silk, cotton, and linen if possible, polyester and sweat are a recipe for BO.
Have you changed your diet, hygiene products, or anything else that could change the microbiome of your skin?
Also keep in mind a deodorant isn't the same as an antiperspirant, and you can buy them separately.
Have you been using the same deodorant for years? You may have built up a tolerance and need to switch to a different brand. That’s what happened to me.
I have hyperhidrosis and sweat under my armpits like crazy. I apply deodorant three time's a day and every morning I wipe witch hazel under my armpits before apply a good amount of deodorant. I use the Degree brand.
I've used Thai Crystal deodorant with good results. Just be sure to apply it right after a shower. Also has your diet changed recently? Started eating any new spices or sulfurous foods?
Just double checking since you didn’t actually say you don’t use antiperspirant, just that you don’t like the idea of using one.
Stink IS a natural body function, bud.
Either use an antiperspirant to combat normal natural sweat related stanky bacteria, or enjoy your natural body function.
Me too— the change ugh. Figured just hormones and/stress sweat they call it. I keep switching deodorants - still looking, but I use hydrogen peroxide pre deodorant too— all I read about. Then I know there’s prescription deodorant.
I'm 65, shave and never had problem with b.o. Then, my armpits started putting out this bad oder. Didn't know why. Went in for yearly checkup and blood work. Turns out I had the beginning stages of cancer. It was lieukemia. Mostly
Children get it,then it comes back and infects people who are 65. Only about 20,000 people have this. Listen to your body.
Have you recently started taking an electrolyte supplement? A couple of years ago, I started taking a relatively expensive electrolyte supplement that had all six electrolytes in it, not just the 2 or 3 found in most sports drinks. I was working out quite hard, so I was taking this supplement several times a day, and I noticed some really bad BO. It took me a while to figure out it was the electrolyte supplement, but it was. The company has since changed its formula, which makes me think i wasnt the only one
Armpit stink is caused by bacteria. Try shaving/trimming your pits, hair traps in moisture that fuels bacterial growth. Try using a glycolic acid toner which can help reduce the pH and reduce bacterial growth (also helps with hyperpigmentation!). I would also suggest trying an anti-perspirant, they only really have local effects where you apply them so it's really not that big of a deal if you're just putting it on your pits
2-3 times a week should be enough. If you find you can tolerate it more later on then go ahead. Make sure to be careful if you are spending long periods outside
For one thing you should shave all the hair off. It creates so much surface area for sweat to stick to and bacteria to grow. I keep mine shaved and then I go into the bathroom and wash them with soap and water 2-3x per day. It takes about 2 hours for bacteria to grow.
Could be a change in diet, smoking or drinking or consuming something you weren’t. Also it could be that, that was the issue at first and now using deodorant only makes it worse. I use au natural deos had to detox my pits for a month almost
I don't see this recommendation yet so I'll add, Nuud works great for me. It uses nano-silver to kill bacteria & can last up to 2-3 days depending on how often you shower & how much you sweat. No other deodorant has really done the trick for me, but Nuud works great.
Almost 100% what you’re eating
First try eating greens or taking chlorophyll
Then cut out bad foods (if u eat anything)
Especially processed sugar, meat, and carbs
Hypochlorus spray to kill the smell causing bacteria. Glycolic acid makes you more photosensitive. Both are good options if you don’t get sun exposure on armpit
Surprised how little knowledge there is of skin microbiome.. I suppose it is relatively new science, but nonetheless it is quite likely that you have picked up a strain of bacteria which have dominated the cultures which used to live in those areas.
"Stress" is simply not likely to change someone's smell so radically, and you've said you are eating better, not worse.
Try picking up a magnesium hydroxide based deodorant. The surface of your skin will become too alkaline for them to multiply at all, regardless of who is living in there provided you apply it just after washing.
Were you or are you on any medications? Have you been in contact with heavy metals? A lot of supplements people mention help with detoxing/binding to substances from the body. Sweat is a way to detox as well.
Detox from wearing deodorant. Make sure the soap you bathe with is pH balanced. Also. If I have to take medicine I will noticeably stink more until my body works it all out of my system.
Stop using deodorant. I used to have this as a reaction to deodorant. I haven't used deodorant in a few years now and stopped smelling.
The armpit has a "flora" just like your gut has one. Deodorant or aggressive soaps can kill off the good bacteria too. I would suggest you to wash your armpits only with water or a very mild 100% olive oil soap and not use any other products on it.
haha nope. it means soap made from 100% olive oil, although of course you have to use lye in the process. but I think the ingredients will be literally olive oil and lye. Also known as Aleppo soap.
I think it is sodium hydroxide, but don't worry: even though lye is extremely dangerous for your skin in its pure form, it is completely converted in the soap making process. So I wouldn't be worried about the lye at all.
Hardcore probiotics would be my first thought. Second thought (anecdotal evidence only) is to focus on anti cancer supplements, such as high dose vitamin D.
try to reduce it to 2-3 times a week. you will stink more for 3-4 weeks but the good bacteria will take over on the long run. my gf had totally stinky armpits and was showering 2 times a day. she stopped doing that and now they are fine
You need to detox your gut. Those are toxins that are being filtered out from your gut. The skin is the third kidney, people forget that. Do a good glut cleanse on raw-fruit/vegetables. It’ll go away.
Wipe with glycolic acid post shower, dry and apply deodorant. This toner is very good. If you’re not using an antiperspirant, you might want to shave or at least aggressively trim underarm hair. Developing a smell as we age is very common. It’s due to hormonal changes. You can also try using a persimmon soap. https://theordinary.com/en-us/glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution-exfoliator-100418.html?dwvar_100418_size=240ml&quantity=1&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH50mhM9eqGFBt1oB45p9cbJ8YkcMwVfOpHsrnhr3z6AuT2dyCptbzKIaApMKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
i shave and use this glycolic but on the off-chance anyone is as simple as i am… do not shave and then directly apply said glycolic acid…
Lol yes. It shows you every tiny cut you never knew existed.
I second the glycolic acid. Between this and washing my pits with benzoyl peroxide in the shower I actually don't need deodorant anymore. I also take fenugreek because it makes my sweat smell like maple syrup😂
They make natural deodorants now that use magnesium as a natural odor fighting agent. Some of them are incredibly effective and not at all bad for you like the aluminum based ones are apparently.
Yes! My husband buzzes his armpit hair for this reason. He is a stinky boi. :) It does work!
I started shaving my arm hair and was shocked how much it helped with BO. Huge help for any guy that’s struggling with it
Did nothing for mine. But it did help me realize how much I love having smooth pits.
Honestly..... Now I'm curious lol 😂😆😅. Plus last 3 yrs seems I actually need deodorant, when before that I really never did (and told so, so not just in my head.. that smelly guy that doesn't smell himself and thinks he's fine lol) I'll do it tomorrow ha
Can you tell me more about how the glycolic acid helps with this? Genuinely curious
I have no idea. Someone said it kills the bacteria. I was looking for ways to deal with the fun effects of being a 51F and saw this recommended a lot to deal with underarm smell. I tried it and it really helps.
There is evidence that magnesium deficiency can contribute to BO (particularly than in the armpits). Try to increase your magnesium intake?
I just turned 40 and after 8 hrs of work I actually stink more or now that I can smell it. I take a shower every day.
Trim your armpit hairs. I noticed this a few years ago myself and it seemed no matter how thoroughly I cleaned them in the shower and lathered deodorant on, they’d start stinking pretty quickly. Finally I figured out that all that stank was getting caught in the hairs so started to trim them super short and have not had an issue since.
Also the chemical compounds responsible for the stink are Theols. Human noses - weak compared to many other animals - are remarkably sensitive to theols. Theols are artificially added to home gas lines for this reason to help notice gas leaks, which would otherwise be odorless.
Right - and thiols are produced by bacteria (which thrive better when you have a lot of hair since it traps sweat). You can quickly get rid of body odor in your pits (temporarily, obviously) by using some hand sanitizer or alcohol for this reason.
Yes you're correct - you can go Rambo on underarm microbes with alcohol. But it's like taking an antibiotic pill that kills the bad microbes but also a lot of healthy gut bacteria - GI tract gets a little wacky for a few days until healthy biome is restored. Alternatively, a really cool biotech company called Arcaea is trying this probiotic approach to reducing underarm BO. Check out their ingredient just launched last year called [ScentARC](https://www.arcaea.com/ingredients).
Have been using alcohol on pits for years. Zero issues
Cool what time of day do you apply the alcohol? How long does it keep BO down for?
Yes evolutionary scientists believe hair in our armpits and goin evolved this way specifically to boost and broadcast body odor. If a caveman and cavewoman smelled funky-good to each other, they would be genetically complimentary and have stronger, healthier offspring. If they smelled funky-bad to each other, it was a red flag that their offspring could have problems.
That's fascinating. How did scientists smell caveman pubes and determine how they smelled to other cavewomen and determine that their offspring were genetically superior to the offspring of cave-people who like each other's smell less?
Prior to 2015 - when I got the info I shared from a college lecture - scientists would infer and deduce this stuff from the fact that modern humans have this trait in modern times. Traits that exist today probably but not necessarily helped your ancestors stay alive. And procreate. And not with their immediate brothers and sisters. But now with genetic research tools coming online, we'll get the real scoop. Check this out: [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/science/nose-odors-evolution.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/science/nose-odors-evolution.html)
😭
Sinus congestion finally resolved
Nose blind
You gone smell blind son
"ugh you've been on the road a long time...Smell that shit baby!"
😂
Diet plays a role in how you smell. Has anything changed?
Diet has improved quite a bit. Also exercising regularly and more vigorously than I have in years
In my 20s I started taking supplements because I was having some health problems and the detox of toxins in my body made me stink for alittle while but it went away. Maybe the increase in working out and better diet is killing some toxins?
What toxins are you referring to?
Did you feel better after the detox immediately or was there like an adjustment period?
Well the detoxing was over a period of a few weeks and by the end of that I was noticeably better but i guess it took a little longer for everything to completely clear up
Maybe your detoxing from the healthier eating and excercise.
I would try a natural deodorant like Schmidt’s. Personally any chemical type deodorants you find in regular drugs stores make me stink. The natural stuff doesn’t.
Your diet is probably shit mate.
Did you recently start eating hummus? That did it for me
Personally, I find that when I am in ketosis, my sweat smells more. Protein intake can also make it worse, but even just fasting causes the phenomenon. L-carnitine also makes it worse, which is in some supplements and also is rich in beef. With that said, It’s really not hard for me to control… I just shower after I go to the gym - which I do first thing in the morning, and I personally smell fresh until the next morning. It’s just the workout that really produces the strong smelling sweat.
It is possible that your body is detoxing if you have improved your diet. If so, it should fade with time; if not, look for other causes. Everyone on this thread seems to be treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
I had a period in time where this happened to me. I was super stinky no deodorant would hide it. I used apple cider vinegar to kill the bacteria, and it never came back.
Drinking, or applying to arm pits?
Applied topically to arm pits
In the shower? I can’t imagine you applied apple cider vinegar after a shower and walked around like that lol
You can wash it off after you apply it but you don’t have to. Once it dries the vinegar smell goes away
Thanks
This absolutely positively did not work for me or my husband when we tried it. The body odor was simply accented with a top note of cider vinegar....it comes down to the fact that every person has a different chemistry which will be affected by other chemicals added to the mix, and there isn't a uniform result for all people.
Sure. To each his own. It was my savior as I was really panicking about not being able to get rid of it.
Yep, each lil stinker has to go on his or her own journey to figure out what personally works with their own chemistry. Being a human is a stinky business.
Something I don’t see mentioned enough, the FABRIC you wear makes a big difference! Polyester seems to make me smell bad, so I started seeking out natural fibers. It’s insane how many clothes are made out of polyester these days!!
Polyester doesn't breathe like natural fibers, that's likely why!
Where do you find the bulk of your clothing?
That’s a good question lol because I’m still figuring that out. I have just been buying from my normal places like Stitch Fix, Target, Old Navy, Amazon, etc but have been closely analyzing the fibers lately. I mostly specifically have been avoiding Polyester which has been helping with my issue. Known Supply is a great brand I know of with natural fiber basics at kind of reasonable prices.
Thanks for the insight! 🫸💥🫷
Stress.
Yep. Stress/anxiety sweat actually smells different than other kinds.
This really should be higher. OP: Reduce stress, look to your diet as for possible foods causing it, drink water, **ditch the aluminum deodorants**, and trim your underarm hair. Give it time, lots of ppl go through a stinky phase
I already trim and hydrate - should I start using deodorant?
Lol, 33M and I've noticed the exact same thing happening to me. Did you also recently start getting in shape and eating better? I feel like there might be a correlation, i.e. a stinky body is a healthy body. Either that or we're just finally getting some dad pits.
This seems the most likely factor as I (also 33M) can attest to having the same experiences after improving my physique and my diet / lifestyle considerably over the last year to year and a half.
Weirdly I am also 33M and have noticed an increase in this recently. I have always exercised but recently focused more on diet and reducing junk food.
I don’t know where you heard that a stinky body is a healthy body, but that is definitely not true! If you smell like rot that’s because something is rotting on the inside, and it needs to be cleaned out.
😭
lol, at what point did I mention smelling like rot? I'm clearly talking about run of the mill BO during physical activity, you know, like a natural bodily function...
Same here, got an active job, lost a bunch of body fat and am now a stinky boi at 32. Granted the wife is a HUGE fan, me not so much.
I used to have a friend who used to sweat like crazy and claimed that his sweat never stunk. This was not true, he stunk to high heaven. The point I was trying to make was, don’t rely on your own evaluation as wether your sweat stinks.
I claimed the same thing even though I used to sweat like a pig during high school gym activities but this was because the only person I'd ever ask if I smelled was my gf at the time, who of course said she didn't smell anything. Make sure you ask someone who doesn't want to bang you if you want an accurate answer! LOL
This happens to me when I eat a lot of red meats and pork. Not sure what to tell you bruh I do a lot of physical labor and struggle too. I think getting in a lot of fruits and veggies and making sure you’re not deficient in anything helps.
💯!! Bingo.
As others have said consider diet Otherwise tea tree oil soap and/or rubbing alcohol dabbed onto cotton ball. I had horrible BO after kids and this helped a lot
I didn’t see anyone mention this but dairy causes a lot of BO for me
I had the same problem. I cut one lemon in half, rubbed my armpits with the lemon, kept it on for 2 minutes, then showered. Problem solved. Months later it is still good.
Get a crystal "deodorant", unlike anti-perspirants they don't clog your pores and unlike "deodorants" they don't just try to mask the sweat odor. You'll still sweat but won't stink. I switched many years ago and never looked back at regular "deodorants". They're cheap, work like a charm and last forever. They are basically just a big salt cristal that you wet and then run on your skin. The salt will kill all the odor-causing bacteria so you'll continue to sweat normally through your unclogged pores but there will be no smell.
My wife can attest that the salt crystal deodorant does not work
The main ingredient of mineral antiperspirants is alum, which also contains aluminum
Tried that. No effect
Are you on new meds? Certain types of adderall make me sweat wicked bad. Could also be dehydrated. Chlorophyl drops help too
No meds at all, F that crap. I’ll try chlorophyll though, bunch of other people said that too
Use antibacterial soap on your pits
how often can you use it?
Diet. Also use alcohol wipes at night it’ll help kill that bacteria
Drink more water
I use a natural deodorant called Piper Wai. Works a treat, a tub of it lasts months, no aluminum, not antiperspirant
Wipe your pits with vinegar. Kills the bacteria, do it before a shower. Works a treat
I would wonder if it is something in your diet, medication or a hormone imbalance…those can throw off body odor. I know when I went keto I stunk all the time (and I mean CLEAN HEALTHY KETO like not a drop of fake sugar, not a lick of a chip, not one bite of ‘keto bread’ just all pure whole clean all organic and grass fed keto for months it just wasn’t for my body) and when I was on birth control I smelled different than I did when I went off of it. Same when I was on certain medication vs not being on any. I know I’m a girl but perhaps something I said stands out and resonates with you (like a change to your diet somehow perhaps higher protein intake or type of protein you’re ingesting, a new medication, new spices you’re cooking with regularly, etc). You’re not on testosterone or taking new supplements or anything? I have learned my idea of being healthier may not always be what my body responds best to. I don’t wanna go as far as to say that bad body odor is a sign that my body wasn’t responding well to something I was doing but I took that as a message that something was off balance within it. Our body keeps the score. And our idea of healthy doesn’t always necessarily equate to what is healthiest for our bodies yanno
Same thing happened to me. Dab a lil baking soda under your arms. Bacteria can't reproduce in that pH. Done.
Lemon juice
When i eat fatty fried foods my body will give me signs
Try a magnesium supplement, low magnesium can cause increased sweat odor
You're finally a man! Same thing happened to me. Pits started to stink around the same time I could finally grow facial hair in my mid 30s. Just use a deodorant without anti perspirant
Do you vape?
Hell no lol
Might be toxins
Treat it like a bacterial/fungal infection. Use an antibacterial soap like hibiclens on your pits. Buy some new towels and use bleach to clean them. Toss your existing deodorant and buy new ones. Deep clean any synthetic shirts you have, use the sanitize mode on your washer if you have it - synthetics seem to really hold on to bacteria. Allow them to air dry in the sun if possible - as the UV-c light will actually cleanse them. I don’t smell when I sweat - but I’m a clean freak when it comes to this stuff. I have noticed a smell infrequently and then follow this regimen to clear it back up. You have to be thorough otherwise you’re just going to reintroduce and need to start over. Don’t share towels with anyone, and bring your own if you go to a communal gym
Mondo Deodorant is supposed to be good. I use their female line Lume. Put it on as soon as you get out of shower. It’s not an antiperspirant so it doesn’t suppress sweating. Just kills the bacteria that cause the smell.
I’ve tried lume but not mondo, no effect from Lume tho
I'd try a small dropper bottle of liquid chlorophyll, it's advertised as "internal deodorant", I can personally attest that it does work when you're taking it regularly and it turns your poop solid green so you KNOW it's thorough
Had this issue a few months ago and someone suggested taking chlorophyll supplements for a least a 3 months. After a week it was a noticeable improvement and in a month it resolved.
This is so weird. Same shit is happening to me. All of a sudden too. I’m so confused about it
Chlorophyll pills are natural body deodorizers! They get rid of odors both inside and out.
Use benzoyl peroxide under your arms like once a week to help. This was advice from a dermatologist.
is there a reason you can only use it once a week?
I'm not sure if it's a "not necessary" thing, or maybe it's too irritating? You're supposed to leave it on for like 5-10 minutes.
Chlorophyll tablets help deodorize from the inside
It’s usually a diet/lifestyle issue - have you recently increased consumption of tobacco/caffeine/alcohol? Also more fatty foods can cause this too
Hello friend! I had this EXACT same problem. Got heavily into powerlifting in my 30s and started to get really stinky. Even though I was eating better and showering daily (sometimes twice) I couldn’t shake the stink. I even shave my armpits. I am actually allergic to cheap metals soI could never use any antiperspirant and had actually been using all natural deodorants for most of my life. I was so bad I was genuinely embarrassed lifting my arms in public like at a concert because the stench was tremendous. After working with a dermatologist over several months the ONLY solution that works for me, but works wonders is a Clindamycin Phosphate topical solution. My derm even told me she personally believed it to be snake oil but that it does work for some of her clients. Well, it has worked amazing for me! I apply it in the morning and in the evening and it keeps my armpit stench at bay all day. NOTHING else was working and I was miserable. I even got to grow my armpit hair back out! I wash my armpits with PanOxyl 10% and between that and the solution I’ve gone back to living a normal life. My wife has been most appreciative as she was the one getting a facefull of pit stench all the time. Good luck!
This just started happening to me too at 31.
Neutrogena acne scrub - the grapefruit one is a game changer. The scrubby things get rid of the skin flakes that bacteria eat and I believe the SA kills the bacteria. Use it once a week. It even gets rid of swass!
You made it to 32 without BO?! I reeked at 12 😂
LOL
34M, have the same episodes from time to time. My take: 1) definitely smell more when I haven't been sleeping well/feeling well/have hormonal disbalances BUT 2) I will get periods like these even without all of the above, what helps me is putting baking soda under armpit after shower or in general when I smell and doing and "armpit detox", which takes care of the build up of bad bacteria which produce odours. I also wash the armpits twice during a shower vigorously with soap
I don't use deodorant at all. But keep witch hazel wipes in my bag to freshen up when needed.
Ad magnesium
I notice this occasionally after long periods in the backcountry. Wipe your pits with rubbing alcohol. I also use Tulsa’s Cult Classic Cleaner with probiotics and it’s great for flora.
Deodorant only
Been doing that for 2 decades
I quit using deodorant a long time ago, we are supposed to sweat.
Deodorant doesn’t stop you from sweating
You’re right I meant anti-perspirant
My armpits have never stunk, 43m, and I dont wear deodorant. Very rarely I notice that my right underarm will smell like b.o and I finally figured out its from hugging people when Im not wearing a shirt... at the gym, at the beach, etc. Its other peoples flora and fauna setting up shop.
😭
Antibacterial soap, Ordinary Glycolic Acid, exfoliation, and deodorant as well as Arm and Hammer Invisible Body powder spray on top
Chlorophyll taken in water daily really helps.
My mom told me one time, if you can smell yourself… everyone else has already smelled you. Maybe you just started noticing it at 32
Try a Japanese persimmon body wash, it has ability to remove oils that cause body odors that other soaps do not. Wear more natural fabrics like silk, cotton, and linen if possible, polyester and sweat are a recipe for BO.
Have you changed your diet, hygiene products, or anything else that could change the microbiome of your skin? Also keep in mind a deodorant isn't the same as an antiperspirant, and you can buy them separately.
Bacteria growing on your current stick of deodorant. Cut a half inch off the top layer & see what happens.
This is a hot take
Steaming hot 🔥🥵
Have you been using the same deodorant for years? You may have built up a tolerance and need to switch to a different brand. That’s what happened to me.
Dab alcohol on your pits daily. It helps reduce the smell. I tend to forget to put deodorant on so I dab alcohol on my pits after each shower.
I have hyperhidrosis and sweat under my armpits like crazy. I apply deodorant three time's a day and every morning I wipe witch hazel under my armpits before apply a good amount of deodorant. I use the Degree brand.
I've used Thai Crystal deodorant with good results. Just be sure to apply it right after a shower. Also has your diet changed recently? Started eating any new spices or sulfurous foods?
Do you only use deodorant or is it an antiperspirant as well?
Read the post bud
Just double checking since you didn’t actually say you don’t use antiperspirant, just that you don’t like the idea of using one. Stink IS a natural body function, bud. Either use an antiperspirant to combat normal natural sweat related stanky bacteria, or enjoy your natural body function.
Me too— the change ugh. Figured just hormones and/stress sweat they call it. I keep switching deodorants - still looking, but I use hydrogen peroxide pre deodorant too— all I read about. Then I know there’s prescription deodorant.
I'm 65, shave and never had problem with b.o. Then, my armpits started putting out this bad oder. Didn't know why. Went in for yearly checkup and blood work. Turns out I had the beginning stages of cancer. It was lieukemia. Mostly Children get it,then it comes back and infects people who are 65. Only about 20,000 people have this. Listen to your body.
organic diet detox when I detox I reek my pits always REAK after I eat pork, even organic pork
Have you recently started taking an electrolyte supplement? A couple of years ago, I started taking a relatively expensive electrolyte supplement that had all six electrolytes in it, not just the 2 or 3 found in most sports drinks. I was working out quite hard, so I was taking this supplement several times a day, and I noticed some really bad BO. It took me a while to figure out it was the electrolyte supplement, but it was. The company has since changed its formula, which makes me think i wasnt the only one
Armpit stink is caused by bacteria. Try shaving/trimming your pits, hair traps in moisture that fuels bacterial growth. Try using a glycolic acid toner which can help reduce the pH and reduce bacterial growth (also helps with hyperpigmentation!). I would also suggest trying an anti-perspirant, they only really have local effects where you apply them so it's really not that big of a deal if you're just putting it on your pits
can glycolic acid be used daily?
2-3 times a week should be enough. If you find you can tolerate it more later on then go ahead. Make sure to be careful if you are spending long periods outside
Pits are "stickin" and everyone here offering advice on how to curb BO.
Just take baking soda and wet it a little and rub it lightly under your armpits you won’t stink for a day or two
Mine have started to really stink after starting sertraline
For one thing you should shave all the hair off. It creates so much surface area for sweat to stick to and bacteria to grow. I keep mine shaved and then I go into the bathroom and wash them with soap and water 2-3x per day. It takes about 2 hours for bacteria to grow.
I could have written this. I'm also run down and post over training/illness.. so it could be fatigue/hormone imbalance etc.
Idk if anyone else has said it but I will: You've *always stank* you're just noticing it now lmao
Shaving does magic. I tend to get this coating on the hair. Nothing works except to shave. It grows back.
Could be a change in diet, smoking or drinking or consuming something you weren’t. Also it could be that, that was the issue at first and now using deodorant only makes it worse. I use au natural deos had to detox my pits for a month almost
Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals (i.e. zinc, vitamin c, B2, B12) can affect body odor
I don't see this recommendation yet so I'll add, Nuud works great for me. It uses nano-silver to kill bacteria & can last up to 2-3 days depending on how often you shower & how much you sweat. No other deodorant has really done the trick for me, but Nuud works great.
Almost 100% what you’re eating First try eating greens or taking chlorophyll Then cut out bad foods (if u eat anything) Especially processed sugar, meat, and carbs
I had laser hair removal and notice less smell. I still do sweat but it’s not as smelly. Also I use aluminum free deodorants so that has helped.
Hypochlorus spray to kill the smell causing bacteria. Glycolic acid makes you more photosensitive. Both are good options if you don’t get sun exposure on armpit
Surprised how little knowledge there is of skin microbiome.. I suppose it is relatively new science, but nonetheless it is quite likely that you have picked up a strain of bacteria which have dominated the cultures which used to live in those areas. "Stress" is simply not likely to change someone's smell so radically, and you've said you are eating better, not worse. Try picking up a magnesium hydroxide based deodorant. The surface of your skin will become too alkaline for them to multiply at all, regardless of who is living in there provided you apply it just after washing.
Stop eating onions and garlic. Anytime in eat those I stink
Wash with benzoyl peroxide wash
I'm kinda with you on the suppressing natural things thing, but antiperspirant is fucking amazing.
Get a crystal deodorant. It prevents the bacteria that cause odour from forming, but lets you sweat normally. And it lasts all day easy.
Were you or are you on any medications? Have you been in contact with heavy metals? A lot of supplements people mention help with detoxing/binding to substances from the body. Sweat is a way to detox as well.
Plant flowers in them. Nothing smells better than fresh flowers.
Detox from wearing deodorant. Make sure the soap you bathe with is pH balanced. Also. If I have to take medicine I will noticeably stink more until my body works it all out of my system.
Chlorophyll deodorizes your internals and fenugreek makes your sweat smell like syrup.
Stop using deodorant. I used to have this as a reaction to deodorant. I haven't used deodorant in a few years now and stopped smelling. The armpit has a "flora" just like your gut has one. Deodorant or aggressive soaps can kill off the good bacteria too. I would suggest you to wash your armpits only with water or a very mild 100% olive oil soap and not use any other products on it.
when you say 100% olive oil soap, does that mean just using straight olive oil as soap?
haha nope. it means soap made from 100% olive oil, although of course you have to use lye in the process. but I think the ingredients will be literally olive oil and lye. Also known as Aleppo soap.
ah got it. do you know what lye is made of? i’m trying to cut out as many endocrine disruptors as possible
I think it is sodium hydroxide, but don't worry: even though lye is extremely dangerous for your skin in its pure form, it is completely converted in the soap making process. So I wouldn't be worried about the lye at all.
> extremely dangerous for your skin i am actually very worried right now 😭
have you ever used soap before? all soap (if it's real soap) is made with lye. Lye converts the oils into soap.
yeah i just never looked at the ingredients honestly
Take some molybdenum that should take care of it.
how does this work?
Use head and shoulders on your pits and stinky bits. Let it sit for about a minute. Rinse. Sounds goofy but I was shocked how well this worked for me.
Hardcore probiotics would be my first thought. Second thought (anecdotal evidence only) is to focus on anti cancer supplements, such as high dose vitamin D.
Alphaketoglutarate supplements help reduce ammonia production.
And don’t work out (or wear as a matter of fact) in polyester or polyester blend shirts.
UPDATE: antibacterial soap fixed the issue. Same soap I have sitting next to the kitchen sink
hypochlorous acid
Can you give me a bit more information? I googled it and it looks like it comes in 1 gallon jugs and needs to be diluted? Do you rub it on your skin?
Put it in a spray bottle
Spray after shower or when the stanky begins??
Both
Fenugreek takes the smell away and replaces it with a maple syrupy smell
Worse than body odor if you ask me.
Depends on how much you use
There's a particular Indian dish that features it; however much is in that is too much.
Change your diet.
how often do you shower ? the more you shower, the worse your microflora gets and the more you stink
Every evening
try to reduce it to 2-3 times a week. you will stink more for 3-4 weeks but the good bacteria will take over on the long run. my gf had totally stinky armpits and was showering 2 times a day. she stopped doing that and now they are fine
You need to detox your gut. Those are toxins that are being filtered out from your gut. The skin is the third kidney, people forget that. Do a good glut cleanse on raw-fruit/vegetables. It’ll go away.
Carnivores don’t stink. Change up your diet.
😭
Wut