Learn how to avoid sweaty armpits naturally, how to stop sweating excessively and what measures you need to take to do all of it!
No one wants to be a stinker. So in an effort to avoid sweaty armpits, over 90% of teenagers and adults in the US use some form of deodorant or antiperspirant to manage their body odor. In fact, a recent study indicated that about 78% of people do not need a deodorant, but they use one anyway.
Sweat itself does not smell
We might think otherwise because most of us smell when we sweat a lot. But in reality, it is the underarm bacteria that make us smell like that. These bacteria break down the lipids and amino acids found in sweat and make it into substances that have a different smell to what we call body odor.
The approaches that govern the solution of our body odor problem have been growing in recent decades. They come along with our increasingly robust hygiene routines. Two methods to avoid sweaty armpits reign in the market. First one, kill bacteria through a standard deodorant (containing ingredients like triclosan). Second one, block the sweat glands and kill bacteria (through an antiperspirant containing ingredients such as aluminum).
However, the medical community has begun to uncover some potentially terrifying side effects that come with such widespread use of deodorants and antiperspirants. The other research work coming from the academic community is a deeper understanding of the microbiome, the bacterial community that exists in our body. Some even call it the most recent organ system because of the great impact it is proving to have on our health.
The armpit, the ecosystem
Like our intestines, our armpit also has a lot of bacteria. It is one of the most densely populated areas on the surface of our body. But there is a great deal of diversity in the microbial community. Some of the bacteria are associated with the smell, the other part, not so much. Just like in our gut, antibiotics can kill our body’s beneficial bacteria, allowing potentially problematic microbes to take over.
The same can happen in the armpit
Like any ecosystem, the goal is balance in order to be healthy. Abstinence from these products that damage ecosystems could be problematic at first. But over time they will stabilize the natural decline of odorous bacteria.
How to avoid sweaty armpits that stink?
Research behind the microbiome show us that our whole body connects to the microbial world. So, why don’t we work with our microbiome and not against it? Here is the best way to start. Use softer soaps that contain strong surfactants (such as those with SLS and SDS).
Remove aluminum
Aluminum is typically an active ingredient that inhibits sweating. It has recently been linked to a variety of long-term health problems and several “natural” brands have marketed their formulas as “aluminum free”. Beware of strong antibacterials (parabens, triclosan, etc.). These antibacterials are what will have the most destabilizing effect on the armpit microbiome, making it difficult for good bacteria to thrive.
Further info: Excessive Armpit Sweating Causes And Natural Solutions: Check Them Out!
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