What are the causes of bad body odor in women?

What is sweat, and what is its benefit?

Sweat is water mixed with minerals secreted by glands in the skin. Sweating regulates the body's temperature and prevents the body from overheating, allowing us to exercise and do other activities without getting overheated.

Sweating also helps moisturize the skin because it contains amino acids that help protect the skin from dryness.

Sweat also helps prevent skin infections because it contains antibacterial peptides that enhance the immune system's ability to fight bacteria and fungi that may infect the skin.

Is bad body odor normal?

As we mentioned, sweating is normal and even beneficial for the body. The nature of the smell of sweat varies from one person to another, depending on their age, physical activity, health status, and the extent of their attention to personal hygiene. In most cases, body odor is not a cause for concern or an indication of a problem. But if it is foul or a sudden change in your smell, a cause or problem may require treatment.

How to prevent bad body odor

• Shower daily and use soap or body wash. Shower after exercising, cleaning the house, or returning home after a long day in the heat. Bad odor occurs when sweat mixes with bacteria. Showering and bathing are the best ways to get rid of bacteria on your skin.
• Wear loose clothing made of natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, and other natural fabrics, and avoid polyester as much as possible, especially in hot weather or if you sweat a lot.
• Removing body hair, especially under the armpits, as studies have shown that eliminating armpit hair significantly reduces sweating and bad odor. Because cleaning the body is easier and more effective when it is hairless.
• Use an effective deodorant, and if necessary, use an antiperspirant after consulting a doctor.
• Use a medicated body powder after showering.
• Get rid of stress! You must be tired of this advice in every medical article, but this is the truth: severe stress increases sweating without making any physical effort. Therefore, relaxation techniques and getting rid of anxiety and stress help reduce the problem of sweating and the smell of sweat.

Causes of bad body odor in women

1| Apocrine glands

One of the most important causes of foul body odor in women is the source of sweat. Sweat has a foul smell when it is produced by the apocrine glands that secrete sweat from the hair follicles under the armpits and in the pubic area. The sweat secreted by these glands produced when feeling hot or stressed contains fats and other components that cause an unpleasant odor when mixed with bacteria on the skin. It is worth noting that these glands become active after puberty, which explains the unpleasant body odor in teenage girls.

2| Eccrine sweat glands

Sweat glands are under the skin and produce sweat to maintain body temperature. The sweat from these glands does not contain fats or other components that may cause an unpleasant odor. However, the presence of bacteria in large quantities due to not washing the skin regularly may cause an unpleasant smell when sweating.

3| Weight gain

Excessive weight gain increases skin folds, which are the most common place for sweat and bacteria to collect. These folds are also the ideal environment for unpleasant odors.

4| Stress

Stress causes your heart rate to increase, sending a signal to your sweat glands to start sweating to help maintain your body temperature and fluid balance. Stress-induced sweating may come from your sweat glands; however, the source is often the apocrine glands, which produce foul-smelling sweat. Therefore, you may notice that you have a bad body odor when something happens that stresses you out or increases your anxiety.

5| Certain Foods

• Some foods, especially those containing sulfur, cause a foul body smell. Some of these foods are:
• Onions.
• Garlic.
• Cabbage.
• Cauliflower.
• Broccoli.
• Spicy foods.
• Alcohol.
• Drinks that contain caffeine include coffee, tea, and green tea.

6| Some diseases

• Pathological excessive sweating even without physical exertion or feeling stressed.
• Diabetes.
• Hyperthyroidism.
• Skin infections.
• Gout.
• Kidney or liver problems, especially if the sweat smells like chlorine or urine.
• Some rare genetic conditions.

7| Hormonal changes

Among the most prominent hormonal changes that females go through which affect their body odor:

• Puberty: Sweat glands become more active during puberty, which increases the amount of sweat, which increases the likelihood of a change in the body odor. This explains the unpleasant body odor in teenage girls.
• Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase body temperature, prompting the sweat glands to produce more sweat to cool the body. This leads to excessive sweating and bad odor.
• Menopause and perimenopause: Hot flashes and excessive sweating are among the most important symptoms of this stage. These changes affect women's body odor. Also, the major changes in hormone levels directly affect the body's ability to regulate its temperature. Therefore, increased sweating is the solution, which causes an unpleasant odor.

To sum up,

Sweating occurs when fluid produced by sweat glands to cool the body mixes with bacteria on the skin's surface. Sweating is normal, although it varies in quantity and smell, and in most cases, the unpleasant smell is not a cause for concern or a sign of a problem. However, a sudden change in body odor may indicate a health problem; in this case, you should see a doctor to conduct tests, discover the health cause, and treat it. Maintaining personal hygiene and other steps help avoid embarrassment and unpleasant odor when sweating.