7 Ways to Get Rid of Body Odor Permanently

Updated: Mar 22, 2023
By user
getting rid of body odor
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Smelling good is everyone’s business. The knowledge of permanent ways to get rid of body odor can be said to be as important as other survival skills. Apart from causing you to lack confidence and have low self-esteem, having bad odor can make you lose a lot of opportunities as well.

On several occasions, you must have come across people with unpleasant body odor, and all you wanted at the moment was to finish whatever business you were having with them as soon as possible and get some breathing space.

Conversely, you might have noticed that people dislike spending much time close to you, and some have even tried at some point to tell you how badly you smell. You have attempted severally to wear off this bad odor, but to no avail, cheer up! In this article, I’ll be sharing with you seven permanent ways to get rid of body odor.

What is Body Odor?

Body odor, commonly abbreviated as B.O, is caused by a mixture of sweat and bacteria on your skin. This odor can vary from time to time due to the types of food you eat, hormonal change that occurs in your body, the drugs you take, infections, and other disease conditions like diabetes.

Body odor is the resultant smell that is perceived when sweat comes in contact with bacteria living on the skin. Everyone has bacteria living on and in their bodies, however, they’re usually harmless.

This mixture between the bacteria and sweat in your body can cause different types of unpleasant odors depending on the type of bacteria present on your skin and not just the amount of sweat produced. This is why some people are more susceptible to having unpleasant body odor than others.

Aside from the abovementioned causes of body odor, genetics, hot weather, anxiety, stress, exercise, and excess body weight are additional factors that can cause body odor. So, how can you get rid of body odor? Let’s find out!

Causes of Body Odor

There are several known causes of body odor, here are some of the commonest:

  1. Eating food with overly smelly aftereffects such as garlic,  onions, cabbage, broccoli, red meat, cauliflower, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol.
  2. Hormonal changes e.g. during puberty
  3. Genetics: some people are more likely to have body odor than others as a result of their genetic makeup.
  4. Infections e.g. pus-producing infections
  5. Some chronic disease conditions like diabetes
  6. Hot weather
  7. Anxiety
  8. Stress
  9. Excessive exercise
  10. Being overweight

NB: hot weather, anxiety, stress, excessive exercise and being overweight often results in people sweating quite profusely. When the sweat comes in contact with body bacteria, body odor usually results.

As you will read below, I have explained how some of these causes body odor and how best you can prevent and get rid of it.

Permanent Ways to Get Rid of Body Odor

Below are some of the ways you can follow to say goodbye to unpleasant body odor.

Before diving into our list, it is worth mentioning that of the several permanent ways to get rid of body odor, nothing comes close to maintaining a healthy hygiene and lifestyle. So, while using other methods, ensure that you make personal hygiene a major priority.

1. Shower Once or Twice Everyday

Take a shower or bath daily with a good soap – antibacterial soaps are sometimes preferred because of the direct effect they exert on the bacteria explained above. However, there are beneficial bacteria on the skin, and killing them might do your skin more harm than good.

It is noteworthy that some soaps might contain ingredients that could harm your skin. To avoid this, you should look out for soaps containing all-natural ingredients like eucalyptus, peppermint, and tea tree oil, or simply go to a skin specialist for soap recommendations.

While bathing, pay more attention to areas where you sweat the most. This includes your pelvic (groin) area and armpits. Doing this is important because there’s a higher chance of odor emanating from those areas.

2. Shave the ‘Bushy’ Areas

Bathing is not enough if you’re keeping ‘bushy’ hair in your armpit and groin areas. Hair provides a comfortable breeding space for bacteria causing body odor. You can deprive them of this space by shaving regularly.

3. Always Dry Off Thoroughly After Bath

If you’re at risk of having body odor, ensure that you properly dry yourself after bathing or even swimming. Pay more attention to the armpits and groin area as they are more likely to remain wet.

This is important because bacteria love moist areas, so by drying up, you reduce their chance of growing and causing you a bad odor.

4. Use Antiperspirants and Deodorants

Now that you’ve taken a shower and dried up your body, you should consider using antiperspirants and deodorants to reduce sweat production and body odor respectively.

There are several available over the counter, while others will require a doctor’s prescription. Some antiperspirants also contain deodorants in them — talk about killing two birds with one stone.

5. The Clothes You Wear Matters

Synthetic clothing like polyester does the opposite by pushing the moisture from sweat outwards, thus creating a more noticeable stain and accompanying bad odor.

To avoid the above problem, wear light breathable loose-fitting cotton clothes. This enables your skin to get fresh air. Most importantly, ensure your bras and underwear fit into this category.

6. Control What You Eat

Some food types are known to be overly smelly. Notable examples are garlic and onions. Asides from giving you bad breath, the unpleasant odor can also be found in sweat.

 It might be difficult to avoid using the above foods, but if you’re trying to combat bad body odor, you might want to give them up.

 Other foods and drinks you watch out for include cabbage, broccoli, red meat, cauliflower, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol.

7. Change the Way You Do Your Laundry

We’ve seen how sweat causes body odor when it comes in contact with skin bacteria. Washing sweaty clothing as soon as possible helps to prevent long-standing odor on your clothes.

 In addition, washing clothes inside out might help, since sweat first comes in contact with the interior of the clothes before the exterior part.

Conclusion

Sweating is a normal process through which your body excretes some substances that it no longer needs. It is in itself odorless but can produce an unpleasant odor when it comes in contact with some bacteria on your skin or you consume overly smelly foods like garlic. However, there are several other causes of body odor that aren’t necessarily related to sweating.

Regardless of the cause, you must have realized from this article that there are several permanent ways to get rid of body odor. These methods are easy to follow at home, and in the situation when you don’t see results after trying them, seeing a medical doctor will be helpful.

FAQs

Can body odor be permanent?

Yes, body odor can be permanent in some cases e.g. when it is hereditary, but with dedication, you can successfully get rid of it or at least mask it properly.

What causes body odor?

The causes of body odor are numerous. This includes the type of food consumed, poor hygiene, medical conditions, medications, infections, and even heredity.

Why do my armpits smell even after using a deodorant?

Some people suffer from hyperhidrosis, a condition when they sweat excessively. This excessive sweating, along with the presence of Bacteria on the skin can play a significant role in causing body odor.

How can I naturally smell good?

Even when you don’t have a body odor, it is good to smell good. This can be achieved by using scented body creams, antiperspirants, and deodorants.

How long can you go without a shower before you start to smell?

There isn’t a general rule regarding this. The type of food eaten, weather conditions, and level of personal hygiene all play a part in how long it takes before a person becomes smelly. However, showering at least once daily is recommended.

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