Have you ever felt uncomfortable because during a particularly sultry day or during sporting activity you noticed an excess of sweating with the consequent fear of giving off a bad smell?

But what are the causes that cause an unpleasant sweat smell? Are there effective remedies? Let's see together what are the measures that can help prevent and avoid the development of bad smell.

What are the causes of body odor:

- Development of body odor
- The importance of good daily hygiene
- What determines the smell of sweat?
- How to effectively combat bad odor?
- Choosing the right deodorant
- In conclusion: 3 good habits

Development of body odor

What many people may not know is that sweating is a natural and physiological process that helps regulate body temperature. When sweat evaporates, it cools down the body's surface. That's why when the body is overheated, it reacts by producing sweat, which initially has no odor but can develop a bad odor due to the action of bacterial flora on the skin.

The causes of body odor are diverse, but the main source of human odor development is the presence of microbiota that colonize the skin. The body's surface is constantly exposed to a variety of bacteria that produce enzymes responsible for the production of unpleasant odors.

The unpleasant odor of the skin, known as bromhidrosis, can be associated with various factors, including:

• Environmental factors
• Genetics
• Underlying health conditions

This condition can be attributed to abnormal functioning of apocrine or eccrine glands, which produce substances with varying degrees of intensity in terms of odor. Upon contact with air, these substances lead to exponential bacterial growth, particularly in moist areas such as the armpits and feet.

Anxiety, stress, hormonal changes are just some of the causes that affect the production of unpleasant sweat odor. The first step is to maintain good personal hygiene and use gentle products that respect the skin's physiological pH.

The importance of good daily hygiene

Personal hygiene has been a fundamental practice for maintaining good skin and overall health since ancient times. The term "detersione" refers to all the actions involved in cleaning the human body, and proper cleansing is undoubtedly the first step to building skin health and contributing to the balance of facial and body skin.

Using overly aggressive cleansing products can disrupt the skin's natural defenses, leading to the proliferation of bacteria naturally present on our skin.

It is therefore advisable to use a good cleanser with a slightly acidic pH (between 5 and 5.5) that can thoroughly clean the skin without drying or irritating it, using natural surfactants that are low in foaming and easily rinsable.

That's why our body cleansers contain active ingredients and natural ingredients that, when massaged onto damp skin, respect the skin's normal pH, leaving it silky, soft, and pleasantly scented, thanks to the use of essential oils only.

What determines the smell of sweat?

Before moving on to practical remedies to remedy the problem, let's see together what are the causes responsible for the smell of sweat. Knowing them will help us to intervene effectively.

Bad nutrition

What you eat affects your natural body odor. Having an incorrect diet is synonymous with an unbalanced diet, i.e. lacking some nutrients that allow the physiological processes of the body to function. The consumption of processed or particularly spicy foods raises the body temperature, causing excessive sweating and excess acidity in the body which alters the pH and makes it difficult to expel toxins.

It is therefore recommended to follow a healthy diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and low in fat and to limit the consumption of particularly spicy foods, fried foods and foods that are difficult to digest. Excessive intake of alcoholic and caffeine-containing beverages can also make body odor unpleasant.

Drug consumption

Taking certain medications can affect the smell of our skin and make it smelly. This is the case with antidepressants or the birth control pill. In other cases, however, the smell we give off is directly linked to particular skin infections and very specific health conditions. For example, a sweet smell could be a sign of diabetes, while a sour smell could be related to kidney disease.

Hormonal changes

When the body goes through certain hormonal changes such as puberty and menopause, body odor tends to become particularly strong. Among the symptoms of menopause, hot flashes that cause excessive sweating especially during the night, increase the body temperature and can make body odor unpleasant.

Synthetic fabrics

Often what causes us to smell bad is not necessarily poor personal hygiene but the composition of the fabrics we wear. The intensity of the odor does not in fact depend only on the quantity of bacteria present but also on the fiber involved. Using synthetic fabrics (nylon, polyester, acrylic) increases the possibility of proliferation of bacteria which remain trapped between the fibres.

The best choice would be to prefer natural fiber fabrics that allow good transpiration such as cotton, linen or hemp.

Often, the clothes used for physical activity are made of synthetic materials, if you really don't want to give up this type of material, to make sure they don't continue to give off a bad smell even after washing them, you can pre-soak them with water and a cup of baking soda.

Anxiety and stress

Being subjected to situations of anxiety and stress can lead to excessive sweating with the risk of giving off an unpleasant odor and increasing the feeling of discomfort and discomfort. Work, worries, family commitments can accumulate and make you nervous and in a state of constant suffering.

How to effectively combat bad odor?

Taking care of personal hygiene, as we have seen, is the foundation of a good daily routine to prevent unpleasant body odor. After cleansing the skin, it is important to ensure that the areas prone to sweating are completely dry, as moisture attracts bacteria. At this point, cosmetic intervention comes in the form of deodorants, which allow us to:

• Prevent the formation of unpleasant odors.
• Control the action on bacterial microflora.

Deodorant itself is not designed to eliminate sweat but to neutralize any negative effects without disrupting physiological balance.

On the other hand, antiperspirants perform a completely different action by hindering and blocking the release of sweat onto the skin's surface.
This type of action, as it interferes with a natural body process, can actually lead to various issues. Therefore, it is a healthy habit to prefer deodorants over antiperspirants.

Choosing the right deodorant

The choice of deodorant is crucial for the well-being of our skin.

Deodorants commonly available in various forms such as sticks, gels, sprays, and creams often contain alcohol and fragrances that can cause allergies, skin irritations, or redness. It is preferable to choose a gentle deodorant that respects the pH of your skin while providing freshness and protection to combat bad odors. Examples include Solid Biodeo, Biodeo Soft roll-ons, Biodeo Fresh, or Biodeo Spray.

Many deodorants on the market contain active ingredients that block perspiration and the development of bad odors. Among the commonly used ingredients with antiperspirant functions, we find aluminum salts, which are used to reduce sweat production. However, with constant use, these substances may cause harm to our body as their antiperspirant power clogs the pores of the skin. It is important to remember that perspiration is a fundamental physiological process for maintaining a normal body temperature and expelling toxins.

For this reason it is advisable to use only deodorants which do not block perspiration but are able to neutralize bad odours, which do not contain anti-perspirants and aluminum salts, and which are also suitable for delicate and sensitive skin.

In conclusion: 3 good habits

So far, we have seen how body odor develops, the causes that lead to unpleasant sweat odor on the skin, and some remedies to combat this problem. It is important to know how to prevent this condition, starting with 3 good habits:

• Take care of personal hygiene by using gentle and natural products on the skin.
• Wear lightweight clothing made of natural fibers and avoid synthetic fabrics.
• Remove excess hair from areas prone to sweating, as excessive hair traps bacteria, increasing the likelihood of emitting bad odor.

Additionally, use deodorants with gentle ingredients that are highly compatible with the skin, without antiperspirant substances.

By incorporating these daily tips and implementing the effective remedies we have suggested, you will be able to control excessive sweating, prevent sweat odor, and better cope with even the hottest and most stressful days.