The most common causes of female body odor are vaginal odor, underarm odor, and foot odor. Mild vaginal odor is to be expected, but if it is bothersome or particularly foul, a woman can take steps to lessen it. Underarm odor is caused by sweat and can be prevented by shaving and wearing an antiperspirant or deodorant. Foot odor is most common in athletic women and those who wear shoes without socks and is also caused by sweat.
Sometimes female body odor is caused by a woman’s genitalia, either because of an infection, poor diet, or excessive sweating. A bacterial infection usually causes fishy vaginal odor, but it can be cured with antibiotics from a health professional. Too much caffeine, sugar, or alcohol contributes to a poor diet, foul vaginal odor, or sometimes just excessive sweating. Excessive sweating alone helps the vaginal area stay moist and breed extra bacteria, ultimately leading back to female body odor and possible infections.
Minor female body odor from the vagina is considered normal. The smell usually changes as the woman’s menstrual cycle progress, sometimes becoming stronger and other times becoming milder. This odor is a problem only if particularly strong and bothersome to the woman or if it smells fishy or foul, like she might have an infection. A doctor can rule out infections, and wearing cotton panties and avoiding air-restricting garments like hose can help lessen the odor.
Underarm odor can also be a problem, but some women are more prone to the problem than others. It is perfectly natural to sweat and eventually become stinky. To prevent or lessen the odor, women can shave their underarms to make it a harsher environment for bacteria to grow. They can also switch their deodorant to an antiperspirant, which clogs the underarm pores to prevent a woman from sweating. Deodorant kills only bacteria to stop the sweat from stinking, but it is sometimes not enough for many men and women.
Foot odor is another cause of female body odor, which is also ultimately caused by sweat. Sweating makes the foot moist, and the moisture gives bacteria ample resources to grow. Foot odor is usually worse when shoes are worn without socks, which can trap moisture and are easily washable, unlike a lot of shoes. There are also plenty of products meant to prevent or treat foot odor, but sodium bicarbonate, otherwise known as baking soda, can also help rid a shoe or foot of odor.
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aishia
Post 5 |
@VivAnne - There are actually quite a few foods that can increase body odor. As a general rule, "stinky" or pungent foods tend to make your body odor worse, too. For example, anything that gives you bad breath also increases odor. Eating fish will make you smell fishy. Eating garlic will make you smell garlicky.
This happens because these foods have such strong odors in their makeup that when you eat them and their oils get carried through your body, even in the broken-down forms they're in when they leave your body through your lungs and pores they smell strongly. That makes your breath and sweat smell, too.
Here's some specific foods to avoid:
Garlic Onions Vinegar Red meat Caffeinated anything (it makes you sweat more)
Hope that's helpful for you! |
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VivAnne
Post 4 |
Wow, okay, I had no idea food had anything to do with body odor!
Growing up I would ask my mom what to do about body odor and she would tell me I needed better hygiene and should wash up better. When I told her I was washing up really thoroughly, she said I must not be putting my deodorant on right, or putting enough on, or something. It might have been what I was eating and not my fault!
The article mentions a few foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol, but doesn't really tell me much about the food-related part of the problem, so I figured I'd ask on here. Does anybody know specifically which foods make body odor worse? I need to know so I can avoid them. Thanks! |
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seHiro
Post 3 |
@SkittisH - I've got really strong body odor, too, but I refuse to use most deodorants because they contain aluminum. Aluminum's been tracked to breast cancer and lymph cancer (a big bundle of lymph nodes is located in each of your underarms.)
What all this means is that I can't wear deodorant, and even though I wash up three times per day, all it takes is for me to sweat even for five minutes and I'll start to smell. It sucks, I wish I could do something about it.
Since the odor is caused by bacteria, do you think putting anti-bacterial hand cleanser or alcohol cleanser on my underarms would help? That doesn't have aluminum, at least. |
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SkittisH
Post 2 |
@SarahSon - As a woman who has strong body odor, let me say thank you for what you're doing! High school would have been so much easier to handle awkwardness-wise if I didn't have such strong body odor.
I used to think that I just needed to wash up frequently, but eventually figured out that only super-strength deodorant seems to work for me. I use 24-hour strength deodorant, and it does actually last all day.
For anybody reading this who is struggling with strong body odor, don't give up if your deodorant doesn't seem to work. There are tons of different kinds, and you might have to try half a dozen before you find one that works, but once you do you can just keep buying that one and the body odor problem is solved.
If you're struggling the way I was in high school, you know it's worth it! |
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SarahSon
Post 1 |
I work with some inner city kids on a regular basis and have had to address this issue more than once.
There is no easy way to go about this, but sometimes it has to be done. Many of them are not taught proper hygiene and about the time they are in junior high, they really need to be wearing some deodorant on a regular basis.
It doesn't matter if it is just one girl in the room or many of them, the underarm odor can become very strong.
For me, a bottle of deodorant doesn't cost much, so I have found the easiest way to approach this is as a group. I have a bottle for each of them to take home and use and this usually makes a big difference. |
