It is hard to prevent sweating in an area like the underarms which has several folds of skin. So, it may get a little tricky to maintain hygiene there, but it is essential to do so. Poor hygiene of underarms leads to smelly armpits which can make you conscious every now and then. You don’t want your first impression to be a smelly one, isn’t it? Here are tips on how to get rid of underarm odour naturally.

Dr Jaishree Sharad, a dermatologist explains that body odour occurs due to sweat either from sweat glands or secretion of apocrine sweat glands. Sweat itself does not smell, but it is a good culture for the bacteria that live on our skin. The bacteria break down sweat into aromatic fatty acids, which produce the unpleasant odor.

How to get rid of smelly armpits?

Let’s take a look at some ways of how to get rid of smell from armpits, as suggested by Dr Sharad:

1. Wear comfortable clothes

If you want to get rid of smelly armpits, you need to avoid wearing synthetic clothes or tight-fitting clothes. You should choose comfortable cotton clothes that will give your skin the space to breathe and will allow the absorption of sweat, eventually reducing the odour. Women enjoy wearing sleeveless dresses in summer, but that also increases skin to skin friction which leads to more sweat and odour.

2. Get rid of unwanted hair

Underarm hair can hinder proper hygiene, so it is best to wax them off. “Armpit hair provides a greater surface area for sweat to adhere to and gives the bacteria a fertile breeding ground. Hence, it is advisable to shave your armpits or even better to undergo laser hair removal,” says Dr Sharad.

3. Wear clean clothes

It is also essential to wash clothes thoroughly on a regular basis, particularly clothing that comes into contact with sweaty areas of your body. Avoid using detergents with fragrance in them and just wash them with a simple, non-harsh detergent. If you want to get rid of underarm odour, then make it a rule to never repeat your clothes the next day without washing them.

4. Avoid pungent foods

That’s right! What you eat also makes a huge impact on your underarm and overall body odour. Dr Sharad advises to avoid certain pungent foods like hot pepper, garlic, onions and certain spices as they may emit odour from the body and cause smelly armpits. Since these foods have high sulfur content which goes into our blood and makes our breath, and sweat smell bad.

5. Try antibacterial soaps

There are some people whose body odor is too strong and deodorants and perfumes don’t work on them. While others have very sensitive skin and these deodorants cause irritation or an allergic reaction. In such cases, they can use antibacterial soaps. “Anti fungal powder such as clotrimazole powder or any mild talc also helps to absorb the sweat and gives a feeling of freshness,” says Dr Sharad.

Ladies, you need to adopt these basic hygiene practices to get rid of the smelly armpits and smell fresh all day long to feel good about yourself!