INTRODUCTION
Body odour, which is known medically as bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia and more commonly as ‘B.O.’, refers to the malodourous smell exuding the body of an individual which may be as a result of excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), poor hygiene, diet, drugs or less commonly, a medical disorder.
Surprisingly, while others describe this smell as pungent, sour and unpleasant, it may be perceived as pleasant by the individual and many scientists believe that this is brought about by some neuropsychological mechanisms.
Body odour is specific to individuals as the ‘recipe’ of sweat varies from individual to individual and it is used, most especially by dogs, to identify people. These chemical substances released by the breakdown of sweat that gives individuals their characteristic smell is known as pheromones.
Due to the social stigma attached to ‘B.O.’, it is often a cause for concern especially among adolescents.
SWEATING AND BODY ODOUR.
Sweat in itself is odourless. Body odour, however, arises by the rapid multiplication and subsequent action of some bacteria on the constituents of sweat breaking them down into certain acids which produce these characteristic smells.
The average human has about three to four million sweat glands which are usually divided into two types; the ECCRINE glands which are located almost all over the body and are responsible for the regulation of body temperature, and the APOCRINE glands which could be found in the breasts, genital area, eyelids, armpits and ears, although only those in the skin and eyelids are sweat glands.
The apocrine glands are mainly responsible for body odour because the sweat they produce is high in protein and lipid which bacteria can break down easily. The eccrine glands produce sweat which is high in salt, making it harder for bacteria to break down the protein. In other words, a lot of our body odour comes from the sweat produced by our apocrine glands. Adolescents and adults more often suffer from body odour than children because the specialised glands in the armpits and genital areas do not become active until puberty.
BODY ODOUR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF BODY CHANGES.
In the vast majority of cases of body odour, it is not necessary to see a doctor as it may be very mild. Body odour may however be severe as to interfere with an individual’s normal social activities and in such cases may be an early sign of a systemic disease thus requiring medical evaluation.
MANAGEMENT
1. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION: This is the first and most important management protocol for body odour and it’s usually sufficient for mild to moderate cases of body odour.
a) Good hygiene: Washing of the body, especially of areas more susceptible to the rapid development of body odour with antibacterial soap has been found to greatly reduce body odour. Regular shaving of the armpits and genital area has also been discovered to lessen body odour as hair slows down the evaporation of sweat, giving the bacteria more time to break it down into smelly substances.
b) Use of deodorants, disinfectants or antiperspirants: Deodorants make the skin more acidic, making the environment more difficult for bacteria to thrive while antiperspirants block the sweating action of the glands, resulting in less sweating. Some studies, however, have indicated that antiperspirants may be linked to breast cancer or prostate cancer and as such should only be used upon the advice of your doctor. Use of disinfectants such as triclosan could also be adopted to reduce body odour.
c) Clothing: Natural fibres allow your skin to ‘breathe’, resulting in better evaporation of sweat. Natural fibres include wool, silk and cotton. It is also important to put on fresh clothes after bathing and properly wash and dry clothes.
d) Spicy foods: – Minimising the intake of curry, garlic, onion and some other spicy foods which have the potential to make some people’s sweat more pungent has been noticed to reduce body odour. Some experts also believe that alcohol and a diet high in red meat may also raise the risk of developing more rapid body odour.
e) Drugs and toxins: Penicillins, bromides and their likes have been documented to rarely cause body odour. It may be replaced by your doctor if this very significant.
2. MEDICAL MANAGEMENT: This management modality is usually employed as last resort and is reserved for individuals with severe body odour.
a) Thorough medical evaluation: Individuals with severe body odour must be properly evaluated to rule out more systemic causes and managed appropriately.
b) Botulinum toxin (Botox): This is a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum; the most poisonous biological substance known. However, very small and controlled doses are today being used in various fields of medicine. It is a relatively new treatment for hyperhidrosis especially in the armpits and consequently reduces body odour.
c) Removal of sweat glands and destruction of nerves: If the body odour is acute and as a result of severe hyperhidrosis, excision of some sweat glands in the axilla or destruction of the nerves controlling these glands may be recommended. Although this procedure is not very commonly employed.
d) Aluminium chloride: – This substance is usually the main active ingredient in antiperspirants. If your body does not respond to the home remedies mentioned above, talk to your doctor about a suitable product containing aluminium chloride.
CONCLUSION
In summary, this smell which can be a menace to your neighbour can be managed by simple home remedies as mentioned above.
So, save ‘the brother’ the stress; Smell clean, smell fresh.
OVERSAABI 