Strong Body Odor: Causes And Preventive Measures

In many cases, strong body odor occurs as a result of excessive sweating. But there are other factors that contribute as well. Read on to find out which ones they are.

Bromhidrosis is a common condition that greatly affects a person’s quality of life. At the same time, strong body odor is a characteristic symptom of the disease. It’s an unpleasant odor that carries strong non-verbal signals and is a source of embarrassment for some people. This is especially bad when a person has selective anosmia, which is the inability to perceive the smell and therefore ignores it.

The sweat itself does not have a foul odor. This only occurs when the sweat comes into contact with the bacteria on the skin. However, sufferers can treat or prevent this by changing their hygiene habits. Alternatively, she can also resort to medical options. We’ll look at this topic in more detail below.

Strong body odor and its causes

According to several studies published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science , bromhidrosis is based on the biotransformation of natural odorless secretions into volatile odor molecules. And, of course, it’s associated with excessive sweating. In other words, the disease is more common in those who sweat more.

The Microbiome Journal concludes that the Corynebacterium spp. in the resident armpit microflora is important for this biotransformation. Obesity can also be a contributing factor to strong body odor. The background mechanism is the change that these molecules undergo when they are metabolized by the named microorganisms.

Strong body odor and the role of the sweat glands

There are two types of sweat glands that all humans have:

• The eccrine glands that are found throughout the body.
• Apocrine glands, which are only found in the armpits, breasts, and groin area.

The apocrine glands are not activated until puberty. For this reason, strong body odor is usually not a problem in young children. So it is a sign of growth and development when it occurs.

An important mechanism is the interaction of the secretion of the axillary apocrine sweat glands with bacteria that produce unsaturated fatty acids that have a peculiar odor. This odor must be present in order to be able to diagnose someone with a strong body odor, also known as bromhidrosis in technical terms.

It is the bacterial metabolism of apocrine sweat that generally causes the odor. However, eccrine sweat can also be offensive. This second situation is usually triggered by the consumption of certain substances, such as garlic or alcohol.

Preventive measures to reduce strong body odor

There are many conservative treatments that patients who consult their GP about strong body odor have already tried. However, drugs and surgery are currently the most common approaches to treating strong body odor.

Surgical intervention – sympathectomy

The preferred method to treat strong body odor is surgery, although doctors reserve it for severe cases. However, postoperative complications and scars are common side effects of surgical procedures.

Surgery is best for patients who are unresponsive to medical therapy and whose daily activities are severely affected by sweating. According to studies by the Annals of Surgery, endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is the last resort in the therapeutic treatment of hyperhidrosis of the palms of the hands, armpits and facial skull. During the procedure, the fibers of the sympathetic nodes are disrupted.

Botulinum toxin

The main mechanism of action of botulinum toxin against strong body odor is to inhibit the release of acetylcholine from the sympathetic nerves that innervate the eccrine sweat glands. The treatment works on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, although painful injections can be an excluding factor for some people.

The dose for intradermal injections depends on the area of ​​the body. For example, doctors use 50 to 100 units in the armpits. The main disadvantage of botulinum toxin treatment is that the effects only last a few months, so a person needs several applications per year.

Antiperspirants with aluminum compounds

Most of the standard antiperspirants available in supermarkets and drug stores contain aluminum chloride. However, more effective agents contain aluminum chlorohydrate. The agents with these substances inhibit the growth of malodorous bacteria.

These metal salts also reduce sweat by blocking the excretory ducts of the sweat glands, thereby minimizing the source of water that promotes bacterial growth. This topical therapy should be performed once a day, ideally at night when the skin is dry.

Strong body odor: recommendations for people with bromhidrosis

Both hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis are common and distressing conditions because they make social activity difficult. Sensitive handling and appropriate referral by the attending physician can help minimize the impact on a patient’s quality of life, both individually and functionally.

Regular washing and armpit hair removal are also helpful. Perfumed antiperspirants are the first choice for treating body odor. This is because they reduce the volume of sweat and are also antibacterial.