My armpits seem to retain odor after showering.
August 30, 2023 2:57 PM Subscribe
I am a male who turned 57 yesterday. My armpits still smell of perspiration after showering and washing them with soap. I use a "natural" deodorant, Ivory Gentle Deodorant. I work out about four times a week, and lately I have been eating way too much dairy. How can I reduce my B.O.?
I noticed this same thing when living in muggy Majuro almost 40 years ago. Someone once told me that special forces in Vietnam would eat local foods to mask their body odor on night missions. I'm just rambling.
I noticed this same thing when living in muggy Majuro almost 40 years ago. Someone once told me that special forces in Vietnam would eat local foods to mask their body odor on night missions. I'm just rambling.
Apologies if this is obvious, but how many times do you wash them with soap in the shower? I find if I only wash my pits once, they will still stink.
posted by coffeecat at 3:13 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by coffeecat at 3:13 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
Is hair removal an option? I get mine sugared and they retain odour much less without hair.
It might not even be an issue, though - are you smelling it or are other people? Sometimes I can smell my pits a little after showering, but trusted friends tell me I’m fine.
I would also recommend trying cutting out soap and deodorant. Sounds crazy, I know, but I find that soap mixes with my natural smell to make me smell worse. I now only use water in the shower and never get complaints on my smell (and trust me, the people I hang around wouldn’t hesitate to comment). I only get told I stink when I’ve been wearing the same clothes for too long. Don’t quit cold turkey, taper off slowly. It is important to scrub thoroughly and rinse for a long time if you go this route.
posted by wheatlets at 3:15 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
It might not even be an issue, though - are you smelling it or are other people? Sometimes I can smell my pits a little after showering, but trusted friends tell me I’m fine.
I would also recommend trying cutting out soap and deodorant. Sounds crazy, I know, but I find that soap mixes with my natural smell to make me smell worse. I now only use water in the shower and never get complaints on my smell (and trust me, the people I hang around wouldn’t hesitate to comment). I only get told I stink when I’ve been wearing the same clothes for too long. Don’t quit cold turkey, taper off slowly. It is important to scrub thoroughly and rinse for a long time if you go this route.
posted by wheatlets at 3:15 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
+1 remove hair, shaving will also help to exfoliate
+1 confirm that it is actually you stinking and not your clothes (polyester especially clings to smells). I wash my field shirts in oxyclean and some of them still retain a little odor.
Especially if you want to keep your armpit hair, switch to a gel product, it makes a big difference. I do shave semi-regularly, and I found that I still got a bad odor using a solid antiperspirant that I didn't get with a deodorant. I currently use Secret clinical strength antiperspirant and I don't smell and I don't get visibly sweaty stress pits (I do still sweat normally when I'm hot, which is good!). It doesn't sting or irritate my somewhat fussy skin.
posted by momus_window at 3:24 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
+1 confirm that it is actually you stinking and not your clothes (polyester especially clings to smells). I wash my field shirts in oxyclean and some of them still retain a little odor.
Especially if you want to keep your armpit hair, switch to a gel product, it makes a big difference. I do shave semi-regularly, and I found that I still got a bad odor using a solid antiperspirant that I didn't get with a deodorant. I currently use Secret clinical strength antiperspirant and I don't smell and I don't get visibly sweaty stress pits (I do still sweat normally when I'm hot, which is good!). It doesn't sting or irritate my somewhat fussy skin.
posted by momus_window at 3:24 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm going to try vinegar, then look at not using soap at all and will report back
posted by mecran01 at 3:27 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by mecran01 at 3:27 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Shaving or even just trimming armpit hair can help, both with reducing odor and with making sure your deodorant actually gets applied to your skin instead of the hair.
Sometimes I've also applied some rubbing alcohol diluted roughly 50/50 with water on my pits.
And if your shirts have picked up smells and are contributing to the problem, white vinegar in your laundry's rinse cycle can help, but far and away the most effective thing I've found is Lysol laundry sanitizer. (Vinegar works ok for ongoing maintenance, but I periodically had to soak the pits of my shirts in straight white vinegar to fully eliminate the smell. The Lysol stuff worked the first time with less effort)
posted by threecolorable at 3:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Sometimes I've also applied some rubbing alcohol diluted roughly 50/50 with water on my pits.
And if your shirts have picked up smells and are contributing to the problem, white vinegar in your laundry's rinse cycle can help, but far and away the most effective thing I've found is Lysol laundry sanitizer. (Vinegar works ok for ongoing maintenance, but I periodically had to soak the pits of my shirts in straight white vinegar to fully eliminate the smell. The Lysol stuff worked the first time with less effort)
posted by threecolorable at 3:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Whenever I develop a funk that soap can't kill, I soak a washcloth in rubbing alcohol and give my underarms a thorough wipedown with that. One application is usually enough. It takes several months to a year for the funk to return.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:39 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Jacqueline at 3:39 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Use a clean washcloth to scrub the smelly bits when bathing.
About once a week I scrub my pits with baking soda. It's lightly abrasive and basic, enhances soap and exfoliates. I find it removes deodorant build up that can occur, as some deodorants can be tenacious, which may be a good thing to keep from wearing off, but also a bad thing, as it can retain the flora that causes the BO, and resist simple washing off.
Same thing applies to clothing. BO and deodorant can get embedded in clothing. I like using a pre wash treatment, sold for stains, called Soilove. Its a basic, slippery liquid that's intended for stains and grungy collar, etc. It works well, but there are many products that do a similar job.
posted by 2N2222 at 3:45 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
About once a week I scrub my pits with baking soda. It's lightly abrasive and basic, enhances soap and exfoliates. I find it removes deodorant build up that can occur, as some deodorants can be tenacious, which may be a good thing to keep from wearing off, but also a bad thing, as it can retain the flora that causes the BO, and resist simple washing off.
Same thing applies to clothing. BO and deodorant can get embedded in clothing. I like using a pre wash treatment, sold for stains, called Soilove. Its a basic, slippery liquid that's intended for stains and grungy collar, etc. It works well, but there are many products that do a similar job.
posted by 2N2222 at 3:45 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Oh, one other thing: are you under a lot of stress right now? I find I take on an unpleasant odour when I'm extremely stressed out and there's not much I can do to stop it.
posted by wheatlets at 4:07 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by wheatlets at 4:07 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
When I've been traveling and stinky I find that using hand sanitizer can kill the funk.
posted by leslies at 4:43 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by leslies at 4:43 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Natural deodorant (vs antiperspirant) will leave you this way over time--you aren't stopping the perspiration, so if you also don't get all the bacteria off, you'll be a little funky after a while. I've been fighting this battle since I stopped wearing antiperspirant a few years ago
Step 1: Use a charcoal soap under your arms. Activated charcoal helps with smells because
Step 2: As others have said, exfoliate underarms weekly! I use a charcoal mask for this but I'm sure that's not much different than any other gentle exfoliating mask.
Step 3: Besides just making sure the smell isn't coming from your clothes, try to wear natural fibers durign sweatier endeavors if you can and make sure you are putting on clean clothes after you get your pits all refreshed. I like to shower in the evenings and make sure to wear either loose-fitting or sleeveless clothes to bed.
Nuclear option: The secret of every wardrobe mistress is a spray bottle of (vodka or) isopropyl alcohol. Spray it right on the pits of your clothes for a refresh if they are hanging on to odors, and, in a pinch, you can spray it under your arms, too. It will sting and is VERY drying, so this should not be your first line of defense against B.O.
posted by assenav at 6:46 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Step 1: Use a charcoal soap under your arms. Activated charcoal helps with smells because
Step 2: As others have said, exfoliate underarms weekly! I use a charcoal mask for this but I'm sure that's not much different than any other gentle exfoliating mask.
Step 3: Besides just making sure the smell isn't coming from your clothes, try to wear natural fibers durign sweatier endeavors if you can and make sure you are putting on clean clothes after you get your pits all refreshed. I like to shower in the evenings and make sure to wear either loose-fitting or sleeveless clothes to bed.
Nuclear option: The secret of every wardrobe mistress is a spray bottle of (vodka or) isopropyl alcohol. Spray it right on the pits of your clothes for a refresh if they are hanging on to odors, and, in a pinch, you can spray it under your arms, too. It will sting and is VERY drying, so this should not be your first line of defense against B.O.
posted by assenav at 6:46 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
For a product rec, the Megababe line works well for me, but it's really trial and error with deodorants. I am currently using their charcoal soap, charcoal pit mask, and their geo deo, which despite the marketing are all very genderless in their scent---nearly unscented.
posted by assenav at 6:49 PM on August 30, 2023
posted by assenav at 6:49 PM on August 30, 2023
I also find lume deodorant works great for me. I really like the lume acidified body wash as well.
posted by CleverClover at 6:53 PM on August 30, 2023
posted by CleverClover at 6:53 PM on August 30, 2023
Best answer: I mean, since it hasn’t been said yet, happy birthday!
posted by clownschool at 7:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by clownschool at 7:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: These are amazing and useful answers. Thank you. And I am under stress! I love the "related questions" below that all link to smells.
posted by mecran01 at 8:31 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mecran01 at 8:31 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
The stink is caused by bacteria feeding on your sweat, so the easiest way is to just disinfect your armpits and kill the little buggers. I started doing that during the pandemic, since we had disinfectant everywhere and it works really well.
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 11:47 PM on August 30, 2023
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 11:47 PM on August 30, 2023
I'm an outlier and think that the current human culture of getting into the shower every night and using mostly petroleum based products to scrub ourselves clean is a bit of the problem. Humans evolved without that. Your body produces some oils and such and every night you come and strip them all away. Your body goes "guess I need to make more" and you strip that away and things just get worse and worse. Try leaving it for a while and just shower like you found a pond to take a swim in. May take a while, but see how your body adapts. Maybe if you don't de-grease yourself every day your body will calm down and not produce the stuff that smelly bacteria like to live in.
I haven't washed my hair for over a year. It took a month or so.... It's not even the slightest bit oily or gross and hasn't been for a long time. YMMV, I find that just treating a shower like a dip in a pond (knocked the dirt off) works better than any sort of products.
But I do see you mentioning not using soap at all. So yeah, give it a shot, just try to be a bit patient. It might actually take a month or so for your body to adjust.
posted by zengargoyle at 12:04 AM on August 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
I haven't washed my hair for over a year. It took a month or so.... It's not even the slightest bit oily or gross and hasn't been for a long time. YMMV, I find that just treating a shower like a dip in a pond (knocked the dirt off) works better than any sort of products.
But I do see you mentioning not using soap at all. So yeah, give it a shot, just try to be a bit patient. It might actually take a month or so for your body to adjust.
posted by zengargoyle at 12:04 AM on August 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
Seconding zengargoyle, I found when I stopped using soap in the shower my armpits stink way less. When you wash with soap you wash away the good bacteria and the stinky bacteria. The good bacteria keeps the stinky bacteria away. I just wash with water and scrub my armpits with my hand a little.
posted by catquas at 7:18 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by catquas at 7:18 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
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I like a salux cloth and glycolic (which I have decanted into a spray bottle for convenience)
Other thoughts:
Are you getting your clothing completely clean or is it retaining odors?
Is your deodorant doing what you want it to? I can't use antiperspirant so went on a years long trial and error search for alternative deodorants, usually ranging from "largely ineffective" to "does not work at all with my body chemistry." It's ruinously expensive and their marketing is obnoxious, but right now Lume is working for me better than anything I've used before.
posted by phunniemee at 3:06 PM on August 30, 2023 [5 favorites]