Staying Fresh in Summer

Body odour is the unpleasant smell that our body produces when we sweat. It can be embarrassing for the individual experiencing it at the time, and during the summer season when our families are more active and the weather is warmer, there is a greater chance of an unpleasant body odour occurring because with the extra heat, we sweat more. The good news is, that body odour can be kept at bay and easily managed as part of your family’s daily personal hygiene routine.

What causes body odour?

Sweating is your body’s personal cooling down system. When the temperature rises, millions of tiny sweat glands are activated and they release sweat to the surface of your skin. The heat from your body is then used to evaporate the sweat which helps to cool you down when you start getting too warm.[i]

The average human body has three to four million sweat glands but despite what many people may think it’s not the sweat itself which causes the unpleasant smell.[ii] Body odour is actually caused by bacteria on the skin that break down the acids in your sweat. These bacteria can multiply very quickly which is why it is so important to have a good personal hygiene routine which will help to reduce and prevent unpleasant body odour – even more so during the hot summer months.[iii]

How can I manage body odour?

The best advice for tackling body odour and staying fresh in the summer heat is to keep the areas of your body most prone to sweating as clean as possible. Following the personal hygiene advice below is a good place to start:

• Take a warm shower or bath daily. Washing daily with warm water and an antibacterial soap, will kill the bacteria on your skin which causes body odour. If it is an especially hot summer’s day or if you have been sweating more than usual due to doing some sport for example, it might be a good idea to shower twice. To keep you feeling and smelling fresh in the summer months try using Dettol Cool Bar Soap.[iv]
• Make sure to wash your armpits thoroughly. Bacteria love the protein and fatty acids produced by the apocrine sweat glands so your armpits and groin areas[1] can be hotspots for these body odour causing bacteria. Because of this, make sure to take extra care cleaning these areas using soap such as Dettol Skincare Bar Soap.[v]
• Use a clean, dry towel. Take care to dry yourself thoroughly with a clean towel after you have washed in the bath or shower. When your skin is dry it is harder for the bacteria responsible for body odour to breed.[vi]
• Use a deodorant or antiperspirant. Once you’ve showered and dried your body, apply a deodorant or antiperspirant under your armpits to keep them smelling fresh though the day.[vii]
• Wear natural fibres. On hot days, try to wear clothes made of natural fibres including cotton, silk and wool which allow your skin to breathe more so any sweat can evaporate more quickly. [viii]
• It’s important to keep you clothes clean too. Bacteria can breed on your clothes too so it is important to change, wash and replace your clothes regularly – especially your socks as feet can get very sweaty in the summer heat. Adding or Dettol Antiseptic Liquid to your laundry will help to kill germs on your clothes.[ix]

Body odour doesn’t have to be a problem for you and your family this summer. You can keep yourself clean and fresh by taking a little extra care with your personal hygiene routine and making use of a good soap to keep body odour at bay. Dettol range of bar soaps are perfect for keeping your body clean and fresh during summer, as part of your personal hygiene routine.

 

[i] https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/tips/a25833/how-to-avoid-body-odor/

[ii] https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/reduce-body-odor