1. Wash daily. It may be the most obvious, but some folk think that they can go a day without a shower and not smell funky. The combination of sweat, bacteria, sebum and dust that accumulates on our skin can cause a bit of a smell, so a simple shower takes care of it and gives skin an opportunity to breathe. Use warm water, and soap; and rinse thoroughly.
2. Change clothes. You may bath all you want, but if you don’t change your clothes, you may not be able to rid yourself of body odour. Here’s the thing; the shirt you wore yesterday still has sweat residue and active bacteria on it which will give off an off odour until you wash it. Even if you use perfume on your clothes, a bad odour can still emanate through.
3. Wear loose fitting cotton clothes. The hot weather means you can show more skin, which also helps skin breathe. Wearing cotton underwear and going commando at night will help your nether regions breathe a bit, which can prevent things like thrush.
Loose fitting clothes will prevent you from over sweating, which in turn reduces chances of developing an odour.
4. Use deodorant. This product should be your friend, especially during warmer seasons. There are plenty of options on the market, from your germ defending to ones for sensitive skin, and ones with organic ingredients. Try a few until you find something that suits you and your skin. Another trick is to use some roll-on deodorant after a shower at night as well as in the morning. Keep a deodorant spray in your handbag to use whenever you need to freshen up.
5. Get treated for excessive sweating. Excessive sweating or hyperhydrosis can be hard to deal with, but there are medical and cosmetic ways to treat it. Speak to your GP or dermatologist about suitable treatments. There are prescription antiperspirants you may want to try, Botox injected directly under the arms, prescription drugs or surgery depending on the severity of the problem.
W24