Sweat Odor – Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Smell of sweat

The skin is considered by leading physicians to be the largest organ in the human body. According to medical statements, human skin has more than two million sweat glands. The individual sweat glands produce a secretion. The secretion known as sweat is often accompanied by an extremely intense smell of sweat .

What is sweat

As already mentioned, an intense smell of sweat is based on an excessive production of sweat. In medicine, sweat is a secretion. The secretion has a water content of 99 percent. The watery secretion comes up with numerous minerals . In addition to table salt, potassium is considered to be a main component of sweat. Magnesium and phosphate are also found in sweat.

As a rule, the watery secretion is always secreted when the human body is exposed to a particularly high level of stress. Special impulses are sent from the nervous system to the sweat glands. These then begin to produce sweat.

This fact is particularly evident in the example of fear . In addition to conscious fears, a person’s unconscious fears can also contribute to excessive sweating. When exposed to excessive temperatures, the sweat produced is used by the human body to regulate body temperature. The characteristic smell of sweat only appears as part of a decomposition process.

Smell of sweat – Why does sweat smell?

Various fragrances are responsible for the typical smell of sweat. The human body can secrete up to four liters of the watery secretion per hour.Bacteria see sweat as food. After eating, the bacteria secrete various waste products. These waste products are largely responsible for the smell of sweat. The sweat can come up with an intense smell of sweat immediately after it is produced.

In most cases, however, the smell of sweat is only noticed after the sweat has already dried. Since an intense smell of sweat is often associated with social disadvantages, a particularly high level of attention is paid to the area of ​​treatment.

When to the doctor?

If you smell sweat, you don’t necessarily have to see a doctor. In most cases, the smell of sweat always arises when a highly strenuous activity has been carried out or when the patient has very poor personal hygiene. Both cases can be treated by the person concerned and do not require a visit to the doctor. The situation is different if the smell of sweat also occurs when no strenuous activity is being carried out. This may be an indication of another disease, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

If the smell of sweat bothers a person, the sweat glands can also be removed from some parts of the body. This minimizes the smell of sweat and the person concerned can lead a normal life again. The smell of sweat often leads to social exclusion and is repulsive and unattractive to other people.

In many cases, the smell of sweat is also triggered by stress . It is worth talking to a psychologist if the smell of sweat is really so strong that normal everyday life is no longer possible. If you have poor personal hygiene, frequent showers and the use of deodorants are highly recommended. Many products can prevent the production of sweat and mask an existing smell of sweat, so there is no need to see a doctor.

complications

The smell of sweat itself is not a medical complication. However, it can lead to severe negative side effects and should therefore be treated. As a rule, the smell of sweat has a negative effect on contact with other people. They feel disgusted by the person concerned and thus avoid any contact with the patient. This can lead to social exclusion and other psychological problems . Children are particularly affected here, as they can be bullied because of the smell of sweat.

Due to the smell of sweat, physically strenuous activities or sporting activities are not possible without the patient sweating excessively. The quality of life decreases sharply. Treatment can be done by removing the sweat glands on the body. This proceeds without complications. The sweat glands are permanently removed so that the respective areas can no longer produce sweat and the smell of sweat no longer occurs. In many cases, however, the smell of sweat can be eliminated through increased hygiene. There are no further complications here.

treatment and therapy

There are now numerous recommendations on how an intense smell of sweat can be treated as reliably as possible. Improved personal hygiene can often help to reduce unpleasant odours. A special antiperspirant is often used to treat an intense smell of sweat. An antiperspirant has a constricting effect on the sweat glands. Based on this fact, only a small amount of sweat is usually produced.

If an intense smell of sweat is based on excessive sweating , it is not uncommon for special electrical applications to be carried out. As part of the individual electrical applications, the affected persons are treated with direct current. The responsible sweat glands are thus desensitized. If pathologically enlarged sweat glands are responsible for an intense smell of sweat, the sweat glands should be removed.

If an intense smell of sweat is based on a serious underlying disease such as diabetes , the course of the disease must be actively influenced. Drug therapy is essential in these cases. However, the smell of sweat cannot only be positively influenced by medical procedures. For example, your own lifestyle plays an important role in relation to the smell of sweat.

According to the statements of experienced physicians, the pH value of the skin influences the intensity of the smell of sweat, among other things. In the meantime, however, numerous shampoos have been developed which can neutralize the pH value of the skin. During puberty, the body’s own hormones have a significant influence on the smell of sweat. Even very fresh sweat can come up with an extremely intense smell. However, therapy is not necessary in these cases, as otherwise it would have a negative impact on physical development. In order to avoid an unpleasant smell of sweat in the first place, the aspect of prevention should not be neglected.

prevention

In most cases, an intense smell of sweat can be prevented. Personal hygiene is seen as an essential part of effective prevention. You should shower regularly, especially after physical activity. Hormone preparations should be avoided. For example, steroids can lead to an intense smell of sweat in women.In most cases, various foods also influence the smell of sweat. Both garlic and onions can lead to an intense smell of sweat. In addition to the foods already mentioned, an intense smell of sweat can also be based on the consumption of stimulants.

A consistent avoidance of stimulants such as alcohol or nicotine can often prevent the occurrence of an intense smell of sweat. At the same time, various drugs can also lead to a smell of sweat after consumption.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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