Which doctor should I see for bad body odour? Are there any body odour treatments?

Body odour is produced by bacteria that break down skin sebum (oil) and the acids in your sweat.

Most people with bad body odour have issues with skin bacterial overgrowth.

Exacerbating factors for body odour include:

1. Being overweight
2. Eating rich/spicy food eg. garlic and spices
3. Poor body hygiene – this encourages bacterial growth at warm and moist body fold areas around your armpit and groin

It certainly doesn’t help that Singapore’s humidity means you can hardly leave the house without sweating!

Bad body odour can usually be resolved by keeping your skin clean and dry, which also helps to prevent the growth of excess skin bacteria.

Some simple suggestions:

1. Lose weight if you are obese
2. Shower every day and wash your armpits thoroughly using an antibacterial soap
3. Consider a deodorant/antiperspirant after you shower. Carry a deodorant or wet wipes in your bag to quickly wipe down your armpits during the day
4. Shave your armpits – this allows sweat to evaporate quicker, giving bacteria less time to break it down
5. Reduce consumption of spicy foods eg. curry or garlic – they can make your sweat smell. Try avoiding for 48 hours to test whether they are the culprits.

You may want to consider visiting your GP if:

1. Your sweating is excessive and causing you distress
2. You’ve notice a recent change in your body odour

If your body odour is due to excessive sweating, possible treatment options would include:

1. Botox

Botox is injected into affected areas, eg. armpits. It blocks signals from your brain to the sweat glands, reducing the amount of sweat produced.

The effects of botulinum toxin usually lasts between 2- 8 months.

2. Surgery

Removes a small area of skin from your armpit, which gets rid of sweat glands.

Another option is endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS), which uses small incisions under each arm to destroy the nerves that control sweating.

Rarely, there are also certain medical conditions that can result in body odours, eg.

1. Diabetes
2. An overactive thyroid (which results in higher body temperature and sweating)
3. Liver/kidney disease
4. Very rare metabolic conditions.

Your GP can help to exclude these conditions.

Cheers