Body odour can be difficult to deal with. We asked our doctor, so you don’t have to! Here are some body odour FAQs that might be very helpful to you!

1. Some women have reported that they suffer from body odour after underarm laser treatments. What causes this, and is this for everyone?

While this is rare, some women have reported experiencing body odour after undergoing underarm laser treatments. This occurrence is typically attributed to a disturbance in the balance of bacteria types in the underarm area. This disturbance leads to the colonisation of odour-producing bacteria, driving body odour.

“Does having armpit hair contributes to post-laser body odour?” The presence of absence of hair in the area is usually secondary. Hair can help and/or worsen body odour depending on the circumstances.

Simple measures such as using antibacterial soaps and antiperspirants can help to alleviate this issue. In severe cases, a course of antibiotics may sometimes be prescribed.

2. Is body odour preventable? What are some ways to prevent body odour? Do deodorants help?

Yes, body odour can be prevented or controlled once its underlying factors are addressed.

If you perspire a lot, and we mean a lot, reducing how much you perspire can help to reduce body odour. Using effective topical antiperspirants can help to decrease perspiration and bacterial growth.

We also recommend that you use antibacterial soaps and shower frequently. These habits can help control body odour. Opting for clothing that are infused with bactericidal compounds can also be of great help.

3. What can I do if I still suffer from body odour even after showering regularly and applying deodorant?

There are medical treatments out there if simple measures do not work for you.

If you have focal areas of perspiration, botulinum toxin injections can also be used to reduce excessive perspiration. Botulinum toxin injections can effectively reduce or stop perspiration in the treated areas.

“I recall a patient coming into my clinic having tried every measure she could—antiperspirants, deodorants, shaving—but she just could not get rid of the smell and sweat marks from her armpits. After my assessment, we treated her underarms with botulinum toxin injection, and she called back a week later, overjoyed that she finally did not have to deal with the problem anymore.” – Dr. Kwan Yuan Dong, M.D., Cheongdam Aesthetics Clinic.

This works because botulinum toxin injection acts directly on nerve endings of sweat glands to stop them from secreting sweat as well as on apocrine glands to reduce the secretion of fatty acids and proteins.

In refractory cases, depending on the location and type of odour, antibiotic creams or oral antibiotics may be prescribed to eliminate the odour-causing bacteria.

In Conclusion

Those were our top body odour FAQs! We hope that we have given you some insights as to what measures you can take when it comes to controlling body odour. Click here if you would like to learn more about body odour and its causation. Good luck!