3 Ways to Deal with Strong Body Odor

Imagine you’re at an interview for your dream job. You’ve been preparing for days. Getting ready to make a good first impression and nail the interview. Ensuring your men’s grooming is up to par and that your appearance is top-notch. You go in, you do your best, and you feel confident that you’ve landed the job.

What you didn’t know is that your body odor made a terrible first impression.

Bad BO is no good for your personal or professional life. But it’s not always easy to manage. Some guys struggle with strong body odor all their lives. What can you do to deal with this tough situation? Use these three tips.

1 - Fight Bacteria with Vinegar

The real cause of body odor isn’t sweat. In fact, your sweat doesn’t smell at all. It’s the bacteria that feed on your sweat that cause foul odors.

Shocker: there are more bacteria under your arms than there are humans on Earth. So your goal should be to fight bacteria and keep the bad, odor causing variety off your skin.

Vinegar - highly acidic - creates an environment that is no good for stinky bacteria. Having trouble managing your BO despite your best efforts? Try a splash of vinegar on your armpits after you get out of the shower. It won’t irritate your skin, but it will help discourage the growth of bacteria.

One word of caution: if you shave your pits, don’t do it at the same time you apply vinegar. That will lead to some severe irritation. 

2 - Use a Stronger Deodorant/Antiperspirant 

First, make sure you understand the differences between deodorant and antiperspirant. Most packages list both. That can make it hard to understand what a particular product is actually doing for your BO.

• Deodorant masks the bad smells caused by bacteria. It does not eliminate the bacteria itself or remove the smell's source.
• Antiperspirant uses chemical ingredients to clog your sweat glands and prevent you from sweating. 

Even the most powerful antiperspirants don’t last much longer than 24 hours. So a combination product that both prevents sweating and masks odors is best. Choose an extra-strength variety with higher concentrations of odor-masking and sweat-stopping ingredients. 

What if you’ve been through several brands and still can’t manage your strong BO? Speak with your doctor. They may be able to identify the cause of your particularly gnarly body odor. And they might choose to offer you a prescription strength approach to odor control. 

3 - Upgrade Your Hygiene Routine

Some guys have a serious chemical imbalance or genetic issue that causes extreme body odor. But for most men, making some smart changes to your daily hygiene routine is more than enough to combat BO. 

Is your soap not cutting it? Make sure you’re using a soap bar for men with natural, antibacterial ingredients. If you have rough patches of skin, choose an exfoliating soap scrub bar for men. Ingredients like activated charcoal, tea tree oil, and jojoba beads will leave you clean and smelling great. 

Personal hygiene goes beyond the shower. What about your laundry habits? Remember that most bad smells are coming from bacteria feeding on dried sweat. Your gym clothes and shoes are hot beds for bacteria - and stink - growth. What can you do?

Wash your gym clothes often. Don’t let them fester in your hamper for several days. And let your shoes dry out before you store them away in your closet. 

Conquer BO

Do you struggle with BO? You’re not alone. Lots of guys have to make constant effort to control their body odor. Use these men's grooming tips to look - and smell - your best. You’ll always make a solid first impression and will boost your own self-confidence.