To be miserable about how badly i smell?

I had a very decent doctor who didn't need to see "my stinky best" and to be honest someone saying that to me in my 20s would have stopped me going.

Very often people don't smell in the same way to other people that they do themselves.

Our advice is the same now, try the tips and if no change then please be brave and honest with you GP on this topic and seek help.

Salicylic acid body wash. Leave it for a few mins before rinsing off.

Sorry but you also don't need to go to see your doctor without having a shower. Please ignore this advice as I know it would put me off going in.

Just shower and go in and explain your circumstances. They will know what questions to ask.

You should see a doctor. Sometimes an odor can be related to a physical problem like a bad sinus infection.

Try a crystal deodorant like Pitrok - it’s just a crystal that you rub under your arms that stops bacteria from forming so the smell doesn’t develop. It’s enough for me on its own, but you may find you need to apply it first then use a standard antiperspirant deodorant on top.

I feel for you OP, that must be depressing to live with.

There are some great suggestions here, but I really think you need to see a GP to check if there's anything else going on. There are various issues that can make you smell. Do you have a decent GP?

If so, I'd not shower that day and turn up at your stinky-best, put your foot down and say "I need help with this. I've exhausted every option and it isn't going away".

Best of luck in fixing it X

When younger, I had excessive sweating from my armpits from puberty. A doctor in my 20s said it was hyperhidrosis. I had visible marks on clothes and always was paranoid about my smell. My friends said there was no smell. Even so, I was paranoid about having to wear dark clothes etc. I had 2 lots of Botox treatment into my armpits and it solved the problem.

I see you don't overly sweat, and it sounds like you are doing the right things. I also found Mitchum a life saver now and use nothing other than that.

I am just mentioning this as it sounds like you may have a different root cause (hence why the tips you are trying aren't giving results). Follow the advise given in terms of diet, advice on laundry tips etc. If you still feel there is a problem go back to your GP. Please do. It changed my life, it was embarrassing to talk about but when I got brave and decided to actually properly talk about it with the doctor (mid-forties, make doctor when I was 27), he was great and I've never looked back. But again we are all different, so not saying it's the magic bullet.

Have you also tried that washing machine dettol cleaner to help hidden smells
Embedded in clothes? I bought by accident thinking it was detergent, but it's more for those smells they linger even after washing - so use it for bedding, underwear / tee shirts and slippers/foot related things that can be washed. Only used a few times but seems good
Do you also recessively sweat or is it just then smell? There's different antiperspirants that can help but you may need a prescription. I sweat more than I'd like so use things like perspirex but don't really suffer too much with the smell so not too helpful - good luck but don't feel bad, it's just a medical condition

Do you shave your armpits, very important that you do especially in summer months.

I get BO if I don't wash under my armpits twice for some reason. I have to pay particular attention to the crease between my arm and armpit. Drinking plenty fluids and a healthy diet also helps.

I think you’d know if it was your clothes as they’d smell before you put them off. Damp washing smell is really distinctive and smells a bit like feet. But you could try a laundry sanitiser just in case - I have to use it on sportswear or it smells even after washing.
I’ve tried something similar to driclor and it works well but it sounds like it isn’t necessarily your sweat as it’s not just the armpits and you say you don’t sweat excessively.

If I were you I would trying using dermol lotion instead of shower gel and as a moisturiser all over, it’s antimicrobial so it reduces bacteria and yeast on the skin. I’d also consider seeing a private dermatologist as some skin conditions have a distinctive odour and they will be able to swab the skin. Make sure you smell before you go so they can smell it for themself

Wear 100 percent cotton clothing and wash on hottest setting

Only use bar soap

Experiment with your diet

Wash your hair daily

What age are you?

Has anyone else mentioned this? As it's possible you're over sensitive and no-one else would think you smell,

Re fabric, check the labels, it will say what it's made of in percentages. It sounds like you may be wearing a lot of synthetic fabrics like polyester. Try switching to natural fabrics like cotton, linen, wool, silk (viscose may be okay too). E.g. jeans and a t-shirt (ideally they'd both be 100% cotton).

Are you using the right amount of detergent as specified on the bottle? I used to live with someone who never used enough detergent to clean his clothes which made him very smelly, except when he'd visited his parents and they'd clearly done his laundry for him.

I also think you need to look at your clothes and how you are washing them.

We have been so used to using cold/low temp washes to save energy... the downside is that they just don't get clothes clean.. especially synthetic fabrics that a lot of clothes are mixed with.

I use a squirt of anti bacterial soap in my laundry and an empty hot clean wash at least once a month.

I leave the door open on washing machine after every wash until dry.

And understand the fabrics and temperatures you are washing your clothes in!

I had a long cardigan like that. Was gutted to chuck it as it was lovely but smelled terrible.

This is why I avoid all synthetic fabrics and try to only wear natural fabrics near my skin. I had a lovely sweater years ago that was some kind of synthetic material, and I had to get rid of it because I reeked whenever I wore it.

There’s no delicate way to ask this (and I don’t expect a public answer!)

Are you really washing all of your nooks and cranny’s? I mean, not just a swipe with a loofah but really getting into the places where things may get a little funky…

In the spirit of of solidarity I once started to notice a musty odor.. did the normal things… laundry, real soap, extra scrubbing, etc. one day I noticed it as I was drying off from the shower. Turns out after a little investigation my belly button was grungy. 🤢. Not sure what caused it but I thoroughly cleaned it out. Smell gone and hasn’t happened again. But yeah it taught me a lesson that all the bits need soap, water, and scrubbing.

Just rub it in till it disappears, the same way you’d do when applying to your hands. Bacteria causes odour, this helps kill it.

I didn’t know about exofoliating, every days a school day!

This article is interesting
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/sweat_smell_better#:~:text=The%20foods%20that%20change%20our,their%20sweat%2C”%20says%20Lundström.&text=If%20you%20eat%20a%20lot,breaking%20wind%20–%20but%20also%20sweat.

I would try a month of diet change.

no sugars and fast food, fizzy drinks etc

id only drink water and go for a mainly vegetarian low processed food

this might clean you out from the inside.

id go back to the GP explaining friends and families honest opinions and ask for help.

are you over weight? If so I’d try and lose weight.

Oh! And exfoliate! Two or three times a week to get rid of dead skin cells. They trap bacteria and can build up and cause a lot of smells.
I make my own with caster sugar and olive oil. If I’ve missed it a bit then I got nuts with granulated sugar as it’s a bit scrubbier. You can add an essential oil if you like, but just make sure you’re exfoliating your whole body with a good scrub a couple times a week.

Use a washing machine cleaner just to start with. I would try using an anti-bacterial additive to your laundry. And definitely give glycolic acid a go on your underarms. Made a huge difference for me (also a great toner for your face but you must wear a face sun cream!).

Is there anything you eat a lot of, very often? Leafy greens, garlic, alcohol? Anything else?