Has anyone else developed a really smelly armpit just on one side, & what did you do about it?

[FenellaBestwick]

The doctor isn't interested but it's spoiling my life! I don't sweat excessively, that's not the problem. It's just that when I do sweat, it smells really bad on one side. I've had a mamogram and ultrasound & bloods and everything is fine. I wondered if anyone else has had this issue?

I use to use a special roll on and it had to go on my feet 🤨

Yes I did last year. I wiped hand sanitiser on it morning and night before applying deodorant. Only took three months before it stopped. I'm assuming bacteria had gone deep into a pore(s). Only did it the smelly side so I could compare.

I'll try the hand sanitiser. I've tried using the antibacterial Fairy washing up liquid as another mn'r said it was great rubbed onto the armpits of smelly shirts before washing. It didn't help my smelly pit though. The doctor said it's a new bacteria but just suggested I use deodorant, which I do already! I use Mitcham.

You could try an anti fungal cream, the type you get OTC for Athlete’s Foot, in case it is due to a fungal infection.

Use laundry sanitiser too in your washing. Sometimes the smell can come from your clothes.

My XH had one smelly armpit and one not. I knew this because he would put a shirt back in the wardrobe if it was 'only half worn'.
The usual B O advice is to ditch shower gel and Dove and go back to traditional soap for your underarms, scrub a little with a flannel or soft brush. Mitcham is recommended. Always use an antiperspirant rather than just a deodorant. Clean clothes on a clean body every time.

I had this. I wiped it with apple cider vinegar several times and it stopped. Not sure if that fixed it or if it was just hormonal.

I swear by Asepso soap when I go through a smelly phase, OP

I had this, my right armpit 😆. I though it was because it is the side I mainly sleep on and my dominant arm, possibly moving more in the day. Also washing/ rinsing in the shower, possibly slightly less time under the water than the other side 😬. And hormones generally. It's gone now after using Perspirex, which I use periodically anyway as I am a sweater.

Yes, I had this. Mitchum deodorant works the best. Just sort of went away on its own after a while. I think it might have been related to a hormone imbalance.

I've been using Wright's coal-tar soap, which I love the smell of, and Mitcham too. Mitcham is good at slowing down the sweating but it doesn't stop the smell. I'll give the apple cider a try & look up that other soap.

Yes, me too on my right side. Even if I just had a shower washing with soap and shower gel. I thought it might be because I had nodes removed when I had breast cancer. I will try the hand sanitiser too.

If nothing works, what about Botox in it?

Try a good quality tea tree shower gel - the sort that's recommended for fungal issues.

You can buy antibacterial soap by Dettol that’s for washing/showering with. I swear by it. I think Simple do one as well.

I'm trying to avoid botox because it's not a permanent cure & I don't fancy that stuff inside me. Surely if it was fungal, the doctor would've picked up on that?

Try hibiscrub.

dont recommend hand sanitizer it can burn sensitive skin then can cause another skin issue.

Sorry that should read * I don’t

I've looked after someone with the exact issue!
She never shaved her pits until this, which helped dramatically as smell was clinging to the hair.
And an activated charcoal and teatree cold processed soap worked a treat, I bought her one from an etsy seller, this was many years ago and about £8 but worth every penny!

It was the armpit from the side she slept on, all the sweat seemed to gather up when she was going through some ungodly night sweats, so I'd spray her bedding for her with some febreeze type of spray.

Mitchum didn't exist back then so it was dove spray followed by talc. There was still a faint whiff but nothing that caused her embarrassment.

I hope you get it sorted, I remember my client feeling really anxious about it.

I use Perspiguard deodorant, you apply it at night and it lasts for days! One chronic smelly armpit lady over here! I’ve been using this since 2020, absolute game changer for me.

It may not be fungal, but if you get a tea tree shower gel which is advertised as anti fungal (rather than just one that has the merest hint of tea tree) it's great for dealing with the bacteria which cause smells.

I use this one.

I got stinkier in my forties... deodorant wasn't working so well. Put it down to perimenopause

That sounds fungal op unless it's oozing then I'd say bacterial

I had my armpits lasered a long while ago so there's no hair. I should've mentioned that perhaps. I'll look up the items mentioned. There is no discolouration/itching/rash etc to see. It looks perfect. I did wonder if I picked someone elses germs off the laser machine as it was pressed against the skin over & over.