To not wear antiperspirant to my job in healthcare?

[floatinglily]

I've tried all sorts, none of which work. I've tried Dove max protection and Triple Dry as well as many of the usual supermarket bought ones. I still end up smelling! I've used Lush deodorant before which doesn't stop me sweating but does get rid of the smell. I don't know what else to try.

WIBU to use the lush deodorant for work but potentially end up with sweat patches on hot / busy days?

Get pitrok or ice guard, or any other crystal deodorant. Plus switch to bar soap 👍

What's your uniform made of? I find synthetic materials make me sweat but natural fabrics like cotton wick away sweat and make me much more comfortable, could you try a cotton t shirt or vest underneath your uniform? Definitely agree that a long wash maybe with a pre rinse is needed, I have to do our sweaty t shirts on at least a long 40 degree wash and clean the washing machine monthly with washing machine cleaner.

Please do not febreeze your uniforms! The smell is horrific - this would be very unkind to your patients and indeed anyone else you get near to.

I'm wondering if OP is imagining the smell, tbh.

Sweat patches implies you're really running hot. Can you actually reduce how much clothes you wear to work.

It’s not clear from your posts, assuming your role involves you working at a hospital?

At which point do you feel you get sweaty the most? If it’s during your commute, could you wear something else on your way to work and get changed after? Like a basic t shirt then put your work uniform on later. It stops the sweat from festering on your uniform at least.

If it’s during your commute, could you wear something else on your way to work and get changed after? Like a basic t shirt then put your work uniform on later. It stops the sweat from festering on your uniform at least

Uniform should not be worn on the way to/from work , only out if the job involves Community .
Infection Control is strict on this .

Oh interesting- I see people commuting in scrubs etc all the time as I work near a major hospital.

My hubby is a sweater, 10 mins in a T-shirt and it soaked. He used sweat stop, got it on amazon and it’s done wonders for him

Another recommendation for Mitchum - love the powder fresh one.

I started using The Ordinary glycolic acid to prevent ingrown hairs under my arms from shaving, I used to get loads of them. Since I have started doing this I never get any underarm smell at all, and could really get away with not wearing any antiperspirant. It changes the ph level of your underarm and kills off any bacteria apparently, which are what cause any smells.

Try Odiban. I find it less painful than Driclor and Perspirex.

It’s amazing!

you could speak to your physician and look into botox injection into the sweat glands.
www.healthline.com/health/botox-for-sweating

From a patient perspective I'd be much more bothered about the smell, so if lush deodorant stops the smell then I think that's your best bet.

This.

Also another vote for crystal deodorant here - i use pitrok. Also it lasts for years!

If your clothes don't still smell after washing then no need to increase washing temperature.

Hi all I wear my clothes on the commute as do the rest of my team. The only time any of us don't is if we're going to gym straight after work and then we'll change into gym kit before leaving. Almost everyone I see in the hospital staff car park wears their scrubs home (or shirts etc if they're doctors).

I work in a hospital working with patients who come in for appointments (or are brought down by ward staff / on occasion we pop up to the ward) and with those who come in for our drop in clinics. The drop in clinics are the busiest, involves a lot of being on our feet and moving around / rushing around a lot which is when I tend to feel the hottest / smelliest but even when I'm just on clinics I feel I smell.

Uniform in our department for clinical staff is a scrub top and a pair of normal work trousers and a cardigan if it's cold. I've just checked the label and the top says it's a mixture of polyester and cotton. It doesn't smell when it comes out of the wash. I feel like I smell a couple of hours into my 8 hour working day but some days feel like I've barely been sweating. I sweat a lot if I wear lush deodorant as opposed to anti perspirant. When I use the strong antiperspirants I sweat a little bit, no sweat patches but can feel a bit sticky. No way of reducing my uniform at all in terms of the amount of clothes I wear.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions and for allowing me to talk about quite an awkward subject.

That’s a bit awkward if you’re feeling hot/sweaty whilst at work just performing your normal duties. To be fair, some hospitals feel overly warm to begin with, let alone during high temperatures!

Do you notice your colleagues having the same issues? If not, might be worth speaking to your GP to see if they can refer for Botox or prescribe a stronger deodorant. Might save you money vs trial and error when buying lots of different items?

Agree with others that the smell is the only problem. If all else fails, could you possibly keep a backup scrub top at work that you can change into

You need Driclor. Problem will absolutely be solved.

I use Dettol laundry cleanser with my normal washing liquid and fabric softener and wash on 30/40. OH sweats a lot and never smells he uses Nivea men's deodorant the invisible one.

Do you eat spicy or garlicky food? Just wondering as you say some days you feel you barely sweat but feel you smell? I think some people can react to food eaten the previous day.

A cooling mist may help you to recover faster when feeling super hot/sweaty

Try adding oxygen bleach powder to your wash (you can get stuff for coloured clothes), especially if you can only use certain washing powders. Made a massive difference for my husband.

I've seen this advertised (haven't used it yet) www.cosycottagesoap.co.uk/collections/body/products/natural-deodorant

if anyone has any experience of it, I'd love to know.

I think the best thing would be to use strong antiperspirant, and top up with a roll on or the Lush powder during the day if need be.

I don't think visible sweat patches are professional or pleasant looking for patients to see. I'd be mortified to have sweat patches in front of my patients, especially if you need to be close to them for examinations/taking blood etc.

I use Dettol soap in the shower every morning, then Mitchum, and clean clothes each day. Still get hot and sticky sometimes but without any smell.

Definitely give up the dove shower gel. Any shower gels make you sweat more generally. I've changed over and noticed a different, I also use a deodorant similar to pitrock and its really stopped me smelling (even menopausal sweats) but still do sweat a bit which I can live with.

Get some odaban. Amazing stuff, I used it for the post partum sweats i sprayed on my body and dabbed it on my face with cotton wool.

Driclor worked for me when I was going through an excessive sweating period. Think it was also stress induced as id started a new job and was out of my comfort zone.