To be miserable about how badly i smell?

[fireworksinthesky3]

Hey

name changed but longtime poster

really hoping this post resonates with someone and I can get some advice or help 🤞

bit of an embarrassing problem but I smell really badly and don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything I can possibly think of to fix it and it’s not helped. I’ve heard of things like fish odour syndrome but I don’t think it’s that because I don’t smell of fish- I just smell really musty/BO. It’s genuinely making me so depressed- I’m only 26 and I’m so embarrassed and miserable about it. I’ll post below everything I’ve tried

• I shower every single day without fail, I tried showering twice a day but it made no difference whatsoever. At first I smell fine, then after a few hours I smell musty/BO/as if I haven’t even showered in days

• I’ve tried every single combination of deoderant/antipersperant I could access. Mitchum was highly recommended but wasn’t any help disappointingly, in fact I think I smelled worse with it. Right now I’m using dove stick which is bearable but not great either. As I said above- fine at first, then after a few hours I smell again , badly enough to be noticeable by other people

• I’ve tried every shower gel, scrub, body wash, lotion, soap (bar and liquid), even tried using dettol soap- no difference. I shave every 2nd day.

• i wash my hair every 2-3 days, I change my bedding every week without fail

• i wondered if it was possibly my clothes which smelled rather than me so I got rid of EVERYTHING, and started all over again (new underwear, new pjs, completely new clothes etc) but same problem literally no difference

the only thing I can think of that I haven’t tried is the Driclor range which I’m going to try and I’m praying it works. I’ve always had this problem- I remember being so embarrassed about it as a teenager. It’s definitely not something I’m just paranoid about either- I’ve asked my friends / family to be completely honest with me and they’ve agreed with me. I don’t have any hormonal problems and sweat like a normal person as far as I’m aware but for some reason I just smell so much quicker than the average person

does anyone have any tips or product recommendations I could try (in case driclor doesn’t work)?

sorry for the long post, I’m just so down about it x

I have 2 daughters 10 and 11, my 11 year old showers twice a day morning amd evening, but is really smelly by the time she finishes school. Uses deodorant but I do get her the wild one, trued the mitchim zero aluminium but it caused her armpits to become really irritated.
I do soak all of her tops in pure white vinegar/ diluted in water now before washing, before doing this eventhough I wash laundry on 40 degrees when I was ironing the underarms of her clothes still really whiffed.

I haven't with my daughter as her age and sensitive skin, but have your tried a couple if times a week using a salicylic acid scrub, I use the kp bump eraser but leave it on underarms a little longer.

Also an above suggestion of botpx could be helpful, and some people have asked what fabrics you wear, so maybe try breathable fabrics

I agree. But start with good old WATER!
Drink plenty,

Yes I agree with this.

I like the smell of grapefruit!

It's less likely to be your armpits If you aren't particularly sweaty. Sweat only smells once the bacteria start to develop, so if you are showering daily that's less likely as the source of the smell, although other medical conditions are a possibility

If the smell is coming from your clothes it could be that your machine has mildew (black mould). It may be possible to treat with hot washes, but if it's ingrained it's more of a challenge.

Do you have a launderette near you? Could you do your washing at a laundrette for say 2 weeks and see if it makes a noticeable difference? As PP have said, you need to use washing powder not liquid and wash at the hottest temperature your clothes can take. Personally, I wouldn't use fabric softener at all.

OP i buy this from time to time and I have no body odour at all when i use it for a few days running:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0996CWJ2K?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

it may be something you eat or drink, for instance a lot of corn beef can make your wee smell, happened to me. Also a work colleague of mine used to smell like old after shave, then my other colleagues told me he was a alcoholic and the odour was literally coming out of his pores

Aw that must be so frustrating.
you could try putting the washing machine on a deep clean.
driclor is good.
is it something your eating/cooking that is coming out in your pores.
are your cortisol levels too high?
I hope you get some answers xx

My son swears by driclor.
A friend has regular botox for her sweat problems, she says it works and she has so much more confidence.

You definitely wipe your bottom?

Hi, this is going to sound bizarre, but contraception can make certain people produce an offensive smell. My daughter discovered this recently and at 24 yrs old, she has come off the contraceptive pill and found that the problematic odour and night sweats that were also highly offensive, have both stopped. Her panic attacks have also stopped. Ot might be worth looking at or considering, if you are on contraception. Hope it gets better 😊

I haven't read all the responses, so this might have been recommended already.

I am very clean but really struggled with body odour. My antiperspirant didn't work and the armpits of my clothes would start to smell almost immediately upon wearing.

Last year, I started using AKT deodorant and it has honestly changed my life. I go on about it to friends and family all the time - it is so good! It's a little expensive, but you get discount for subscribing. 1 tube lasts me 3-4 months!

Biggest tip is to grit your teeth through the first couple of weeks. I sweated profusely, but now I go running multiple times a week, get stressed at work... and don't ever smell!!! It's been life-changing for me. Truly.

Read this first!

https://www.aktlondon.com/blogs/news/making-the-switch-to-natural-deodorant#:~:text=Some%20may%20experience%20increased%20sweating,it%20be%20a%20turning%20point

Many stores like boohoo and river island use mainly Synthetic fabrics like polyester and acrylic, which don't let your skin breathe, and are likely to make the matter worse. My brother even had an issue with cotton, but he switched to merino wool and now swears by it.
Merino doesn't have to be expensive - Uniqlo and even Aldi stock reasonably priced merino tops - worth giving it a try? I usually buy my merino knitted dresses on ebay
Also, have you experimented with eliminating certain foods? Many foods can effect the smell of our sweat
Good luck 🤞

My apologies if this has already been mentioned but -if you think that very bit of you smells, maybe the smell is in your nose, for example an infected sinus issue? Do other people detect the smell, or is it only you smelling it?

I've had Botox on my scalp (on the nhs thankfully) and it didn't work to stop me sweating, sadly and many people have said it doesn't work.
Try getting an iontophoresis machine (they're designed for Hyperhidrosis but they do them for underarms). Hidrex is the main brand.

Are you really lathering up properly? I have Hyperhidrosis and have found bar soap to be far better in getting me clean. I also recommend Carbolic soap as it's antiseptic

I air dry all my clothes all year round and none of them smell damp! Do you not have central heating in your home?!

I have this issue, it's hyperhydrosis. People don't understand you can be as clean as possible and it still happens. So I recently started using driclor and it is a miracle honestly, it does sting a little but it's worth it I only need to use it a couple times a week and don't sweat. Long term you could go to gp, I remember I did when I was younger and they did give me a deodorant but I didn't find it worked. Had I of kept going back they would have referred for Botox injections - you can also opt to do this probably

The only thing ive ever used that worked was the Mitchum, not the liquid roll on, but the one that looks like a soap bar.......I too am very paranoid about how I smell......I only feel fresh for a couple of hours......I worry about the smell from my armpits and my nether regions......it's not nice to worry about these things:(

Have you tried chlorhexidine body wash? The smell might indicate bacterial colonization in your skin. The Chlorhexidine should kill off this bad bacteria. Bleach baths might help too which some people use for eczema to kill off bad bacteria on the skin. It sounds extreme but it's just a small bit of Milton in a normal bath. If none of that works then it could be dietary. Be wary of wearing clothes that could have the bacteria on it after you've used the body wash as it can just start the cycle again.

Lastly there are surgical procedures you can get to stop you from sweating, they basically deactivate the sweating nerve which is inside your chest (using lay terms here sorry). Your GP can refer you for consideration of that surgery. Try the above first though as surgery should be last resort. Good luck and fingers crossed for you!

This is good advice, regular manual cleaning underneath the rubber rim of the machine plus a deep clean. Although if this is a lifelong problem it's probably not your machine

Go for Dr checkup. Diabetic?

Remove underarm hair regularly.
After bathing apply Eucalyptus oil to your underarms and in your tummy button.

Wear natural fibres.
Wear clothes for one day.
Bathe daily, ideally in the morning.
Change bed linen every week and dry in the sun.
Lose weight if you are overweight.

Chew peppermint sugar free gum.

Are you constipated, meat especially stays in the body longer and can cause sweat with an odour. Just a thought.

I swear by the natural crystal deodorant sticks. It has no scent but whatever is in it neutralises the smell your underarm bacteria makes after a few hours. I had the same problem as you and tried all the heavy duty deodorants I could find. I really didn't think the crystal would work but after five years of using them and trying other deodorants with scents every so often I wouldn't use anything else now.

Sometimes strong smelling sweat can be caused by higher cortisol levels if you’re maybe a bit stressed etc. GP will be able to advise on this for you

You mentioned not washing hair for 3 days until you get this fixed go daily. If you definitely smell shower 2x day. See a dietician or try an elimation diet like whole30 then start introducing foods back in. But avoid processed and sugars. Use soaps which are ph neutral.