Help from anyone else whiffy of armpit...

[JessiCake]

Please tell me how you counteract this problem!!

I don't have BO or anything, but I'm tired of being so... MUSTY in the armpit region.

It's only bloody 9.45am, I showered (thoroughly!) at 7am, applied liberal deodorant. I've done nothing more energetic than school drop-off since, and now I'm sitting at my desk sniffing my armpits which are, as usual, distinctly musty and strong-smelling.

They were fresh as a daisy 2 hours ago!!

So what can I do? I use Vaseline Intensive Care deodorant - time for a change? I used to use a v powerful sort of stick one but only for evenings out or when I was wearing posh, hand-wash clothes. I don't really want to use something that strong every day, but there might be something in between that and my (obviously rubbish) Vaseline one?

And shower gel. I use a Korres one, lemony scent, sometimes a jasmine scent. As I say, I am fresh as a daisy from the shower but should I maybe be using something more heavy-duty in the shower?

It's just such a pain, all my clothes end up with musty pits after (barely) one wear. I've got the new trick of using anti-bacterial stuff in the washing machine so things come out fresh even at low temperatures, so my clothes aren't musty when I put them on.

I guess it's posisbly partly the deodorant itself that smells a bit but I don't know what to do about the musty, ever-so-slightly sweaty (though NOT a sour BO!) smell from my armpits themselves.

Very embarrassed and hoping someone can help!

I sweat too :( Buckets when I exercise (which is why I don't, usually )

Yes I too am from a long line of sweaty women Legend, my mum is the same and my sister too.

Hadn't thought about fungal infection... it's been years and years tbf so I'm assuming it's not possible to have a fungus for that long and not know about it?

Mitchum was def the one I used to use, now I remember it.. Might just go back to that as it did work. It did feel v strong for every day, but clearly strength is what I need

Before washing my clothes I often put a bit of liquid detergent in the bottle cap, hold the armpit of my tops (inside out) over it and invert (not sure if I'm explaining it well but it leaves a circle of detergent on each pit), so each armpit has a little extra cleaning and deodorising power. It seems to help. But my tops can smell sweaty, not musty.

Try a bit of Canestan in your clean pits at night, see if the smell changes - ?

My 30s were worse than any other time for sweaty pits. I'm approaching 50 now and I just don't smell as bad as I did then. I don't use aluminium deodorants anymore (I like Aesop though it's pricy, Bionsen is good too), maybe try something different and see if it changes how you smell.

i buy perspi guard shower gel on amazon. i love it! really good and doesn't stink (i do hate perfumed stuff) and is gentle but v effective. i had a very upsetting aluminium free deodorant experiment a couple of years ago which seems to have altered my armpit bacteria i use mitchum which is fine/not incredible.

I shower every morning put deodorant on rub it in then put baby powder on I never seen so be sticky works well I work in a care home and we do the same with the residents worth a bash

Shave and exfoliate armpits daily, with dettol bar soap. Dry with a clean towel and immediately apply a Mitchum stick antiperspirant. Bin all the tops that you have stunk the armpits in and replace them with new ones, not charity shop ones. Keep the the routine with your armpits very strict and you shouldn't have a problem again

I can't use deodorant as come out in a rash so am obsessive about washing pits.
I rub Carex anitbacterial handwash on before I get in the shower leave it for a while then wash off, then wash again with Simple soap.
Depending on what I'm doing, sometimes need to repeat again later in the day. Works really well and no skin irritation.

I'm totally unloyal with deodorant brand's, and switch between whatever is on offer.
I also use facial scrub occasionally on my pits, which seems to help a bit.

I assume you are doing this, but clean bra everyday? I totally noticed the difference when I moved somewhere very hot. New bra at least once a day if I need to smell fresh - especially after the afternoon school run (max 44 here today)

Sandblue - I can't believe it but that's the one thing I haven't thought of!! I do re-wear bras sometimes, two days in a row more often than not... no idea why as I'm scrupulous about clean clothes, I even sleep in fresh pyjamas every night!! Hm, could have found something there... thank you!

Try driclor? Its amazing OP
You can get it from asda chemist
Ive never looked back and can wear whatever clothes I like now

I'd try the Sure cotton dry stick over the Dove one. Besides the fact that Dove are a bunch of dicks, the Sure one works really well with only minimal application.

Here 'tis -

Can I please ask what antibacterial detergent do you use for low temp wash cycles OP? I'm paranoid that my knitwear always smells after one or two wears.

Definitely check what material your clothes are made of, there's a certain type of man made material that I just cannot wear. I can't remember what it is but I know it when I feel it!

Thanks weewitch, and thanks for the Driclor reccs too.

My mum has got me totally paranoid about v strong anti-perspirants I have to admit, probably entirely unscientifically (as many things my mum claims are) as she panicked me years ago about them all 'causing' breast cancer It's why I tried out rock crystal ones years ago (without much success) and I suppose now I think about it why I avoid stronger anti-perspirants now.

Probably ridiculously silly of me.

Wildrose, I put Dettol wash stuff in with laundy when I'm worried it's whiffy. A big bottle of Dettol Laundry Cleanser, you can get different scents I think, a capful in the wash with normal detergent too. Has really helped.

Has helped me not need to throw away my clothes after 1 wear, that is. Hasn't helped me be less whiffy

Sorry...hadn't quite read to the end before I posted...have now read that it's not the material..

Oh god I'm the same!! I sweat profusely from my armpits after I've shaved them- it's bloody horrendous! I'm also constantly slightly musty. Not dirty or BO smelling, just slightly not-smelling-of-soap-y. Even straight after a shower!

I've tried antibacterial soaps but find that, no matter how careful I am, I always end up with thrush despite making absolutely sure none of it gets on my bits! So now I just resort to normal sensitive shower gels/soaps and then use the Sure long acting cream deodorant. Supposed to last 48hrs or something, but it advises it be used after a shower on a night to allow it to work properly. I still use the spray (sure 48hr invisible, any scent) sometimes too if I'm expecting to be doing more or have an outfit on that I want more than one wear out of!!

Definitely looking into some of the suggestions on here!

All the antiperspirants make it worse. Driclor actually stops your glands from sweating for a few days (you use it 2 - 3 times a week max) its been my lifesaver- was pretty miserable about it before

www.superdrug.com/Sure/Sure-Women-Maximum-Protection-Confidence-Deodorant-45ml/p/357951?gclid=Cj0KCQjwruPNBRCKARIsAEYNXIhxTr8FJ7HAcpqmvAf5EAnctIrrWgjUtjL9lyiQoGALf9i5RYsFciMaAskREALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKjGpsD6odYCFSaj7Qodii4Ilg
This is the stick one that I use- don't get through all one as its not that nice smelling! The pink one is much nicer!

The original one, not through all one! My iPad hates me!

Purple Sanex works fab for me. I'd get stinky with the Sure but this leaves me dry and with no smell.

I agree with anti bac soap. I use carex in the old pits.

To cure smelly clothes under the arms, make up a spray bottle of zoflora, diluted to recommended amount. Keep it by the laundry basket. When you pit a dirty top in the basket, spray offending areas. This gives the zoflora hours/days to work before washing!

I was at my wits end until I found the Sure and Dove cream deodorants- they both seem identical to me. I tried something before that which may have been Driclor, but it caused unbearable itching, so be careful if that's what you're going for OP!

Michum. The rollerball one. Used it for decades now. They do unperfumed if you don't like the perfumed ones.

The Sure Maximum Protection mentioned above (£5ish) has been great for me. I discovered it a couple of years ago and have never looked back.