BO?

[Hannah Katke]

I am 17 and my sister recently informed me that I have body odor. I have tried literally every deoderant/ antiperspirant on the market and none of them works. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Butterfly99]

Lol, that's the kinda thing my little cousin would tell me. Probably in front of friends. I use Dove & it seems to work really well. Do you shower every day?

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Have you experimented with clinical strength antiperspirants yet to see if they are effective for you? They are gentler than prescription antiperspirants but stronger than the average deodorant on the shelf. Certain Dri is popular with athletes because it efficiently blocks more profuse sweating. Dove, Secret, and other mainstream brands have clinical strength formulas. They are typically more expensive but can be worthwhile. If you buy one be sure to read the directions because most will recommend that you apply it at night before bed rather than in the morning while getting ready. Your doctor can prescribe an antiperspirant for you if other brands haven't worked.

Unless you're drenched with sweat or coated with dirt it's not necessary to shower head to toe everyday (and it can dry your skin out, especially in the winter months), but you should wash your underarms with soap daily. If you work out cleaning that area off afterwards can be helpful. My head always gets sweaty when I'm working out, so I also wash my face and the back of my neck and then spray on a little hair perfume. (Pink Sugar is my favorite.) Obviously you do want to take complete showers a few times a week.

It's possible that your clothes rather than you are the cause of the odor. That's especially true if you tend to wear the same bra again without laundering it first. Be sure to change into a different bra before you do sports activities where you'll work up a sweat.

 

[Saricharity]

Try a zinc supplement. Sometimes that helps. Also, make sure you are drinking enough water in the day. Those two things may make a big difference. My grandma has been known to say Take zinc and you won't stink. Haha I'm not sure how true it is, but I'm sure it won't hurt to try.

 

[Blue Wren]

Ella's post, is very good. I would try the clinical strength anti-perspirants, from the store. They are not as strong, as a prescription, but, not as harsh on the skin, either. Making sure your bra, is always freshly laundered, that is important. When I went to America last year, I packed very light, I only brought three bras with me. I would wear the same bra, two days in a row, at times. As I biked everywhere, I would sweat. I realised, it was causing me, to smell, even when I was clean. Baby powder, could be of use to you, also.

I would be careful, about taking zinc supplements. Many people are sensitive to zinc. It can cause quite unpleasant stomach upset. A multivitamin is likely to be fine, as it will not have an excessive amount of zinc. Taking it separately, in larger amounts, is really not a good idea, unless your doctor has done blood work, and told you that you have a zinc deficiency.

 

[graciesings]

You might try showering more often, or washing your clothes more often. Sometimes bras can pick up an underarm odor that lasts even after being washed. Try putting baking soda on your bra and let it sit for a while before you wash it (with lots of soap.)

The heavy duty clinical anti-perspirants are probably a good idea. Also, look for a strong soap to use on your underarms when you shower.

And finally... don't sweat it. Everyone has their own scent, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Your sister may just be trying to torment you, or maybe being overly sensitive.

 

[Hannah Katke]

Lol, that's the kinda thing my little cousin would tell me. Probably in front of friends. I use Dove & it seems to work really well. Do you shower every day?

Everyday sometimes twice.

 

[mmksparbud]

I saw a TV show about a young woman who spent her life fighting this--went to all sorts of doctors, finally found the one that found out her problem. I can't remember what it was!! I would suggest you ask your doctor to send you to a socialist. It may take a few, but you got to start with one of them and see where it leads, you need more than what the store shelves can do for you, you probably have an underlying medical condition.

 

[thehehe]

Everyday sometimes twice.

In this case I agree with everyone, you should try clinical anti-perspirants or even go a doctor, it might be a sweating problem that can easily be resolved with the help of medicine! And don't worry, you don't have to feel ashamed of everything, this is not your fault if you show every day! Everything will soon be fine!

 

[Butterfly99]

Everyday sometimes twice.

Do you think your sister is messing with you then? I'd try the clinical strength deodorants & wash your bras really well like has been suggested. Like Gracie said, don't sweat it too much. If you're showering daily there's no way you can really smell that much. Other people besides your sister would have told you by now if you really did.

 

[barry.cortle]

If your sister is the one telling you this, are you sure it's true?

This hardly sounds like an issue you need to see a medical professional over. It's normal at your age to be sensitive about these things. Most people probably don't even notice it - we're generally more sensitive to our own body odor than other people are, specifically as a teenager. Degree is a great brand - try their spray, it works more quickly and effectively than your typical roll on deodorant.