The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Clove Oil
Posted by Brittney (Acworth, GA) on 06/10/2008
★★★★★
hey i thought id share something that has been working pretty well for me lately to combat under arm odor. i read alot of the articles that others have written about how to stop the stink so i went with the no soap theory and. . . well at first, it wasn't what i would have called a good idea but i kept it up, then i moved on to the cold shower theory which is, well cold! but i've continued with both no soap and cold water for about a month now (maybe less) and that stinkyness had become just faint. whereas before I smelled pretty rancid! However that faint stink has still been a bother to me (thankfully no one else can smell me- unless people are just tying to be polite) but anyway, i've created my own new theory and its been working very well. what i do is i have continued with no soap and cool/lukewarm showers (cold is too cold for me) then when i get out i use a cotton ball to apply a mixture of witch hazel and 1 drop of clove oil to my armpits and after they dry out i powder them with corn starch. Now im happy to say that i am quite a bit closer to being stink free! my faint stink isn't stinky anymore. this process had helped me out alot. maybe it will work for some of you stinkers out there. (oh, i forgot to mention that i don't ever use deoderant anymore either) and please only use 1-2drops of clove oil under the arm at first becaude it will stink like crazy at first. over time it will no longer sting or burn with the application though. just soak a cotten ball with witch hazel and add 1 drop of clove oil and when you're all dry powder on some corn starch (the stuff at the grocery store) and you should be good to go! thanks for your time EC! God bless.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Lana (Somewhere, Israel) on 05/25/2008
★★★★★
Body Odor Remedies: Hi All!
Just wanted to share with you - after drinking the standard recipe for ACV and soda [1/4 tsp soda and 2 Tbs ACV in a glass of water] twice a day for a couple of months, I have no need to use deodorant of any kind! If I do perspire, it has no odor. My hubby even claims that my poo has no smell. How's that for a complete natural deodorant?
Liquid Kelp Mineral Water
Posted by Teri (Elkhart, IN) on 04/10/2007
★★★★★
re: PH (remedy), Iodine (remedy), Hirsutism (ailment)... I'm a woman, and for years I suffered from strong body odor. It was diagnosed as hormonal (too much testosterone) because I also have mild-moderate hirsutism hair growth, and I was put on oral contraceptives to remedy this problem. It helped some, but I didn't want to stay on medications forever as they had many side effects.
Based on what I learned from this site, I used PH strips and found that my body was VERY ALKALINE! That strong body odor was an amonia-like smell that my body was producing because of a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
I was having other symptoms that related to exhausted adrenal glands, and found that iodine sometimes helps this. I started taking liquid kelp drops and in a few days my PH was in the normal range, and the body odor was gone. Completely gone! I'm going try Lugol's next because I can't get my body temperature all the way up to normal and my skin is still sucking up the iodine quickly when I paint.
I am still trying to figure out how to handle the hair growth (chin, abdomen), and I am experimenting with mega doses of folic acid (and B12), as I hear that this has helped others. Licorice root, Omega 3s, ridding my body of metals, saw palmetto, etc. didn't help. I also now only drink mineral water. If you have any ideas, I'd love to know of them. I love this site. Thanks.
Celery
Posted by Anna (USA) on 02/13/2007
★★★★★
If you eat celery, it eliminated all body odors.
Chlorophyll
Posted by Art (California) on 05/18/2020 2470 posts
★★★★★
UNDERARM ODOR:
Recently a person was telling me about his wife who has significant underarm odor and he mentioned she had tried several things, but they did not work at all. I suggested that he might consider giving her chlorophyll in liquid or pill form because it can work very well for this purpose and probably will work for smelly feet because it has a detoxing effect and is thought to absorb some of these odor causing bacteria and toxins. That was about two months ago.
He just let me know that he tried chlorophyll soft gels at three 50 mg softgels per day and while it helped a little with the odor, it wasn't enough.
He decided to increase her dose to three, 100 mg doses per day or 300 mg total per day and he said that has worked perfectly for his wife and no more underarm odor!
Art
Activated Charcoal
Posted by Rae (Maryland ) on 05/04/2020
★★★★★
Hello, my name is Rae. I'm a 22 year old young man with mild to severe body odor. My odor doesn't come from my armpits, but from my pores. I've been experiencing this issue since I was 20. I notice that when I eat certain foods like chicken, cheese, garlic, etc it makes my body produce a lot of sebum, like I get really oily on my face, back, neck, shoulders, chest, the smell is literally amplified or something it gets so bad. The only time I don't smell is when I choose not to eat. Someone told me it could be malabsorption, or even a disease.
I've tried chlorophyll and it did not even work.
I've been using the activated charcoal and it helps me significantly if I drink it with water and don't eat all. But I'm tired of this now, having to drink charcoal before bed or before meals. I need a permanent solution. Can someone help me?
I also heard probiotics help as well I wanna try those too.
Activated Charcoal
Posted by Charity (Faithville, Us) on 05/05/2020
I am currently using a lot of outdated coconut oil after showers daily on my skin 1tbsp a day. I keep waking up in the middle of the night and I think it has been detoxing me. coconut oil is amazing. God told me to use this up on my skin, even though I was avoiding it an it's messy. Sunbathing is good for skin too. I get at least 15 minutes each side of my body whenever it's good enough weather. Ginger is some amazing stuff and helps detox body and odors. If you have some stored bad fats in your body, use some soy lecithin granules 1 tsp day to emulsify them out of your body. Also feeds brain cells choline and inositol. Apple cider vinegar with the mother or veil in it, don't heat or cool or it ruins the antibiotic function of the veil in it. I use 1 tbsp. in glass of water daily and then have 1/4 cup of kefer to feed good microbes. Try some milk thistle at bedtime to detox liver. Msg can be toxic in your body and stuck there if you don't have any l-taurine. B vitamins are needed for gut health. If you have stress issues it helps and you can also add ox bile if you have trouble digesting food. Chanca Piedra will get rid of stones in organs, so they function better. You may need some zinc to reduce sebum. Foot soak in Epson salt. Some kelp or vitamin k to absorb calcium and vitamin d. Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. Find a place and start low dose and slow and keep adding until you feel better. Stay hydrated...and if you leave water out for one hour, no lid, the chlorine will dissipate from the water. When I shower daily I use white vinegar 1/8 cup mixed in 1//3 cup water and use my hand to splash my skin with it and then rise that off. I also use it to treat scalp and long long hair. Blessings, Charity
Iodine
Posted by Madeline (New York) on 09/21/2016
★★★★★
Try a using a wet pad with a little betadine on it to wipe the underarms with. Rinse off with another wet pad. Follow with your favorite antiperspirant/deodorant. This cured my similar problem (had it for many decades). I love being free from that curse. I wish I had figured out this solution earlier in life. I hope you try this and I wish you the best.
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Gerald (Ny, USA) on 07/23/2015
Great tips listed for getting rid of the BO but the key is to treat any and all clothing that you've ever worn before (and sweated or smelled in). Spray full strength white distilled vinegar under the arms and private area before putting in the wash cycle. Then add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. Splash vinegar under your arms at the end of your shower and let sit for about 5 minutes then rinse. It balances the pH which caused the BO and kills the odor. *Please note however, if you use the vinegar on your body but you do not treat your clothes, your odor will return as soon as you wear them because washing them with detergent alone does not destroy the odor causing bacteria. This WORKS!
Best wishes!
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Mt (Ottawa, Ontario) on 03/08/2014
Try to eat one clove of garlic a day -do it at dinner (it has to be fresh and you have to properly chew it -it goes well in a salad or you can smash it and mix it with a tsp of honey, avoid chinese garlic). Do not try to over do it -too much garlic can lower your BP and also increase blood coagulation time.
Drink Stinging Nettle tea each day -about 0.5l.
Drink a tea from the dandelion root each day-about 1 cup
Include dandelion leaves in salads.
Make an ointment from Extra Virgin Olive oil (100 ml), Extra Virgin Coconut oil (100 ml) and a smashed garlic clove -after mixing the components let the mix stay for a day and after that filter out the large pieces of garlic. The ointment has to be stored in a glass container (keep it in a dark place).
Use the ointment on all your skin after showering (spread small amounts of it before you dry out).
For the showers use warm water followed by cold water -repeat three times.
Stop using commercial soap and shampoo. Go for natural solutions (Allepo soap).
Use the info from the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG4M71vMbTs) to get lacto bacillus culture. Mix some of it with water and apply it to all your skin each morning.
In the summer go to the seaside -expose full body to the sun and also wash in the sea multiple times a day -let the salt dry on your skin.
Acidophilus Applied Topically
Posted by Dee (Texas Hill Country, Tx) on 02/24/2014
★★★★★
I solved armpit odor problem by mixing cornstarch and acidophilus powder (maybe 1/4 c. cornstarch and one or two acidophilus capsules), and applying it to my armpits with a powder puff. These good bacteria must have broken down the self-protective biofilm the stinky buggies made.
Bad Body Odor Treatment
Posted by Sunny (Newburgh Ny) on 08/14/2017
Use chlorophyll and make sure ur getting enough magnesium and zinc in ur diet. Make sure to remove foods that produce smell like garlic and onion. Choline foods, probiotics and digestive enzymes too might help.
Chlorophyll
Posted by Te (Charlotte, Nc) on 06/20/2013
★★★★★
Eating leafy greens or taking chlorophyll will help with body and breath odor. Also get rid of smelly tops or clothing because the odor is trapped in the fabric.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Anon (Anon) on 02/02/2013
★★★★★
Pour half teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide into palm, rub palms together, rub underarms. It keeps odor away all day.
Lemon
Posted by Dale (Picayune, Mississippi) on 11/12/2012
You have to be careful if you have sensitive skin.. I tried this and it burned my under arms terrible.. I was miserable for a week.
Blue Light Therapy
Posted by Bailey (Orlando, Flroida) on 09/06/2012
★★★★★
Here is a thought for everybody... I ordered one of those infrared lights for my face, it is for collagen and skin pigmantation. This light came with 3 different colors red, green and blue. The blue light is for acne and I do not have a problem with acne. After reading how the blue light works for acne.... By killing the bacteria under the skin, I thought well I don't have a problem with acne but I do get a stong underarm odor when I am out in the sun-heat. I know that BO is caused by bacteria so I thought I would give it a try for my underams. When I am out in the sun my BO is strong and different than just working out BO or everyday BO. I normally do not have a problem with BO until I am out in the heat and sun and I will immedietely smell worse than a man. I tried using the blue light therapy on my underarms and the next day-after going outside in hot Florida heat, I did not stink as I normally do when I am in the sun-heat. Now, I haven't had it long and only did it once but I did notice a big difference. It would be wonderful if I found a new cure for underarm BO. I would love to hear if anybody else is willing to try this and hear if it does help or does not help. I ordered mine off of Amazon and you can get a cheap one.... The one I got the wand glides on your skin for 3 minuntes. I would love to hear all responses.
Baking Soda
Posted by Linda (New Haven, Ct, United States) on 09/02/2012
Lynnieme, I had a similar experience with that irritating rash. Several months ago, I decided to replace products in my home with homemade natural ones. I've switched laundry detergent to deodorant and everything else in between over the past few months.
I found many recipes online for natural deodorants. Most had varying amounts of coconut oil, cornstarch and baking soda. I'd read that cornstarch could cause a yeast problem for some sensitive women and that arrowroot powder was an excellent substitution. I decided to use arrowroot, as I didn't know if I would have any problems with the cornstarch and wanted to be safe.
I mixed up a batch and began using it. Like you, I reacted to the baking soda with a red, burning irritation. I went back online to search for a solution to the rash issue. I found a site that recommended I rub the coconut oil alone onto my underarms.
Then it suggested lightly dusting the area with a 50:50 mix of arrowroot & baking soda on top of the coconut oil. I applied mine with an unused round makeup brush that was about 2 1/2" or 3" in diameter.
To help heal the rash that was already there, I began taking 1 tsp turmeric with a dash of pepper in my usual morning & evening protein shakes. I reasoned if turmeric was good for major skin issues (as mentioned on this site), it would surely work for the baking soda armpit irritation I had. Within 4 or 5 days of using turmeric, the rash began to heal and never came back!
The homemade deodorant works wonderfully. Please note it did take a full two weeks for it to work totally. Decades of deodorant and antiperspirant use clogs the pores. Heaven only knows what was trapped in there that worked it's way out over those two weeks! LOL
After this initial armpit "detox" period there was no smell whatsoever. I got through that period by applying my homemade product twice a day, washing and drying the armpit area thoroughly each time. Now, just once in the morning after my shower and I'm good all day!
Detox
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 08/31/2012 2042 posts
For many folks and not to their own advantage, a truncated version of the ideal diet that Lyndsey just posted is really the only practical way to go. In this compromised category of "people-on-the-go" in less than ideal situations, the diet must eliminate, say, the top ten or even twenty most harmful foods and beverages AND incorporate the top ten or twenty most beneficial foods, herbs and beverages. And of course their is conflicting dialogue and beliefs across this subject I.E. dairy or no dairy. With the best and worst foods and beverages taken care of, the next stage would be supplementing (which can become extremely confusing for a novis in this day in time), so the best way to cut that tape is to use the highest quality, most nutritious "multivitamin/mineral" at your disposal. Some brands sport hundreds of nutrients in a single tablet. Two multi's w/ every meal would be standard recommends.
Borax, Coconut Oil
Posted by Michelle (Dallas, Texas) on 05/20/2012
★★★★★
I suffered from severe underarm odor since junior high school. Even though I would bathe several times daily, as soon as I jumped out of the shower, I would still have a musty, onion-like odor. And the more I would worry about it, the more I would smell. Surprisingly, I didn't seem to have as much of a problem with odor when I was working out in the gym. I finally found something to help the odor. I asked my doctor to prescribe sulfacetamide cream, which I applied under my arms on freshly cleaned skin. I then applied Secret Clinical Antiperspirant and then Shower to Shower powder. This helped me for a couple of years, at least. But I began to have an allergic reaction to it. I began getting sore throats and upper respiratory infections because of it, so I had to discontinue use.
So I began researching this site again and found an even better answer for me! I now wash gently under my armpits with borax. (Using soap leaves a film on which the bacteria will eat and multiply, causing odor!! ) I then apply extra virgin organic coconut oil and then sprinkle baking soda on top. Amazing!! NO ODOR! At night after my shower, I just use coconut oil. (Using baking soda twice daily, along with the borax, can be very irritating. ) Keep in mind that you will have to get used to sweating - a good thing. However, you may continue using antiperspirant on top of the coconut oil and baking soda. Hope this helps! Blessings!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Nycbgirl (Las Vegas, Nv) on 05/11/2012
★★★★★
While going through menopause my BO was so out of control that I didn't know what to do! So the first thing I did was change to deodorant that was made out of salt crystal, it's wonderful! No odor at all ever!!!! I bought it at Walgreens for about 7 dollars. Then I went on a diet and changed my eating habits and as a result I no longer have an odor on my skin.... Sometimes I smelled yucky, my husband said I smelled like a mans locker room! Thanks! Anyway I have been off the diet for a few weeks and the odor is coming back so back on my clean eating program again... as a side note the baking soda worked for under my arms but I developed an itch so bad that I had to stop using it.
Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Lon (Stanhope, Nj) on 11/26/2010
★★★★★
I've been having very good luck with Milk of Magnesia, the cheap kind without any other additives. The more expensive brand has bleach or something added to it, which we don't want, so check the label. I dab it under my arms with a piece of gauze.
Ammonia Odor
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 12/21/2011
An ammonia smell coming from your trunk is usually a sign of a liver disease. Have it tested. Get some milk thistle with artichokes. Artichokes scrub the liver. Also, eat meat once a week and go on a fish and chicken diet. Incorporate salads with artichokes. Drink dandelion tea.
