Have you ever been asked to share a cubicle with a colleague whose body odour is strong enough for the skunk to cringe its nose? If your answer is no, then you’ve been lucky all this while. Body Odour or bromhidrosis is the smell of bacteria, which tends to multiply when we sweat esp. in the armpits and the groin area.

Fortunately there’s a rising consciousness amongst the Indian youth about BO. However, we have a long way to go, as sweating is considered as a natural phenomenon esp. in a country with a climate like ours and most people are unaware of the problem. This oblivion can cost them losing out on friends and colleagues avoiding them like the plague.

The commonly known causes of BO are strong medication, being overweight, fungal infections, hot weather, exercising, intake of spicy food and most importantly lack of hygiene. We may notice that various parts of the body tend to have a distinctive odour.

Fight Body Odour:

Though not much can be bone about the bacteria, we can tackle BO by practicing the following:

o Give hygiene the utmost importance in your daily routine. While taking a bath use an anti bacterial soap and ensure that you thoroughly clean the odour prone areas.
o Wear clean clothes.
o Avoid wearing synthetic clothes. Wear cotton as cotton tends to absorb the sweat better.
o Limit your intake of food that is either spicy or has a pungent smell, like garlic.
o Change your undergarments and socks everyday.
o It is important for both men and women to remove the hair from their armpits.
o Drink plenty of water and eat healthy food that contains lots of fiber, wheat, proteins and green leafy vegetables.
o Use of deodorants and perfumes is highly recommended.

If body odour persists after all your efforts at fighting it, it is a good idea to consult a doctor. There are drugs and treatments available that help tackle it.

Body odour is one of the biggest anti social element and if someone you know who has excessive body odour make them aware of it so that they can tackle the issue. To think of it you only stand to gain in the end.