What your best friend won’t tell you.

Sweat itself does not smell unpleasant, and a lot of people actually find the smell of fresh sweat appealing. But when it has been on the skin for more than a few hours then the body’s natural bacteria begins to cause the sweat to decompose which is the actual cause of the familiar body odour (BO) smell.

Most body smells would simply evaporate naturally if exposed to the fresh air, but our modesty, convention and the weather all contribute to causing the majority of us to wear clothes. Unfortunately the body’s bacteria thrive in such damp warm conditions, especially in areas where clothes cling to the skin particularly where synthetic fabrics are preventing air from circulating.

Regular washing is the absolute best way of removing sweat before it starts to smell unpleasant. In addition, change your clothes and clean them regularly. If you want extra protection use a deodorant or antiperspirant.

Antiperspirants dehydrate sweat glands so that they produce less sweat. Deodorants don’t prevent sweating – they just stop it from smelling. Unless you sweat heavily, a deodorant is probably all you need. But don’t worry if you prefer to use an antiperspirant – sweat is lost all over the skin and a little less under the arms won’t do any damage.

Both deodorants and antiperspirants come in a choice of applicators, including sprays, roll-ons, creams and sticks. Roll-ons, creams and sticks are more accurate in their application than sprays, but sprays dry faster. If you prefer a spray, be sure to choose an environmentally friendly one that won’t damage the world’s ozone layer!

Do not use a deodorant or antiperspirant on inflamed or broken skin. Most products should not be used immediately after shaving your underarms, though a few brands claim that they have no ill effects. If you get any adverse reaction, wash the product off with clean water, discontinue use straightaway and change to another brand.