We all sweat to regulate our body temperature but if we don’t regularly wash the sweat residue off our bodies, bacteria start to feed off it and this can make us smell. Sweat itself does not smell but the bacteria living on our skin (up to 100,000 of them per cm2) create the unpleasant smell we associate with sweating. This can be more noticeable under the arms as it is more difficult for sweat to evaporate from the armpits. We can prevent this smell by regular washing and using deodorants, which contain alcohol and antimicrobials to kill bacteria, and fragrances that smell nicer than the odour created by the bacteria. If we want to reduce the amount of visible sweat in the first place, we can use antiperspirants. Antiperspirants contain aluminium or zirconium salts that work by absorbing sweat to create a gel that covers the sweat glands. Most antiperspirants are fragranced so they also act as a deodorant, preventing any body odour if the sweat breaks through this barrier.
