PT Health Life – Using alum to treat underarm odor for many years, a 64-year-old female patient in Thanh Hoa suffered from aluminum poisoning. So how to treat underarm odor effectively?
1. What causes underarm odor?
Armpit odor is a phenomenon secreted by sweat glands and causes an unpleasant odor. Sweat that appears a lot in the armpit area can be due to each person’s constitution or due to the process of activity and work.
Especially in areas that easily secrete a lot of sweat such as the genitals, armpits, etc., it is easy to cause odor. Because human sweat contains a lot of protein and fat, causing bacteria to grow and decompose, thereby causing an unpleasant odor.
The disease can appear in different subjects, including men and women. However, the age at which it is most susceptible is during puberty, because during this period the hormones in the body undergo drastic changes.
Sweat glands are divided into two types:
– Small sweat glands (eccrine): distributed throughout the body, responsible for eliminating waste, regulating body temperature, excreting 99% water and 0.5% salt.
– Large sweat gland (apocrine): located in the subcutaneous layer, the pores of this gland are only distributed in the armpits, vulva and eyebrows, secreting quite thick liquid, containing lipids, proteins and iron, with the function of makes the skin smooth and supple. These substances, when decomposed by bacteria, will form an unsaturated fatty acid with an unpleasant odor called armpit odor. The greater the secretion level of the sweat glands and the stronger the bacterial activity, the stronger the odor.
The cause of excessive secretion of sweat glands is still unclear, it may be due to increased sympathetic nerve stimulation to sweat glands, metabolism, or systemic disease. However, most cases of increased sweat gland secretion occur in healthy people.
2. Methods to treat underarm odor
Armpit odor can affect the patient’s quality of life. Treatment of underarm odor is quite popular with many different methods.
Internally medical treatment
– Antiperspirant: Medicine applied to the armpits daily helps reduce odor, but does not prevent sweat secretion, causing local irritation.
– Anticholinergic drugs: propranolol, glycopyrrolate. The drug works to reduce sweating by preventing stimulation of sympathetic nerves to the sweat glands. This medicine is less effective in treating underarm odor.
– Botox: Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injected into the skin of the armpit area has the effect of preventing stimulation of sympathetic nerves to sweat glands.
– Ionization therapy: has the effect of inhibiting sweating, is effective in treating increased sweating in hands and feet, but is less effective in treating underarm odor.
Surgery to treat armpit odor
Currently, the method of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy: uses endoscopic technique to remove the 3rd and 4th thoracic sympathies with the purpose of reducing sweating in the armpit area. The disadvantage of this technique is that it requires general anesthesia, can cause pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and affect structures inside the chest. After surgery, armpit sweating is reduced, hands are dry and there may be a compensatory increase in sweating on the chest, back, and abdomen.
3. Physician advice
Some measures to prevent armpit odor include: Clean your body by showering and using antibacterial soap every day and after exercising. After bathing, you should dry your armpits to limit moisture and reduce odorous sweat.
In addition, you should change into clean clothes every day and after sweating a lot. Using antiperspirants and deodorants prevents sweat production by temporarily blocking pores. Deodorants help prevent odorous sweat but do not prevent sweating. Patients should apply this substance once a day to prevent armpit odor.
Limit eating spicy foods such as garlic, onions, etc. to reduce odor emanating from the underarm skin.
Wearing comfortable and breathable clothes helps the body limit sweating and reduce underarm odor.
Shaving your armpits helps the skin under your arms breathe, preventing body odor.
Remember, everyone’s body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. If you feel worried about armpit odor, you should seek advice from a doctor and specialist for the best treatment.
In summary: Armpit odor and armpit hyperhidrosis syndrome are two different diseases in terms of pathogenesis and treatment methods. Folk methods such as using ginger , betel leaves, alum and rubbing on the armpit area… are the most economical and simple. However, this method does not treat the root cause of the odor but is only temporary.
The above methods are applied flexibly, suitable for each patient, the nature of the disease, and anatomical characteristics, to achieve the highest effectiveness. So far, the permanent cure rate has reached 99.5%. The average treatment stay is 1-7 days, with no complications or serious complications. After surgery, patients can participate in study, work and normal activities.
Indications for surgical treatment of underarm odor are very strict, so it is recommended that patients be examined and consulted directly at specialized medical facilities.
