Does underarm hair cause odor?

Why do hairy armpits smell?

Your underarms contain apocrine glands, a type of sweat gland that opens into hair follicles, the structures that hold hairs in your skin. These glands produce sweat that develops a smell when it meets skin bacteria. Hair gives bacteria somewhere to grow and slows sweat evaporation. Sweat itself does not smell. How strong the odor becomes depends on the bacteria present and how they interact with sweat, so more sweating does not automatically mean more smell. Shaving changes one part of that setup rather than removing the cause, so the razor is not a deodorant with a handle. You can still have underarm odor without underarm hair.1

How to reduce odor with or without shaving

1. 1Wash your underarms with soap at least twice a day and dry thoroughly. If soap irritates your skin, ask a pharmacist about a gentler soap substitute.
2. 2Apply antiperspirant to dry underarms before bed and let it dry completely. Dry skin reduces the likelihood of irritation.
3. 3Use deodorant for odor control if needed. With a prescribed bedtime antiperspirant, deodorant can go on in the morning; follow your dermatologist's directions if you also need morning antiperspirant.
4. 4Put on clean clothes and wash clothing regularly. Choose loose, breathable fabrics such as cotton rather than tight clothing that traps sweat.

Should you use deodorant or antiperspirant?

Deodorant masks or stops odor; antiperspirant reduces sweating. If both smell and wetness bother you, a product containing both covers both jobs. The two names are not interchangeable, despite sharing custody of the bathroom shelf. For heavy sweating, stronger treatment can be necessary. Antiperspirants temporarily block sweat glands, and nonprescription options treat only mild hyperhidrosis, the medical term for excessive sweating. A dermatologist can assess whether you need a prescription.34

What should you expect?

For diagnosed excessive sweating, a dermatologist's antiperspirant plan usually brings sweating under control within a few weeks. Treatment commonly starts with bedtime application, then drops to use as needed, usually once or twice a week. That schedule is for controlling excessive sweating, not a universal schedule for every underarm product. If antiperspirant causes irritation or underarm discoloration, tell your dermatologist. More time between applications, a different formulation, or making sure your skin is very dry can help.3

What if the odor changes despite your usual routine?

Food can affect odor independently of hair. Spicy foods can increase sweating, while foods such as garlic and onions can affect the smell released through sweat. Notice whether a particular food repeatedly makes odor worse before changing your diet. If heavy sweating is part of the problem, keep a short record of when it happens and what you were doing. Heat, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol and stress can be triggers. Identifying your own triggers gives you something specific to adjust. See a GP if self care has not helped and odor affects your self esteem, your usual smell changes, or you suddenly sweat much more than usual. Hormonal changes, some medicines and medical conditions can affect body odor, so a new change deserves attention rather than another shave.245