What Causes Body Odour?

Body odour can be a cause for extreme embarrassment if it’s not addressed. Like anything else, once you understand the source of body odour it’s easier to find the best ways to combat it.

WHAT IS BODY ODOUR?

Before it reaches the skin, your sweat is actually odourless. But, the reason you might notice bad body odour when you sweat is because of bacteria.

Beyond personal hygiene or the weather, there are many factors that contribute to your unique body odour. Some people have stronger body odours than others and no two people have an identical body odour. Like your genetic makeup or your fingerprint, your body odour is 100% unique to you.

SO, WHAT CAUSES BODY ODOUR?

Your body has two types of sweat glands - the apocrine and the eccrine. When the sweat from your apocrine sweat glands reaches the surface of your skin it reacts with perfectly normal skin bacteria, and gives off an unpleasant odour. Here are the differences between the two.

APOCRINE SWEAT GLANDS

The sweat secreted from your apocrine sweat glands is milky-coloured and contains a high level of fat and proteins.

Common bacteria on your skin love this type of sweat and when it feeds on and decomposes it, a recognisable and unpleasant body odour is produced.

Your hormones and stressful situations trigger sweat production in your apocrine glands.

We recommend using one of our NIVEA Anti-Perspirant Deodorants to help combat body odour.

ECCRINE SWEAT GLANDS

Your eccrine glands secrete a clearer, more watery sweat. This type of sweat doesn’t affect body odour at all.

You have millions of eccrine sweat glands over your entire body and the sweat they secrete helps regulate your body temperature in hot weather and during exercise.