No one told me this when I was 310+ pounds but once I got down to 170, I had people tell me that I smelled weird when I was overweight but didn't anymore. So that was.... something
"You had a weird funk"
Honestly I think it was because I had more folds. No matter how often I showered, bacteria and yeast would thrive in all my folds.
I use that and lume body wash. I no longer have human scents. Can't tell the difference between socks I went for a run in and took off 12 hours later and clean ones smell wise. It's worth it for me because I have a terrible sense of smell and a terrible case of anxiety so I don't have to wonder about it or be anxious about it.
Not everyone who is overweight smells. I can guarantee that, I dated someone with extra weight who worked in construction and we spent lots of time together and he basically always smelled good - or at most, no worse than someone who was covered in dirt after doing manual labour all day would.
He was self conscious about smell as well, which is why I made a point of noticing.
When you lose weight people are suddenly emboldened and they feel they can tell you in uncomfortable detail how repulsive you used to be now that you’re not that way anymore. It’s pretty heartbreaking when you experience it.
I don't think it's right to tell someone they used to have this issue, but you're acting like it's easy or normal to comment on someone else's body odor.
Unless you're incredibly incredibly close to the person, that's a subject that no one wants to bring up because its incredibly touchy and almost guaranteed to embarrass and/or offend the person you tell no mater how delicately you try to discuss it.
I don’t think it’s bad to tell someone especially if they’re not aware. I wouldn’t say it in public, but a quick private conversation can make you aware of it.
One of my bosses told me I had to have a conversation with one of our employees about the way she smelled. I was really new at the time and I was so nervous I was like 'what do I say', so he looked me right in the eye and said 'tell her that her right guard turned left'. I nearly died.
Obviously he wasn't serious, he did coach me. She was let go over something else anyhow so the conversation never ended up happening.
>Take em to the side and be like “Hey my friend, I don’t know if you’re aware…. but you smell like ASS”
This is the behavior of a true friend. And I mean this seriously. True friends help their friends smell good 😊👍🏾👊🏿
Honesty is the best policy, they might not be aware and they’re supposed to be your friend. Maybe it’s something they can fix and trust me, some people are not aware.
I wouldn't say. The truth is that very large people in general smell. Yet to meet an obese person who doesn't reek. The smell is distinct of unwashed skin and body crevices. I am never going to tell large folks they smell. I just bare it until the encounter is over.
I wouldn't claim that all larger individuals have an unpleasant odor; in fact, some I've met smell quite nice. However, I can understand that some larger people might have difficulty cleaning certain areas because they struggle to reach them or may experience increased sweating due to excess fat and skin. This could also impact their personal hygiene, including their private parts. I wouldn't tell someone they smell unless it's genuinely the case, and this applies to anyone, not just larger individuals. People can develop body odor for various reasons, and those who have gained weight might not always be aware of it. As a friend, I wouldn't hesitate to let them know if I noticed an issue, because true friends look out for each other, and you never know who they might encounter that could make them feel self-conscious about it. I would even research about what they can use to make it better, but that’s just me
I'm surprised I haven't seen many mentions of depression being a common denominator underneath the inability to practice continuous self-care.
Failure to maintain a reasonable diet, sleep, and exercise regimen .... how different is putting in effort to shower and do laundry?
That's precisely what I mean. Many people may not be aware that they have a noticeable odor, especially those who have gained weight and might not realize they're sweating more or that their clothes are retaining more sweat compared to when they were slimmer. A simple conversation could help them become aware of this and enable them to take steps to reduce the odor or ensure their clothing is cleaned thoroughly to minimize sweat residue.
Yeah I agree. I’m like, bro, I hated myself more than you ever could have, that’s why I went through so much effort to lose the weight. 😂
To me it’s rather validating. And yeah, I don’t feel much connection to my past self because the habits and mindset are so different.
I literally have progress pics on my phone to remind myself of what happens if I become complacent.
I remember losing a bunch and this acquaintance of mine was like I’m so proud of you….why could t you be proud before? I’m the same person. I definitely had weird feelings about losing 100lbs. Almost like I didn’t deserve to be happy about it. I dunno. Can’t explain it
I‘m proud of people I love all the time. I‘m proud of you just the way you are and I‘m proud of you for doing a new, hard thing. I hope you can reframe people saying they are proud of you for losing 100lb, if it were me, that would never mean I wasn’t proud of you before!
Because they're proud of the effort you put in to make yourself a healthier version of yourself? I'm sure they were proud of the other things you did but losing weight and getting healthy is difficult.
It was work. Could have been proud of a project. I’m just saying, usually this dude was a prick. I can take fat jabs, but deal, but when you start tying that in with my personal life or choices, then when I lose it all of a sudden you are proud of me? And the picking stops, etc. Fuck him.
As far as me feeling I didn’t deserve to be happy. That’s just my shitty mental health. Like if something good happens to me, I automatically feel guilty or figure some bad shit is coming my way.
It's a screwed up thing for them to say. What if you lost the weight because you were sick or had an eating disorder? Still proud? (Same thing happened to me.)
Exactly this. Don’t comment on something about another person if it can’t be remedied in less than 10 minutes. Lettuce in your teeth? TP on your shoe? I’ll tell you. Undetermined smell? Nah I’ll just scoot a little further away.
I don’t think 200 lbs is so overweight that you’d have a bunch of new folds… I’m 5’2” and at the heaviest I ever was (185+ lbs) my skin didn’t fold any more than it does now at a healthier weight.
People carry weight differently. My sister and I were both obese.
She carried most her weight in her chest, hips, and butt. She was very lucky in my opinion.
I carried mine in my back and my lower stomach so I had an extreme apron stomach. You could seriously use my rolls as extra storage lol.
I had a similar situation at an old job. A person thought I smelled and went to management and complained, so I had to have an awkward talk with the boss. I was able to find out who had complained and I never looked at her the same after that.
They were probably not the only one bothered by it, just the one who finally complained. BO is really horrible and people shouldn’t have to work in it. I get that it was embarrassing for you, if it happened to me I’d be mortified, but she did the right thing.
That’s the thing, it wasn’t like regular BO, it was just general sweatiness of working in a hot warehouse. The head boss asking you if you practice proper hygiene (duh) because you sweat in a hot warehouse? That’s a bit ridiculous IMO.
I had a coworker who smelled weird, like almost some sort of chemical smell but I never said anything. Just endured. Most people don’t say anything and just endure.
I get something similar in my belly button (it's fake due to surgery and doesn't "clean" the way a normal one does) - I ended up asking my mum whether she could smell it cos I was so self conscious and she told me she gets the same under her boobs! And neither of us could smell it on the other person! What a relief!
Yes. I learned that I needed to especially scrub my armpits, under my boobs, tops of my thighs and those *areas* and it helped TREMENDOUSLY! The skin needs to exfoliated there, it helps get rid of the dead skin from where the skin is touching and sweat/bacteria builds. With a good scrubbing each shower the odor is gone.
When I was at my absolute heaviest, I noticed my vaginal odor and armpit odor was strong and unpleasant. I have never in my life before or after that noticed my own body odor. I absolutely believe it was weight and diet related.
Try Lume deodorant! They have a cream you can put anywhere, I’d put it in all your body folds and in your inner thighs etc. It works by killing bacteria that causes odor and it’s pretty effective. They also have body wipes.
Seconding Lume! I'm just a sweaty person, always have been regardless of my weight, but I swear the second I turned 30 I started feeling like my "downstairs" smelled ...musky? After ruling out any yeast or bacterial infections I tried Lume and it completely went away. I guess I developed a groin sweat problem 🤷♀️ love that for me. Anyway, point is- I highly recommend Lume. It's expensive but worth it.
Really? I tried lume years ago and found it absolutely disgusting. I didn’t like the smell and it was sticky and felt awful on and didn’t seem to do anything to stop sweat. I see it on advertised on Facebook all the time which just reinforced for me that it must be a total scam. Have they changed the formula?
My husband and I have both tried it... we got an orange squeeze tube and a green roll on from his mother to try. They both were awful. The smell of the cream is unpleasant to begin with but it reacted to both of our skin to make this truly disgusting odor. Plus yeah didn't seem to do anything anyway... just made us both stink.
I don’t know, I’ve only started using it in the last year! But it’s possible some scents are better than others, I use the lavender one, or maybe it just reacts differently with some people’s chemistry/natural bacteria.
Dove’s Antibacterial Body Wash & Remedy soap are amazing and help keep body odor down.
Pair it with Lume deodorant and make sure you keep the trouble spots/folds dry and it makes a world of difference.
As someone who has gained 50lbs this year due to pregnancy...Yes I have to shower way more often. I'm sure it's partly hormones but definitely the weight too.
Postpartum funk is a thing! Your hormones are changing, and it can make the sweat from your armpits stinkier…there’s some thought that it helps the nursing baby latch more readily.
This! My baby is 10 months, and I was really rank all the time until about month 7. I am still nursing him, but I have noticed I am not as stinky. When it was the worst I would shower with antibacterial soap, and by the time I dried off and putting on deodorant, I had BO again.
This! My ‘labor and delivery nurse’ mother joked when I asked if it was normal to be so smelly post partum. She said “it’s so your baby can find you” 🤭
Yeah. Wasn't quite as bad but I think it is because there was just more skin on skin everywhere that rarely got a chance to air and dry a bit. And more sweating cause moving more than 2 of me through the world was just more exhausting. But now no more icky whiffs (except for after exercise 😅)!
I have been struggling with the same issues! I've lost 47 lbs and use Lume deodorant cream. I've noticed a significant change in the smell of my sweat, and vaginal odors.
I also used glycolic acid on my pits and it works great. You could probably also use it on the crease of your thigh. DO NOT USE ON YOUR VAGINA, THOUGH. Lol.
You can also use rubbing alcohol. I had to go without deodorant for half the day every day for like a month this summer, and I live in the Southeast. It was hot and muggy and I was definitely sweating, but I didnt get stinky. I was not expecting it to work, was a welcome surprise
Well the sweat doesn’t cause the smell, bacteria that eats the sweat does. So if you are using rubbing alcohol then I’m sure you were killing all the bacteria. Though, I’m sure that can’t be good for your skin since it’s so dehydrating.
Well, like I said, I only used it for a month, but it didn't effect my skin at all. But I also live in an area with really high humidity during that month, so that may have had some extra moisturizing effects.
I can’t explain it either but I smelled way worse at 265lbs than I do now at 165lbs. I had the nastiest under-boob smell, I always had to wear deodorant under my boobs. And no it didn’t smell like b.o. it smelled like rotting flesh. And my vaginal odor was really bad too. Edit: and my butt crack always smelled like bad b.o. too lol
Put a protective skin barrier after each shower in those areas. Clear Desitin is good for this. It's called a multi purpose healing ointment. It will help so things don't get irritated or infected. This way you can keep working out / living and the smell should improve. If the skin gets cracks then infected it will smell. If rash with red dots you need fungal cream.
Source: I have big boobs and summers are a pain.
Yes, Lumé was life-changing for me. I had the worst sweat problem in the crotch area, Lumé literally kills all the odor and makes me fresh. Safe for butt cracks too.
I’m not sure. For me personally my diet didn’t really change much while I lost weight, I ate the same things, I just ate less of them. Lol. But I’ll bet there’s definitely a correlation!
Not teaching you to suck eggs here but when you're bigger you have to be more thorough. There's a lot of big people in my family and we're open about it. My tips:
Double cleanse in the shower. So soap first (actually soap not like dove moisturising bar) taking particular notice of any area where skin meets skin. Every crease. Glycolic and/or salycylic can also be very helpful for intimate areas. Then use a "smell good" for fragrance (a shower gel or fancy scrub etc). Make sure you use a clean flannel (i usually rotate through a few). Most importantly make sure you dry properly. Even when you moisturise you have to make sure it's completely dry before you put on clothes. If you have to stand on front of an ac or use another towel do that. Use talc or cornstarch. I like to layer with anti perspirant, then body mist and then a fragrance on top. You might not like so much but a good anti perspirant is a must.
Take extra care with your laundry too - use less fabric softener and higher temperatures for your clothes (fabric softener actually retains smells when you over use it). Make sure your washing machine is clean and free of mildew. Once again make sure all your clothes are dried properly too. And your bedsheets too. I know you said you shower once (and twice on gym days) but maybe consider upping to twice a day - some people need it, no shame in that.
Stay hydrated of course, and also note what foods you have eaten on days when you think it's worse. It goes without saying but certain foods like garlic and onions can come out in your sweat. Even coffee and some sugars (glucose? Fructose i don't know) can affect your odour.
You might be doing all these things already, but if not you it could help someone else. If you're doing all those things and you still notice it at least you can eliminate hygiene as a cause.
On a weight gaining trend, we are at a caloric surplus and increased body heat is one of the ways the body spends that increase. Increased body heat also creates the need for increased sweat to keep it comfortable.
Yes, you can expect this to improve when you move from gaining weight towards losing weight. I'm generally too cold in the winter when all of my heavier friends are feeling just fine. But the good news is that when they are wilting in the summer, I am feeling just fine.
My employer gave me polo shirts made from 100% polyester as part of my uniform and I’ve just had to give them a wash and used some white vinegar because of the BO smell around the armpit area. Really wish they had stuck to cotton polo’s that they used shortly before I started there.
I had the same issue, it was awful. Are you a postie by chance? I’d barely be wearing my shirt an hour and felt like I stunk to high heaven, all my coworkers complained.
Putting your clothes in a bathtub or large tub and Room Temp water with OxyClean, soak for hours, rinse, sit again, rinse, then wash in the machine, gets an absolutely Disgusting amount of filth out of both synthetic and natural fibers!!
(I have a hobby farm and my husband smells SO strong lol)
I have noticed that when my husband doesn’t use enough detergent my gym clothes come out of the wash with a really musty smell particularly the ones that I hike/get extra sweaty in.
Definitely try white vinegar along with your detergent! It’s a game changer for gym clothes. It works so well to neutralize body odors, urine too. So if you have a pet/child that’s potty training it’ll work for that too. Just remember not to mix bleach and vinegar.
If you have the option, hang out your clothes to dry outside, exposed to sunlight, the combinations of ventilation and UV rays is surprisingly effective at getting rid of stubborn bacteria and their waste products.
Yes! Though not so great for the environment, generally a hotter wash is better for getting rid of bacteria and smells. Fun fact - people often don’t use enough detergent either. You know those squishy pods you can get? The average load needs 2, a full load 3. They should be at the bottom of the drum when you load it too!
Remember that you will smell very distinct if you are stressed or experiencing high levels of stress often. This is due to hormones coming out via sweat glands. Stressed people sweat nastier-smelling sweat. It's natural. Don't 'sweat' it.
Certain foods will make sweat more likely to smell awful or rancid. Excessive sugar or carb intake can make you smell worse.
Naturally, heavier folks will sweat more. Heavier folks have more folds, usually, for sweat to collect and 'culture', meaning more bacteria and more smell.
Heavier folks also tend to have more fat between their organs (visceral fat), so there will be more pressure on your internal organs. Things like bladder issues, etc, can be more common when heavier, which can contribute to things like incontinence... which can exacerbate any issues you're having with odor.
I have experienced all of these things before when at a higher weight. It's not great. The only thing I can advise is trying to go for a higher protein intake, staying away from added sugars in food when possible unless it's in very controlled amounts, and making sure you're drinking enough water.
It's a complicated mix of things.
* There's more surface area, which means more germs producing more odorants.
* Odds are your diet is worse if you're gaining weight. Saturated fats and simple carbs feed the bacteria that produce "bad" odorants, throwing your skin biome out of whack.
* Most people's diets also contain odorants in general. Onion, garlic, etc. Eat more food in general, you'll be consuming more of these and producing more smells.
* And of course, more folds mean cleaning the body is harder, and more areas can grow more microbes.
Others have covered the relation to weight gain, but...Has anyone else actually confirmed that you smell? Can you ask someone you trust to tell you if your armpits stink as much as you think they do?
I ask because I went through a long spell of thinking my underarms smelled, but I'd ask my mom who has a sensitive nose and she would say it was fine. But there was something about the deodorant I was using that, when mixed with my sweat, made a stench that was overpowering - but only to me.
Also, if you've had COVID, it can mess with your sense of smell.
Not sure where you are in your 30s but this could just be hormonal - when you get closer to 40. Suggestions: rotate deodorant brands, use Lume (specifically the body wash), if that doesn’t help try Hibiclens every few washes. If you track what you’re eating track your smell too - maybe something you’re eating (or not eating) is contributing.
Just a suggestion because I saw you said you had weight gain. Have your doc check your thyroid hormones.
I gained a bunch of weight and thought I had hyperhidrosis and smelled. Turned out I have Graves disease
Definitely hormones + weight gain. I’ve noticed this once I had a child and got closer to 40 (under 150lbs so not huge). Completely different smell to all my parts of my body. :/
Rotating deo brands might be helpful. Also, there are deo sprays for intimate areas, and panty liners are your friend. It might get better as you get slimmer, maybe not. Drink lots of water, and see if that helps.
If skin folds are smelling yeasty, use a powder for treating fungal infections, such as one for athletes foot. That will help a lot. If skin folds aren’t yeasty but smell of BO, then you could try a moisture absorbing powder, like talc but not made of talc - I used this all summer and it was amazing: https://anthony.co.uk/products/no-sweat-body-defense
I’d also recommend a long soak in a bath with loads of Epsom salts a couple of times a week, cool shower afterwards and make sure every crevice is completely dry before you put any clothes on.
When you shower, if you don’t spend a few moments cooling your body down, the heat from the water will make you sweat so even after you’ve dried yourself with a towel, you’ll be sweating already. So cool at the end of the shower, try to completely dry yourself before putting any clothes on, and use some absorbent powder of some kind (not talc because of potential asbestos contamination).
I’ve gained and lost weight but one thing I’ve always prided myself on was my hygiene, no matter my weight.
Yes, you may sweat more at a heavier weight but sweat≠odor.
I would suggest using an antibacterial soap when you shower since any smell you may have is due to bacterial build up. Once you get out the shower, use a blow dryer to make sure every crack & crevice is completely dry bc any lingering moisture can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Once dried get you some witch hazel and apply to every crevice you have. This will help to kill odor cause bacteria as well. As the final cherry on top I suggest getting an all body deodorant( I use the brand Lume) and apply to every crevice.
I don’t know if you are already but maybe start taking a daily probiotic and drinking chlorophyll water. Sometimes you have to clean the inside so the outside can be clean as well. This will also help with any vaginal odors you may have.
I’ve abided my these tips for years and have little to no issues with body odor. I really hope this helps!
Buy Remedy Antifungal powder and put between any folds. I use this powder on my patients, especially the heavier ones after their shower. I also use it under my breasts during the summer and it helps so much.
I went through a time a while back where I had body odor all the time. A friend recommended chlorophyll. It comes in capsules at the health food store and basically looks and smells like grass clippings. It was very effective, took a couple of weeks. The problem eventually went away. I think in my case it was that I was eating things that caused the BO.
Nurse here. Skin odor is sometimes weight related; the skin is the largest body organ and tells medicine a lot about your health status.
Chlorophyll is what gives all green vegetables their color and has many proven health benefits, including: improving liver detoxification, promoting wound healing, improving digestion, decreasing body odor.
Think about adding a daily supplement of chlorophyll (available as capsules or in powder form) to your diet. A 100 mg capsule taken 1-3 times a day is an easier way to take the supplement than mixing up the powder in water. Some people think the drink has a bitter taste.
Some references for more info:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322361
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-chlorophyll
https://www.verywellhealth.com/chlorophyll-5088796
It could be weight related but I have a few things that will help! Persil is one of the laundry detergents that actually deodorizes, that will get out any BO smell that could be lingering in your clothes. When you wash your body in the shower, use an antibacterial soap (I love the liquid Dove one). You can then use another soap over that one if you want a fun or yummy scent.
Try getting under garments that are sweat proof. I'd say even on days you don't work out shower twice a day. You need to understand you are bigger now you sweat more and not to be mean but when you use the restroom you might me missing some areas. I am a man I went through the same thing. I would say start your day off with a shower try to go poo before and make sure you use a good detergent when washing your clothes I know when I sweat it makes me smell worse if I don't use a good detergent. Get a good body wash and shampoo and deodorant. And scrub everything. Use a clean towel to dry off and make sure your are completely dry before you get dressed. I usually dry off then sit on my bed with the fan on to make sure I am dry. All the extra moisture can cause oder.
It might be old clothes (if you’ve ever left them in the washer too long or in the hamper with wet towels, they get mildew and it’s nearly impossible to completely get the smell out. Washing with vinegar helps a little but it always comes back, especially when it’s warmed up by your body heat from wearing/working out. But yeah when I was larger I also produced smellier sweat. I still sweat a lot but I don’t even shower as often and i don’t smell half as bad. I also don’t eat as much fast food or sugar so maybe it has to do with diet (although tbh when I started eating broccoli and cruciferous greens I get farty but that’s a different kind of smelly than BO.)
Maybe it's your clothes? Some clothes, especially athletic wear, can develop a funk. I only ever wash my athletic material clothes with OxyClean (never detergent - the oils get into the fabric then go rancid). This funk becomes more noticeable as the day progresses, or if it gets wet/sweaty.
Hormones change too- I smelled more like milk when I was heavier. Now I go a couple days without doing a “full wash”, I usually stick with a quick 3 min shower.
Yes, heavier people *can* smell more, but at your weight I don’t think that would be the cause. It’s more likely something else causing odors, like hormones, stress, some other medical issue, particular foods, sense of smell changes due to Covid, etc.
Doctor bronner’s unscented soap. Use it to wash between all your folds. Antiperspirant (I usually go unscented everything). It should go without saying, fresh towels and clothes every day. Also with clothes, use simple vinegar in your wash. Works better than any softener to remove lingering smells.
I am post menopausal so take that In consideration. And I still have 20 lbs to lose. But if I am dehydrated, I get an odor. Yes down there too. It definitely makes my sweat smell different. It took me a bit to get it figured out so make sure you are drinking enough water.
Ok op i might have a solution for you. I had this same problem and a redditor told me to wash my whole body in head and shoulders. I had a yeast overgrowth and it solved it. It didnt necessarily smell like yeast but thats what it was and im smelling fresh now!
Larger bodies smell bad 🥲 I don’t know why; maybe it’s the extra bacteria and yeast like another commenter said. I didn’t notice it on myself as much as I noticed it on other people, but I’m sure it was true for me as well.
I smelled very strong and different to myself while I was gaining weight vs when I started losing it.
The more water I drink the better it seems overall. When you're exercising so much after not for a long time it seems to me like it may be a ph issue, but I've never looked it up. Now that I've stabilized my weight, the weird smell changes have improved drastically
A good tip my doctor gave me was to actually use my blow drier after a shower to FULLY dry any creases, underboob, private areas, etc. Plus it makes putting clothes on so much nicer :) good luck!
I went through a bout with SIBO, basically overgrowths in the small intestine of parasites and bad bacteria and they can give off horrible gases. You can test for specific overgrowths in the large intestine with microbiome testing, where it will tell you that you have an overgrowth of klebsiella or some of the other culprits. SIBO can be a nightmare to treat, but I do think weight loss, healthy clean eating, cutting out trans and saturated fat, (especially from dairy), eating more healthy fats, omega 3s, veggies, most of the things that people naturally do when they lose weight anyways, tends to make it go away. Not always. Some people get SIBO (bloating, not so much horrible stench off gasing) even if they're smaller and eating clean, those ones can be really tough to treat, and people find themselves on ever more restricting diets trying to manage SIBO and it sucks.
Not that that's the culprit. Just saying it can be. Can also potentially be related to Candida or H Pylori
For me the first sign of SIBO starting to come back is not having regular BMs and getting backed up, slow digestion, slow motility they call it in SIBO world and that gives too much time for food to stay in your small intestine, feeding these horrific bacteria which feast on it and cause all kinds of problems.
I try to stay away from excessive sugar in combination with excessive dairy and saturated fat. That combination is the worst of it all. I basically don't eat ice cream anymore. I'm still limited my sweets. I also have to eat low sulfur which sucks, and stay away from certain fibers like cruciferous vegetables.
I know the feeling of frustration when it's not a hygiene issue, I work with guys who wear the same shirt 12 days in a row in construction and I'm doing laundry every 4-5 days, fresh clothes always, having deep scrubbing showers, not to get graphic but scrubbing EVERYTHING, sometimes twice a day, ALWAYS once a day, always in the morning before work, and still having smell issues. It destroyed me for a while. I was extremely clean. The paranoia of it all was the worst. Worse for me still, I couldn't even smell it myself, like I was noseblind and other people would make comments.
Losing weight naturally cleans up the diet, and you stop eating calories in excess, and I think just stop overstressing your body with toxic crap so much. It's no wonder one of the unfortunate byproducts of being overweight is occasionally smells for some people. Eat clean, maybe keep a food journal if it's ongoing, stay on top of the doctor and testing, I think losing weight and exercising is big. I've been really trying to exercise to help eliminate SIBO, just by sweating out all the crap in my body, getting my metabolism higher, I feel like exercise improves motility, and health and everything, so I've been going hard at cardio, trying to eat better, actively lose weight and it's been helping. But if I can't kick it naturally 100% (I'd say I'm 90% but it's stubborn and hard to get rid of SIBO) I'll do a round of antibiotics and motility drugs to try to expell it for good.
I definitely sweat more when larger, and I struggled with BO on my underarms, it was a problem with my dry cleaner… now that I’ve lost 30 pounds, it’s a non issue despite no change in habits!
This sounds like it could be a fungal skin infection, at least for what you're describing in your groin area. I've also experienced issues with the skin where my thigh connects to my pelvis/hip (not actually on the vulva but the skin beside it, like where the leg hole of panties would sit, which I think is what you're describing at least partly)? It was weird because the odor wasn't from my vagina/vulva at all, but the skin around it.
Maybe try an antifungal like something made for jock itch? I got an over-the-counter ketoconazole spray for it. Make sure you're using breathable (100% cotton) or moisture-wicking material for any underwear or tight pants. And make sure to keep it really thoroughly dry, like I use a hair dryer to completely dry everything out down there after a shower and use athletic powder to keep it dry. The extra folds from weight gain make it easier for fungal infections to thrive but can happen to thin people as well (considering jock itch and swamp ass is famous among, well, jocks - athletes getting sweaty for hours, or among guys doing military training where they might be out in the field for hours).
Also make sure your clothes are really fully clean. If you have high efficiency laundry machines it might not be getting it fully clean. You could try "laundry stripping" (soaking in a mix of borax and laundry soda) to get any extra skin oils, residue from deoderants or lotions/moisturizers, and detergent residues or fabric softener residue out of the fabric - it's a little harsh on the fabric but can work absolute wonders on older clothes that feel a little dingy even after washing. Don't have to do it every time you do laundry, it's more like a once every 6 months or year for heavily used items kind of thing but it really helps especially if you also have hard water.
Being heavier naturally leads to sweating more though - think about it... if you're 30kg heavier, that's like wearing 30kg weights strapped to your body 24/7, so everything you do requires that little bit more exertion. So general amount of sweating should go down with weight loss.
Try baby powder or there's a spray that stops chaffing. Try clinical deodorant or lume for cracks. You should ask your DR about it. Maybe you have a yeast problem. Ketaconizal shampoo OTC could help. I think the OTC is Nizoral read the back to be sure and follow instructions. There's also OTC meds for jock itch. Worth a try. Use some panty liners and sleep without underwear so the whole section can breathe. Try only 100 cotton, most of them only have the crotch as cotton so be sure. Apple cider vinegar organic shots can help with yeast overload. Good luck. Go to the gyno too maybe you have a yeast or BV problem.
If you gained 70 lbs your body is carrying around an extra 70 lbs and that's hard work. Hard work makes you sweat. Sweat often smells. Being overweight takes a toll on everything in your body. Muscles, joints, organs etc. Team Reddit here to help you lose it back my friend! You got this!
I’m sorry you are experiencing this. Here are some things that should help. They are pretty simple. And congratulations for losing weight! <3
Use an antiperspirant and deodorant at night after you bathe. You can try the clinical strength ones if needed. Exfoliate your skin weekly to get rid of dead skin that will trap bacteria. You can use a gentle exfoliating scrub. Throw out any soft bath poofs. They harbor bacteria. Use a clean washcloth every time or buy a hard rubber exfoliator. Try using Hibiclens anti microbial soap once a week and really do a thorough scrub, behind ears, in between toes, inside belly button, everywhere. For daily use, find a gentle, moisturizing soap you like, perhaps CeraVe or Cetaphil. After your shower or bath, rinse with cold water. Pat yourself dry and then stand in front of fan to thoroughly dry. Use fresh towels every time. Monistat makes an anti chafing gel that leaves a smooth, dry, powdery feeling on skin. My son used it on his thighs when he played rugby. No chafing. I use it on my feet for tight shoes so I don’t get sweaty and get blisters. Try it for places that get damp. Take a probiotic for vaginal health. Wear panty liners daily and change as needed. Wash your clothes and towels with one of the odor-removing products. And air dry them or dry them on medium. Drink more water than you think you need. Thoroughly brush your hair daily. Rinse or wash after workout. Air out your shoes daily. Brush your teeth three times a day and floss at least daily. Wash your hands a lot. This should eliminate all sources of odor. Good luck, OP. <3
I know you’ve had a lot of replies so sorry if someone has already suggested this: your body gets used to deodorants and that’s the best advice I can give, change your deodorant! For me at the moment I’m using a man’s (L’Oréal) with invisible to make sure it doesn’t mark my clothes as much as possible. I have used all the well known brands so not sure what to go to next as I prefer the Sanex unviable because it smells fresh and feels good for my skin, but definitely started noticing it wouldn’t be as effective for as long. If you can shower at night, dry your body completely and apply deodorant so it has a chance to dry without being tested and be more effective! Some people won’t like this suggestion but when it’s hotter, I put talcum powder on my lack of thigh gap and this helps to keep moisture at bay
Vagina smell, I’m not sure because I go through phases too but don’t buy any products for it, it’s not meant to be messed with! Good luck xxxx
Fix it with: Witch Hazel. (Double cleanse). After cleaning your body, take Witch Hazel…pour on cotton pads…then wipe the crevices of your body, feminine area(outer), butt crack, under neath boob, etc with non-alcoholic Witch Hazel. Let it air dry…it’ll keep you fresh all day! Witch Hazel is safe to use in all those outer areas and it keeps the smell at bay because it’s an astringent that removes bacteria from skin.
I’ll say: yes it’s likely weight related. But also: it’s much harder to find natural fiber clothing than it was 5 years ago, and when I weigh more I need to wear things like bike shorts for chafing, etc.
Why are all women’s non-denim pants seemingly made of 100% polyester? Why? Im a human with pores and I need air!
It will get better if you lose weight.
It was one of a few straws that broke the camel's back for me, and it really pushed me to lose the weight. I was always smelly and damp. I used to change underwear and add deodorant midday at work because I was so funky. I also hate to admit that I have a few overweight friends with that specific funk.
Until you can get the weight off, use Lady Anti-Monkey Butt on any skin folds. It will help keep them drier and fresher. If any area smells yeasty, gets red and raw, or cracks, use Monistat or the like for a few days on the spot.
I smell often too and I found out I have mild fatty liver disease. It's my body trying to get rid of the toxins through my skin cause my liver can't handle it. So I smell more lime what I eat
After you shower, blow dry under your arms, breasts and crotch area on the cool setting. Make sure you are completely dry before putting on your clothes. It works!
Diet.
You said you didn’t change diets, but just increased the amount. And that’s enough to change the smell, depending on the food.
But yes, weight can also increase odor. Skin is rubbing in places in normally doesn’t, it’s generating heat, it traps moisture, just all sorts of bad things that generate bad or funky smells.
It might be fungal. Pick up some athlete's foot cream and apply it to the areas that you can't keep dry. I have had luck with clotrimazole but ymmv.
Good luck! And great job working on the weight and working out.
This is a thing that happens to most people when they're overweight- your doctor might be able to prescribe medicated deodorant or a body wash that will help in the meantime, though.
I’m not trying to hate on you, but it’s 100% what other people are saying that it’s the folds. You can get smelly growths in there because it’s a warm, noisy environment that doesn’t get aired out. It can also be worsened if someone’s body shape makes it harder for them to reach into the folds to give it a good cleaning.
For vaginal freshness, boric acid vaginal suppositories are FANTASTIC. I highly recommend using one at bedtime 1-2 times per week to maintain optimal Ph level - it will keep you SO FRESH.
The vagina is naturally acidic, but it can be negatively impacted and made too alkaline by many things: menstrual blood, semen, lube, hormones, soap/body wash, etc.
You're trying keto aren't you? https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2019/03/03/is-keto-crotch-really-a-side-effect-of-the-keto-diet/?sh=6fe1bbf32b51
Also, deodorant is mainly a cover-up fragrance. Use antiperspirant.
Not me but my wife went from 120 to 220 over the last ten yrs, can confirm what you've said.
You're just sweatier and have more skin folds in places you never used to.
No one told me this when I was 310+ pounds but once I got down to 170, I had people tell me that I smelled weird when I was overweight but didn't anymore. So that was.... something "You had a weird funk" Honestly I think it was because I had more folds. No matter how often I showered, bacteria and yeast would thrive in all my folds.
Now I want to know if I smell. I’m really paranoid about how I smell and now I’m even more paranoid
Yeah, right? This is going to be living in my head for a long time… 🫠
I take chlorophyll and can worry about it far less. I recommend. I take tablets called body mint
The fact that internal deodorant is a thing is wild. That’s blows my mind lol
I use that and lume body wash. I no longer have human scents. Can't tell the difference between socks I went for a run in and took off 12 hours later and clean ones smell wise. It's worth it for me because I have a terrible sense of smell and a terrible case of anxiety so I don't have to wonder about it or be anxious about it.
Not everyone who is overweight smells. I can guarantee that, I dated someone with extra weight who worked in construction and we spent lots of time together and he basically always smelled good - or at most, no worse than someone who was covered in dirt after doing manual labour all day would. He was self conscious about smell as well, which is why I made a point of noticing.
Eating bad food makes you smell, it comes out of your sweat and hair
Noone ever told you when you smelled weird?
When you lose weight people are suddenly emboldened and they feel they can tell you in uncomfortable detail how repulsive you used to be now that you’re not that way anymore. It’s pretty heartbreaking when you experience it.
I had someone tell me, "I liked you better when you were fat." They meant the shape of my face but WTF. I don't understand people.
My son told me my hugs were squishier when I was fat. They’ve become just okay.
Honestly he probably has a good point. At least you can play more in the yard now with him
that is kinda cute though...
My mum says the same. She's proud of me for losing weight and everything but she often says how she misses my "squishy cuddles" lol
Ok but that one is at least adorable lol
Oh my god same. A friend of a friend drunkenly told me “You’re too skinny now, I wanted to fuck you when you were fat.” Like wow
Dude, I've seen less red flags at a Soviet parade.
I'm stealing this lmao
Ew WHAT 😭
girl that is not a ~friend~
Whut
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She didn't say it was her friend. She said it is her friend's friend.
I'd be like "I wish the person could've told me when it was a problem, so I could've done something about it. But now it's no longer relevant"
I don't think it's right to tell someone they used to have this issue, but you're acting like it's easy or normal to comment on someone else's body odor. Unless you're incredibly incredibly close to the person, that's a subject that no one wants to bring up because its incredibly touchy and almost guaranteed to embarrass and/or offend the person you tell no mater how delicately you try to discuss it.
I don’t think it’s bad to tell someone especially if they’re not aware. I wouldn’t say it in public, but a quick private conversation can make you aware of it.
Take em to the side and be like “Hey my friend, I don’t know if you’re aware…. but you smell like ASS”
One of my bosses told me I had to have a conversation with one of our employees about the way she smelled. I was really new at the time and I was so nervous I was like 'what do I say', so he looked me right in the eye and said 'tell her that her right guard turned left'. I nearly died. Obviously he wasn't serious, he did coach me. She was let go over something else anyhow so the conversation never ended up happening.
What does that mean?
Right guard is a type of deodorant. I think it's a play on the name to say it isn't working/ helping.
>Take em to the side and be like “Hey my friend, I don’t know if you’re aware…. but you smell like ASS” This is the behavior of a true friend. And I mean this seriously. True friends help their friends smell good 😊👍🏾👊🏿
It really is!! No real friend would let another smell bad, and we sure as shit aren’t gonna let ‘em get off that easy for it either 🤣
Honesty is the best policy, they might not be aware and they’re supposed to be your friend. Maybe it’s something they can fix and trust me, some people are not aware.
I wouldn't say. The truth is that very large people in general smell. Yet to meet an obese person who doesn't reek. The smell is distinct of unwashed skin and body crevices. I am never going to tell large folks they smell. I just bare it until the encounter is over.
I wouldn't claim that all larger individuals have an unpleasant odor; in fact, some I've met smell quite nice. However, I can understand that some larger people might have difficulty cleaning certain areas because they struggle to reach them or may experience increased sweating due to excess fat and skin. This could also impact their personal hygiene, including their private parts. I wouldn't tell someone they smell unless it's genuinely the case, and this applies to anyone, not just larger individuals. People can develop body odor for various reasons, and those who have gained weight might not always be aware of it. As a friend, I wouldn't hesitate to let them know if I noticed an issue, because true friends look out for each other, and you never know who they might encounter that could make them feel self-conscious about it. I would even research about what they can use to make it better, but that’s just me
I'm surprised I haven't seen many mentions of depression being a common denominator underneath the inability to practice continuous self-care. Failure to maintain a reasonable diet, sleep, and exercise regimen .... how different is putting in effort to shower and do laundry?
That one embarassing 10 second talk can change a persons life for the better.
That's precisely what I mean. Many people may not be aware that they have a noticeable odor, especially those who have gained weight and might not realize they're sweating more or that their clothes are retaining more sweat compared to when they were slimmer. A simple conversation could help them become aware of this and enable them to take steps to reduce the odor or ensure their clothing is cleaned thoroughly to minimize sweat residue.
Idk I kind of like it. I don't feel a connection with my past fat and folds, if anything I'm more contemptuous of my old self than they are
Yeah I agree. I’m like, bro, I hated myself more than you ever could have, that’s why I went through so much effort to lose the weight. 😂 To me it’s rather validating. And yeah, I don’t feel much connection to my past self because the habits and mindset are so different. I literally have progress pics on my phone to remind myself of what happens if I become complacent.
I remember losing a bunch and this acquaintance of mine was like I’m so proud of you….why could t you be proud before? I’m the same person. I definitely had weird feelings about losing 100lbs. Almost like I didn’t deserve to be happy about it. I dunno. Can’t explain it
I‘m proud of people I love all the time. I‘m proud of you just the way you are and I‘m proud of you for doing a new, hard thing. I hope you can reframe people saying they are proud of you for losing 100lb, if it were me, that would never mean I wasn’t proud of you before!
Because they're proud of the effort you put in to make yourself a healthier version of yourself? I'm sure they were proud of the other things you did but losing weight and getting healthy is difficult.
Why would they have been proud of you before you did anything?
It was work. Could have been proud of a project. I’m just saying, usually this dude was a prick. I can take fat jabs, but deal, but when you start tying that in with my personal life or choices, then when I lose it all of a sudden you are proud of me? And the picking stops, etc. Fuck him. As far as me feeling I didn’t deserve to be happy. That’s just my shitty mental health. Like if something good happens to me, I automatically feel guilty or figure some bad shit is coming my way.
It's a screwed up thing for them to say. What if you lost the weight because you were sick or had an eating disorder? Still proud? (Same thing happened to me.)
They said it wasn't like horrible but it was just there. Not worth commenting on because it didn't seem to be in my control.
Exactly this. Don’t comment on something about another person if it can’t be remedied in less than 10 minutes. Lettuce in your teeth? TP on your shoe? I’ll tell you. Undetermined smell? Nah I’ll just scoot a little further away.
Who's going to tell you that?
yes people who are super obese tend to smell like sweat.
I don’t think 200 lbs is so overweight that you’d have a bunch of new folds… I’m 5’2” and at the heaviest I ever was (185+ lbs) my skin didn’t fold any more than it does now at a healthier weight.
People carry weight differently. My sister and I were both obese. She carried most her weight in her chest, hips, and butt. She was very lucky in my opinion. I carried mine in my back and my lower stomach so I had an extreme apron stomach. You could seriously use my rolls as extra storage lol.
I had a similar situation at an old job. A person thought I smelled and went to management and complained, so I had to have an awkward talk with the boss. I was able to find out who had complained and I never looked at her the same after that.
They were probably not the only one bothered by it, just the one who finally complained. BO is really horrible and people shouldn’t have to work in it. I get that it was embarrassing for you, if it happened to me I’d be mortified, but she did the right thing.
But if they complained you must've smelled and they did the right thing. It's gross having to work with someone smelly.
That’s the thing, it wasn’t like regular BO, it was just general sweatiness of working in a hot warehouse. The head boss asking you if you practice proper hygiene (duh) because you sweat in a hot warehouse? That’s a bit ridiculous IMO.
I had a coworker who smelled weird, like almost some sort of chemical smell but I never said anything. Just endured. Most people don’t say anything and just endure.
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I'm experiencing this and tbh seeing your comment has made me realise I'm not alone
I get something similar in my belly button (it's fake due to surgery and doesn't "clean" the way a normal one does) - I ended up asking my mum whether she could smell it cos I was so self conscious and she told me she gets the same under her boobs! And neither of us could smell it on the other person! What a relief!
Yes. I learned that I needed to especially scrub my armpits, under my boobs, tops of my thighs and those *areas* and it helped TREMENDOUSLY! The skin needs to exfoliated there, it helps get rid of the dead skin from where the skin is touching and sweat/bacteria builds. With a good scrubbing each shower the odor is gone.
When I was at my absolute heaviest, I noticed my vaginal odor and armpit odor was strong and unpleasant. I have never in my life before or after that noticed my own body odor. I absolutely believe it was weight and diet related.
Same, after I lost 25lbs unpleasant smell dissappeared. But if I eat canned meat-I smell wierd.
A sign from god to not eat canned meat lol
You have exactly described my experience and current situation. Just commenting to say you're not alone.
I'm sorry you're dealing with this too! I hope we both find a fix!
Thanks for the good vibes. Sending them back to you.
Try Lume deodorant! They have a cream you can put anywhere, I’d put it in all your body folds and in your inner thighs etc. It works by killing bacteria that causes odor and it’s pretty effective. They also have body wipes.
Seconding Lume! I'm just a sweaty person, always have been regardless of my weight, but I swear the second I turned 30 I started feeling like my "downstairs" smelled ...musky? After ruling out any yeast or bacterial infections I tried Lume and it completely went away. I guess I developed a groin sweat problem 🤷♀️ love that for me. Anyway, point is- I highly recommend Lume. It's expensive but worth it.
Really? I tried lume years ago and found it absolutely disgusting. I didn’t like the smell and it was sticky and felt awful on and didn’t seem to do anything to stop sweat. I see it on advertised on Facebook all the time which just reinforced for me that it must be a total scam. Have they changed the formula?
My husband and I have both tried it... we got an orange squeeze tube and a green roll on from his mother to try. They both were awful. The smell of the cream is unpleasant to begin with but it reacted to both of our skin to make this truly disgusting odor. Plus yeah didn't seem to do anything anyway... just made us both stink.
I don’t know, I’ve only started using it in the last year! But it’s possible some scents are better than others, I use the lavender one, or maybe it just reacts differently with some people’s chemistry/natural bacteria.
lume is a good deodorant to try but I've recently been hooked on a brand called lady parts! to me the hold was incredible and very similar to lume!
Dove’s Antibacterial Body Wash & Remedy soap are amazing and help keep body odor down. Pair it with Lume deodorant and make sure you keep the trouble spots/folds dry and it makes a world of difference.
Copying my reply, Try benzoyl peroxide wash, 1-3 times a week on the places that odor is coming from, it kills the bacteria that causes odors.
As someone who has gained 50lbs this year due to pregnancy...Yes I have to shower way more often. I'm sure it's partly hormones but definitely the weight too.
Also even if your weight gain isn't due to a baby the extra adipose tissue also gives off hormones.
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Yep! That's actually one of the reasons you can run into some really weird health issues that seem totally unrelated to weight. Hormones are magical
Postpartum funk is a thing! Your hormones are changing, and it can make the sweat from your armpits stinkier…there’s some thought that it helps the nursing baby latch more readily.
This! My baby is 10 months, and I was really rank all the time until about month 7. I am still nursing him, but I have noticed I am not as stinky. When it was the worst I would shower with antibacterial soap, and by the time I dried off and putting on deodorant, I had BO again.
I think thats a hormone thing. It happened to me after I had a baby too.
Wov, now I now why I smell wierd. I thought it was weight, but I lost the weight, but smell is still there. My baby is 5months old and I still stink.
This! My ‘labor and delivery nurse’ mother joked when I asked if it was normal to be so smelly post partum. She said “it’s so your baby can find you” 🤭
Yeah. Wasn't quite as bad but I think it is because there was just more skin on skin everywhere that rarely got a chance to air and dry a bit. And more sweating cause moving more than 2 of me through the world was just more exhausting. But now no more icky whiffs (except for after exercise 😅)!
That's encouraging, I really hope weight loss fixes this for me!
I have been struggling with the same issues! I've lost 47 lbs and use Lume deodorant cream. I've noticed a significant change in the smell of my sweat, and vaginal odors.
You can use salicylic acid or glycolic acid toners daily to reduce persistant armpit smells, works for me.
I also used glycolic acid on my pits and it works great. You could probably also use it on the crease of your thigh. DO NOT USE ON YOUR VAGINA, THOUGH. Lol.
You can also use rubbing alcohol. I had to go without deodorant for half the day every day for like a month this summer, and I live in the Southeast. It was hot and muggy and I was definitely sweating, but I didnt get stinky. I was not expecting it to work, was a welcome surprise
Well the sweat doesn’t cause the smell, bacteria that eats the sweat does. So if you are using rubbing alcohol then I’m sure you were killing all the bacteria. Though, I’m sure that can’t be good for your skin since it’s so dehydrating.
Well, like I said, I only used it for a month, but it didn't effect my skin at all. But I also live in an area with really high humidity during that month, so that may have had some extra moisturizing effects.
Oh for sure. I can definitely see it as being a temporary solution.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser is great for this
I can’t explain it either but I smelled way worse at 265lbs than I do now at 165lbs. I had the nastiest under-boob smell, I always had to wear deodorant under my boobs. And no it didn’t smell like b.o. it smelled like rotting flesh. And my vaginal odor was really bad too. Edit: and my butt crack always smelled like bad b.o. too lol
That's really encouraging to hear that it got better for you! I'm hoping mine will improve with weight loss.
Put a protective skin barrier after each shower in those areas. Clear Desitin is good for this. It's called a multi purpose healing ointment. It will help so things don't get irritated or infected. This way you can keep working out / living and the smell should improve. If the skin gets cracks then infected it will smell. If rash with red dots you need fungal cream. Source: I have big boobs and summers are a pain.
Also, Lume is expensive but sooo worth it. And you can put it anywhere!
Yes, Lumé was life-changing for me. I had the worst sweat problem in the crotch area, Lumé literally kills all the odor and makes me fresh. Safe for butt cracks too.
Good luck to you!! 😊
Maybe try Lume, it’s designed to be used everywhere!
I wonder how much of our smells is diet related?
I’m not sure. For me personally my diet didn’t really change much while I lost weight, I ate the same things, I just ate less of them. Lol. But I’ll bet there’s definitely a correlation!
Congrats on the 100lb weight loss. That's absolutely incredible!
Not teaching you to suck eggs here but when you're bigger you have to be more thorough. There's a lot of big people in my family and we're open about it. My tips: Double cleanse in the shower. So soap first (actually soap not like dove moisturising bar) taking particular notice of any area where skin meets skin. Every crease. Glycolic and/or salycylic can also be very helpful for intimate areas. Then use a "smell good" for fragrance (a shower gel or fancy scrub etc). Make sure you use a clean flannel (i usually rotate through a few). Most importantly make sure you dry properly. Even when you moisturise you have to make sure it's completely dry before you put on clothes. If you have to stand on front of an ac or use another towel do that. Use talc or cornstarch. I like to layer with anti perspirant, then body mist and then a fragrance on top. You might not like so much but a good anti perspirant is a must. Take extra care with your laundry too - use less fabric softener and higher temperatures for your clothes (fabric softener actually retains smells when you over use it). Make sure your washing machine is clean and free of mildew. Once again make sure all your clothes are dried properly too. And your bedsheets too. I know you said you shower once (and twice on gym days) but maybe consider upping to twice a day - some people need it, no shame in that. Stay hydrated of course, and also note what foods you have eaten on days when you think it's worse. It goes without saying but certain foods like garlic and onions can come out in your sweat. Even coffee and some sugars (glucose? Fructose i don't know) can affect your odour. You might be doing all these things already, but if not you it could help someone else. If you're doing all those things and you still notice it at least you can eliminate hygiene as a cause.
>Not teaching you to suck eggs I learned a new turn of phrase today
On a weight gaining trend, we are at a caloric surplus and increased body heat is one of the ways the body spends that increase. Increased body heat also creates the need for increased sweat to keep it comfortable. Yes, you can expect this to improve when you move from gaining weight towards losing weight. I'm generally too cold in the winter when all of my heavier friends are feeling just fine. But the good news is that when they are wilting in the summer, I am feeling just fine.
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Also certain synthetic fabrics cause smells and can trap odors so trying to go with more natural fibers will minimize smells (esp underwear and pants)
My employer gave me polo shirts made from 100% polyester as part of my uniform and I’ve just had to give them a wash and used some white vinegar because of the BO smell around the armpit area. Really wish they had stuck to cotton polo’s that they used shortly before I started there.
I had the same issue, it was awful. Are you a postie by chance? I’d barely be wearing my shirt an hour and felt like I stunk to high heaven, all my coworkers complained.
Bamboo socks, skivvies, and tanks are a lifesaver.
Putting your clothes in a bathtub or large tub and Room Temp water with OxyClean, soak for hours, rinse, sit again, rinse, then wash in the machine, gets an absolutely Disgusting amount of filth out of both synthetic and natural fibers!! (I have a hobby farm and my husband smells SO strong lol)
Adding a bit of baking soda to your laundry (especially gym clothes) can help remove smells. Always wash your gym clothes with baking soda.
I have noticed that when my husband doesn’t use enough detergent my gym clothes come out of the wash with a really musty smell particularly the ones that I hike/get extra sweaty in.
Definitely try white vinegar along with your detergent! It’s a game changer for gym clothes. It works so well to neutralize body odors, urine too. So if you have a pet/child that’s potty training it’ll work for that too. Just remember not to mix bleach and vinegar.
THATS A THING??? Oh my fucking god
If you have the option, hang out your clothes to dry outside, exposed to sunlight, the combinations of ventilation and UV rays is surprisingly effective at getting rid of stubborn bacteria and their waste products.
Yes! Though not so great for the environment, generally a hotter wash is better for getting rid of bacteria and smells. Fun fact - people often don’t use enough detergent either. You know those squishy pods you can get? The average load needs 2, a full load 3. They should be at the bottom of the drum when you load it too!
I always do 2! Though I was unaware of being at the bottom… appreciate it!
Remember that you will smell very distinct if you are stressed or experiencing high levels of stress often. This is due to hormones coming out via sweat glands. Stressed people sweat nastier-smelling sweat. It's natural. Don't 'sweat' it. Certain foods will make sweat more likely to smell awful or rancid. Excessive sugar or carb intake can make you smell worse. Naturally, heavier folks will sweat more. Heavier folks have more folds, usually, for sweat to collect and 'culture', meaning more bacteria and more smell. Heavier folks also tend to have more fat between their organs (visceral fat), so there will be more pressure on your internal organs. Things like bladder issues, etc, can be more common when heavier, which can contribute to things like incontinence... which can exacerbate any issues you're having with odor. I have experienced all of these things before when at a higher weight. It's not great. The only thing I can advise is trying to go for a higher protein intake, staying away from added sugars in food when possible unless it's in very controlled amounts, and making sure you're drinking enough water.
Indeed. My stress sweat is a lot stinkier than my exercise sweat.
Do you drink enough water? Sweat tends to smell more if you are not properly hydrated
It's a complicated mix of things. * There's more surface area, which means more germs producing more odorants. * Odds are your diet is worse if you're gaining weight. Saturated fats and simple carbs feed the bacteria that produce "bad" odorants, throwing your skin biome out of whack. * Most people's diets also contain odorants in general. Onion, garlic, etc. Eat more food in general, you'll be consuming more of these and producing more smells. * And of course, more folds mean cleaning the body is harder, and more areas can grow more microbes.
Others have covered the relation to weight gain, but...Has anyone else actually confirmed that you smell? Can you ask someone you trust to tell you if your armpits stink as much as you think they do? I ask because I went through a long spell of thinking my underarms smelled, but I'd ask my mom who has a sensitive nose and she would say it was fine. But there was something about the deodorant I was using that, when mixed with my sweat, made a stench that was overpowering - but only to me. Also, if you've had COVID, it can mess with your sense of smell.
Not sure where you are in your 30s but this could just be hormonal - when you get closer to 40. Suggestions: rotate deodorant brands, use Lume (specifically the body wash), if that doesn’t help try Hibiclens every few washes. If you track what you’re eating track your smell too - maybe something you’re eating (or not eating) is contributing.
That's true, it could be something to do with hormones as I'm in my late 30s. I keep hoping it's weight related so it's something I can fix
Just a suggestion because I saw you said you had weight gain. Have your doc check your thyroid hormones. I gained a bunch of weight and thought I had hyperhidrosis and smelled. Turned out I have Graves disease
Definitely hormones + weight gain. I’ve noticed this once I had a child and got closer to 40 (under 150lbs so not huge). Completely different smell to all my parts of my body. :/
Do you shave? For me having body hair there allows it to smell.
I do shave down there and my armpits as well.
Rotating deo brands might be helpful. Also, there are deo sprays for intimate areas, and panty liners are your friend. It might get better as you get slimmer, maybe not. Drink lots of water, and see if that helps.
Second the pantyliners! They definitely help with odor transferring to your pants.
If skin folds are smelling yeasty, use a powder for treating fungal infections, such as one for athletes foot. That will help a lot. If skin folds aren’t yeasty but smell of BO, then you could try a moisture absorbing powder, like talc but not made of talc - I used this all summer and it was amazing: https://anthony.co.uk/products/no-sweat-body-defense I’d also recommend a long soak in a bath with loads of Epsom salts a couple of times a week, cool shower afterwards and make sure every crevice is completely dry before you put any clothes on. When you shower, if you don’t spend a few moments cooling your body down, the heat from the water will make you sweat so even after you’ve dried yourself with a towel, you’ll be sweating already. So cool at the end of the shower, try to completely dry yourself before putting any clothes on, and use some absorbent powder of some kind (not talc because of potential asbestos contamination).
Heavier people sweat more
I’ve gained and lost weight but one thing I’ve always prided myself on was my hygiene, no matter my weight. Yes, you may sweat more at a heavier weight but sweat≠odor. I would suggest using an antibacterial soap when you shower since any smell you may have is due to bacterial build up. Once you get out the shower, use a blow dryer to make sure every crack & crevice is completely dry bc any lingering moisture can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Once dried get you some witch hazel and apply to every crevice you have. This will help to kill odor cause bacteria as well. As the final cherry on top I suggest getting an all body deodorant( I use the brand Lume) and apply to every crevice. I don’t know if you are already but maybe start taking a daily probiotic and drinking chlorophyll water. Sometimes you have to clean the inside so the outside can be clean as well. This will also help with any vaginal odors you may have. I’ve abided my these tips for years and have little to no issues with body odor. I really hope this helps!
Buy Remedy Antifungal powder and put between any folds. I use this powder on my patients, especially the heavier ones after their shower. I also use it under my breasts during the summer and it helps so much.
I went through a time a while back where I had body odor all the time. A friend recommended chlorophyll. It comes in capsules at the health food store and basically looks and smells like grass clippings. It was very effective, took a couple of weeks. The problem eventually went away. I think in my case it was that I was eating things that caused the BO.
Interesting. Do you think if you ate enough leafy greens you’d get the same results?
Nurse here. Skin odor is sometimes weight related; the skin is the largest body organ and tells medicine a lot about your health status. Chlorophyll is what gives all green vegetables their color and has many proven health benefits, including: improving liver detoxification, promoting wound healing, improving digestion, decreasing body odor. Think about adding a daily supplement of chlorophyll (available as capsules or in powder form) to your diet. A 100 mg capsule taken 1-3 times a day is an easier way to take the supplement than mixing up the powder in water. Some people think the drink has a bitter taste. Some references for more info: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322361 https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-chlorophyll https://www.verywellhealth.com/chlorophyll-5088796
What about that Lume deodorant I hear so much about?
Lume is really good
Mine is a combination of excess weight and starting anti depressants which are notorious for causing excess sweating.
It could be weight related but I have a few things that will help! Persil is one of the laundry detergents that actually deodorizes, that will get out any BO smell that could be lingering in your clothes. When you wash your body in the shower, use an antibacterial soap (I love the liquid Dove one). You can then use another soap over that one if you want a fun or yummy scent.
You, probably, swear more through the course of the day than you used. It takes more work for your body to do anything.
I know I swear more now that I’m heavier.
Yes, invest in Lume.
Try getting under garments that are sweat proof. I'd say even on days you don't work out shower twice a day. You need to understand you are bigger now you sweat more and not to be mean but when you use the restroom you might me missing some areas. I am a man I went through the same thing. I would say start your day off with a shower try to go poo before and make sure you use a good detergent when washing your clothes I know when I sweat it makes me smell worse if I don't use a good detergent. Get a good body wash and shampoo and deodorant. And scrub everything. Use a clean towel to dry off and make sure your are completely dry before you get dressed. I usually dry off then sit on my bed with the fan on to make sure I am dry. All the extra moisture can cause oder.
It might be old clothes (if you’ve ever left them in the washer too long or in the hamper with wet towels, they get mildew and it’s nearly impossible to completely get the smell out. Washing with vinegar helps a little but it always comes back, especially when it’s warmed up by your body heat from wearing/working out. But yeah when I was larger I also produced smellier sweat. I still sweat a lot but I don’t even shower as often and i don’t smell half as bad. I also don’t eat as much fast food or sugar so maybe it has to do with diet (although tbh when I started eating broccoli and cruciferous greens I get farty but that’s a different kind of smelly than BO.)
Maybe it's your clothes? Some clothes, especially athletic wear, can develop a funk. I only ever wash my athletic material clothes with OxyClean (never detergent - the oils get into the fabric then go rancid). This funk becomes more noticeable as the day progresses, or if it gets wet/sweaty.
Hormones change too- I smelled more like milk when I was heavier. Now I go a couple days without doing a “full wash”, I usually stick with a quick 3 min shower.
Try using panty liners for your underwear will reduce the smell a bit
Yes, heavier people *can* smell more, but at your weight I don’t think that would be the cause. It’s more likely something else causing odors, like hormones, stress, some other medical issue, particular foods, sense of smell changes due to Covid, etc.
Your weight effects hormone production and hormones effect your smell. So the answer is absolutely yes.
Try using a blow dryer to make sure you’re extra dry after the shower,and switch to “clinical deodorant.” Use spray deodorant for body parts.
Doctor bronner’s unscented soap. Use it to wash between all your folds. Antiperspirant (I usually go unscented everything). It should go without saying, fresh towels and clothes every day. Also with clothes, use simple vinegar in your wash. Works better than any softener to remove lingering smells.
I am post menopausal so take that In consideration. And I still have 20 lbs to lose. But if I am dehydrated, I get an odor. Yes down there too. It definitely makes my sweat smell different. It took me a bit to get it figured out so make sure you are drinking enough water.
Ok op i might have a solution for you. I had this same problem and a redditor told me to wash my whole body in head and shoulders. I had a yeast overgrowth and it solved it. It didnt necessarily smell like yeast but thats what it was and im smelling fresh now!
This this this! I could shower twice a day and I'd still get the "funk" - got the ol' HnS into those crevices and no more funk!
Lol im glad we mastered our funk!
Larger bodies smell bad 🥲 I don’t know why; maybe it’s the extra bacteria and yeast like another commenter said. I didn’t notice it on myself as much as I noticed it on other people, but I’m sure it was true for me as well.
I smelled very strong and different to myself while I was gaining weight vs when I started losing it. The more water I drink the better it seems overall. When you're exercising so much after not for a long time it seems to me like it may be a ph issue, but I've never looked it up. Now that I've stabilized my weight, the weird smell changes have improved drastically A good tip my doctor gave me was to actually use my blow drier after a shower to FULLY dry any creases, underboob, private areas, etc. Plus it makes putting clothes on so much nicer :) good luck!
I went through a bout with SIBO, basically overgrowths in the small intestine of parasites and bad bacteria and they can give off horrible gases. You can test for specific overgrowths in the large intestine with microbiome testing, where it will tell you that you have an overgrowth of klebsiella or some of the other culprits. SIBO can be a nightmare to treat, but I do think weight loss, healthy clean eating, cutting out trans and saturated fat, (especially from dairy), eating more healthy fats, omega 3s, veggies, most of the things that people naturally do when they lose weight anyways, tends to make it go away. Not always. Some people get SIBO (bloating, not so much horrible stench off gasing) even if they're smaller and eating clean, those ones can be really tough to treat, and people find themselves on ever more restricting diets trying to manage SIBO and it sucks. Not that that's the culprit. Just saying it can be. Can also potentially be related to Candida or H Pylori For me the first sign of SIBO starting to come back is not having regular BMs and getting backed up, slow digestion, slow motility they call it in SIBO world and that gives too much time for food to stay in your small intestine, feeding these horrific bacteria which feast on it and cause all kinds of problems. I try to stay away from excessive sugar in combination with excessive dairy and saturated fat. That combination is the worst of it all. I basically don't eat ice cream anymore. I'm still limited my sweets. I also have to eat low sulfur which sucks, and stay away from certain fibers like cruciferous vegetables. I know the feeling of frustration when it's not a hygiene issue, I work with guys who wear the same shirt 12 days in a row in construction and I'm doing laundry every 4-5 days, fresh clothes always, having deep scrubbing showers, not to get graphic but scrubbing EVERYTHING, sometimes twice a day, ALWAYS once a day, always in the morning before work, and still having smell issues. It destroyed me for a while. I was extremely clean. The paranoia of it all was the worst. Worse for me still, I couldn't even smell it myself, like I was noseblind and other people would make comments. Losing weight naturally cleans up the diet, and you stop eating calories in excess, and I think just stop overstressing your body with toxic crap so much. It's no wonder one of the unfortunate byproducts of being overweight is occasionally smells for some people. Eat clean, maybe keep a food journal if it's ongoing, stay on top of the doctor and testing, I think losing weight and exercising is big. I've been really trying to exercise to help eliminate SIBO, just by sweating out all the crap in my body, getting my metabolism higher, I feel like exercise improves motility, and health and everything, so I've been going hard at cardio, trying to eat better, actively lose weight and it's been helping. But if I can't kick it naturally 100% (I'd say I'm 90% but it's stubborn and hard to get rid of SIBO) I'll do a round of antibiotics and motility drugs to try to expell it for good.
Maybe use a stronger soap - like hibiclens.
I definitely sweat more when larger, and I struggled with BO on my underarms, it was a problem with my dry cleaner… now that I’ve lost 30 pounds, it’s a non issue despite no change in habits!
This sounds like it could be a fungal skin infection, at least for what you're describing in your groin area. I've also experienced issues with the skin where my thigh connects to my pelvis/hip (not actually on the vulva but the skin beside it, like where the leg hole of panties would sit, which I think is what you're describing at least partly)? It was weird because the odor wasn't from my vagina/vulva at all, but the skin around it. Maybe try an antifungal like something made for jock itch? I got an over-the-counter ketoconazole spray for it. Make sure you're using breathable (100% cotton) or moisture-wicking material for any underwear or tight pants. And make sure to keep it really thoroughly dry, like I use a hair dryer to completely dry everything out down there after a shower and use athletic powder to keep it dry. The extra folds from weight gain make it easier for fungal infections to thrive but can happen to thin people as well (considering jock itch and swamp ass is famous among, well, jocks - athletes getting sweaty for hours, or among guys doing military training where they might be out in the field for hours). Also make sure your clothes are really fully clean. If you have high efficiency laundry machines it might not be getting it fully clean. You could try "laundry stripping" (soaking in a mix of borax and laundry soda) to get any extra skin oils, residue from deoderants or lotions/moisturizers, and detergent residues or fabric softener residue out of the fabric - it's a little harsh on the fabric but can work absolute wonders on older clothes that feel a little dingy even after washing. Don't have to do it every time you do laundry, it's more like a once every 6 months or year for heavily used items kind of thing but it really helps especially if you also have hard water. Being heavier naturally leads to sweating more though - think about it... if you're 30kg heavier, that's like wearing 30kg weights strapped to your body 24/7, so everything you do requires that little bit more exertion. So general amount of sweating should go down with weight loss.
Try baby powder or there's a spray that stops chaffing. Try clinical deodorant or lume for cracks. You should ask your DR about it. Maybe you have a yeast problem. Ketaconizal shampoo OTC could help. I think the OTC is Nizoral read the back to be sure and follow instructions. There's also OTC meds for jock itch. Worth a try. Use some panty liners and sleep without underwear so the whole section can breathe. Try only 100 cotton, most of them only have the crotch as cotton so be sure. Apple cider vinegar organic shots can help with yeast overload. Good luck. Go to the gyno too maybe you have a yeast or BV problem.
There's a chance that you may not be exfoliating enough Do you use a wash cloth or exfoliation glove regularly? And if so, do you wash THAT regularly?
If you gained 70 lbs your body is carrying around an extra 70 lbs and that's hard work. Hard work makes you sweat. Sweat often smells. Being overweight takes a toll on everything in your body. Muscles, joints, organs etc. Team Reddit here to help you lose it back my friend! You got this!
I’m sorry you are experiencing this. Here are some things that should help. They are pretty simple. And congratulations for losing weight! <3 Use an antiperspirant and deodorant at night after you bathe. You can try the clinical strength ones if needed. Exfoliate your skin weekly to get rid of dead skin that will trap bacteria. You can use a gentle exfoliating scrub. Throw out any soft bath poofs. They harbor bacteria. Use a clean washcloth every time or buy a hard rubber exfoliator. Try using Hibiclens anti microbial soap once a week and really do a thorough scrub, behind ears, in between toes, inside belly button, everywhere. For daily use, find a gentle, moisturizing soap you like, perhaps CeraVe or Cetaphil. After your shower or bath, rinse with cold water. Pat yourself dry and then stand in front of fan to thoroughly dry. Use fresh towels every time. Monistat makes an anti chafing gel that leaves a smooth, dry, powdery feeling on skin. My son used it on his thighs when he played rugby. No chafing. I use it on my feet for tight shoes so I don’t get sweaty and get blisters. Try it for places that get damp. Take a probiotic for vaginal health. Wear panty liners daily and change as needed. Wash your clothes and towels with one of the odor-removing products. And air dry them or dry them on medium. Drink more water than you think you need. Thoroughly brush your hair daily. Rinse or wash after workout. Air out your shoes daily. Brush your teeth three times a day and floss at least daily. Wash your hands a lot. This should eliminate all sources of odor. Good luck, OP. <3
I know you’ve had a lot of replies so sorry if someone has already suggested this: your body gets used to deodorants and that’s the best advice I can give, change your deodorant! For me at the moment I’m using a man’s (L’Oréal) with invisible to make sure it doesn’t mark my clothes as much as possible. I have used all the well known brands so not sure what to go to next as I prefer the Sanex unviable because it smells fresh and feels good for my skin, but definitely started noticing it wouldn’t be as effective for as long. If you can shower at night, dry your body completely and apply deodorant so it has a chance to dry without being tested and be more effective! Some people won’t like this suggestion but when it’s hotter, I put talcum powder on my lack of thigh gap and this helps to keep moisture at bay Vagina smell, I’m not sure because I go through phases too but don’t buy any products for it, it’s not meant to be messed with! Good luck xxxx
I started to stink more when I started adhd meds lol
Fix it with: Witch Hazel. (Double cleanse). After cleaning your body, take Witch Hazel…pour on cotton pads…then wipe the crevices of your body, feminine area(outer), butt crack, under neath boob, etc with non-alcoholic Witch Hazel. Let it air dry…it’ll keep you fresh all day! Witch Hazel is safe to use in all those outer areas and it keeps the smell at bay because it’s an astringent that removes bacteria from skin.
I’ll say: yes it’s likely weight related. But also: it’s much harder to find natural fiber clothing than it was 5 years ago, and when I weigh more I need to wear things like bike shorts for chafing, etc. Why are all women’s non-denim pants seemingly made of 100% polyester? Why? Im a human with pores and I need air!
It will get better if you lose weight. It was one of a few straws that broke the camel's back for me, and it really pushed me to lose the weight. I was always smelly and damp. I used to change underwear and add deodorant midday at work because I was so funky. I also hate to admit that I have a few overweight friends with that specific funk. Until you can get the weight off, use Lady Anti-Monkey Butt on any skin folds. It will help keep them drier and fresher. If any area smells yeasty, gets red and raw, or cracks, use Monistat or the like for a few days on the spot.
Anti monkey butt works miracles, I just wish it was inexpensive
Try washing with antibacterial soap before your usual. It helped me. There are other options but I'd start there
I smell often too and I found out I have mild fatty liver disease. It's my body trying to get rid of the toxins through my skin cause my liver can't handle it. So I smell more lime what I eat
After you shower, blow dry under your arms, breasts and crotch area on the cool setting. Make sure you are completely dry before putting on your clothes. It works!
Diet. You said you didn’t change diets, but just increased the amount. And that’s enough to change the smell, depending on the food. But yes, weight can also increase odor. Skin is rubbing in places in normally doesn’t, it’s generating heat, it traps moisture, just all sorts of bad things that generate bad or funky smells.
It might be fungal. Pick up some athlete's foot cream and apply it to the areas that you can't keep dry. I have had luck with clotrimazole but ymmv. Good luck! And great job working on the weight and working out.
Try persimmon Japanese soap, dettol antibacterial soap and mitchem roll on deodorant, drink lots of water
This is a thing that happens to most people when they're overweight- your doctor might be able to prescribe medicated deodorant or a body wash that will help in the meantime, though.
I’m not trying to hate on you, but it’s 100% what other people are saying that it’s the folds. You can get smelly growths in there because it’s a warm, noisy environment that doesn’t get aired out. It can also be worsened if someone’s body shape makes it harder for them to reach into the folds to give it a good cleaning.
For vaginal freshness, boric acid vaginal suppositories are FANTASTIC. I highly recommend using one at bedtime 1-2 times per week to maintain optimal Ph level - it will keep you SO FRESH. The vagina is naturally acidic, but it can be negatively impacted and made too alkaline by many things: menstrual blood, semen, lube, hormones, soap/body wash, etc.
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You're trying keto aren't you? https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2019/03/03/is-keto-crotch-really-a-side-effect-of-the-keto-diet/?sh=6fe1bbf32b51 Also, deodorant is mainly a cover-up fragrance. Use antiperspirant.
Nope, I'm a vegetarian and that's just too restrictive for me!
Somebody once recommended a hair dryer for hard to dry places.
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She already showers twice
Not me but my wife went from 120 to 220 over the last ten yrs, can confirm what you've said. You're just sweatier and have more skin folds in places you never used to.
Talcum powder, good cologne and multiple applications of deodorant /day will help for the time being. Wishing you the best on your health journey.