Causes of Underarm Odor

Causes of Underarm Odor<br /><br />Specialists at Mayo Clinic identify two types of sweat glands in the skin: eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands occur over most of the body and open directly onto the skins surface. When your body temperature rises, eccrine glands secrete fluid, mainly water and salt, onto the surface of your skin where it evaporates and cools your body. Apocrine glands, located in hairy areas, such as groin, scalp and armpits, secrete a fatty type of sweat directly into the glands tubules. Bacterial action on apocrine sweat in the armpit area produces fatty acids and ammonia. The resulting odor has been variously described as rancid, musty and pungent. Apocrine bromhidrosis occurs after puberty when the apocrine glands become active. More men than women are affected. Contributing causes may be obesity and diabetes mellitus. Keeping the skin clean to reduce the bacteria count, and keeping armpits as dry as possible may help. The New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated recommends washing with germicidal soap twice a day, keeping armpits shaved and using topical deodorants. is a rare genetic disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a compound that has the odor of rotten fish. This compound derives from the diet, and as it builds up in the system odor is released in breath, urine and sweat. Most cases of trimethylaminuria are caused by gene mutations, but an excess of certain proteins in the diet or an increase in the bacteria that produce trimethylamine in the digestive tract can also cause it. Occasionally, it occurs in adults suffering from liver or kidney disease.