BO problems

[Marradin]

I have just had my job threatened and want to ask if there is anything I can do beyond moving to - effectively - the rock - as replacement for my current deodorant - which isn't working any more. The deodorant I use was the last stick type - that didn't cause a rash. I get rashes from all spray and roll-on deodorants. I have a long history of allergies, my boss wanted me to try talcum powders but my doctor nixed that one.

I have a medical certificate for my boss basically stating that due to my allergies my choices in 'Personal hygiene' extras were very limited. Just wanting to know if there was anything extra I could do. The doctor BTW thinks my hygiene regime is 'better than average'.

[Shahaku]

We did have a discussion on this topic at one point.

http://www.paganforum.com/showthread.php?10648-it-s-the-pits-deodorant-take-2&highlight=deodorant

I'm not absolutely sure anything there will help, but it's worth the read. Another choice might be an natural alcohol based perfume, which is what my gf uses instead of deodorant. Alcohol in general kills the bacteria, so it has a potential of helping some. If you aren't allergic/sensitive.

[Jembru]

I've never seen them here in the UK, maybe because it never gets that hot, but in Japan I used to wear armpit pads to protect my shirts from sweat stains. You could try those and maybe change them once or twice during the day while at work. Combined with giving your pits a quick wash between changes, it might be enough to control the smell.

Here they are on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KAR4T78/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1455075610&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=armpit+pads&dpPl=1&dpID=41PnyzpWLZL&ref=plSrch)

I hope you find something that helps. Or can be nice having your personal hygiene called into question when you know you're doing the very best you can.

[Norse_Angel]

Not sure if this will cause a reaction, but I use essential oils to cover my body odor, mainly peppermint.

[DanieMarie]

We did have a discussion on this topic at one point.

http://www.paganforum.com/showthread.php?10648-it-s-the-pits-deodorant-take-2&highlight=deodorant

I'm not absolutely sure anything there will help, but it's worth the read. Another choice might be an natural alcohol based perfume, which is what my gf uses instead of deodorant. Alcohol in general kills the bacteria, so it has a potential of helping some. If you aren't allergic/sensitive.

I second this.

Also, maybe you could try changing your diet? Certain foods tend to create more BO than others. Fruits and veggies are usually handy.

[TxanGoddess]

You may have already tried it, but when I had similar problems I switched to a cream brand called Tussy. I was pretty happy with it, but beyond rashes, I just find that something in my system has to reject a deodorant for odor control every 5-10 years, and it eventually did happen with Tussy which made me switch, but I never had rashes or irritation. Weird hormones ... happens to my mom too.

[Bartmanhomer]

I say wash your armpits really good. And try on deodorant that you're not allergic.

[DragonsFriend]

Have you tried rinsing with hydrogen peroxide? It will completely sterilize your underarms and it is not likely to cause allergenic reactions. You shouldn't have problems with dry skin because you are "abnormally" moist in that area. I don't know if you would have to repeat the sterilization or even if you should. Just a passing thought. I have sensitive skin and have done it before using 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.

[Bartmanhomer]

What I don't understand is how can you be allegric to most of the dedorants?

[volcaniclastic]

What I don't understand is how can you be allegric to most of the dedorants?

Easy. I have a fragrance allergy. This means I'm allergic to almost all deodorants, shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, lotions, creams, perfumes, body sprays, makeups, household cleaning products, etc.

If it makes someone/something smell nice, I can't use it.

[anunitu]

In California they had rules of no fragrance at work for the reason Vol just posted,some people can get deathly ill from things.

[Bartmanhomer]

Oh I see. Ok then. Well like I said before wash your armpit really good and use dedorant that's you aren't allergic. You might want to stay in the shower for 10-15 minutes since your armpits is the big issue.

[thalassa]

Oh I see. Ok then. Well like I said before wash your armpit really good and use dedorant that's you aren't allergic.


Also, some people are allergic to the metal compounds (usually aluminum) in the form that they are present in cosmetics. TBH, metal allergies are quite common, as well as fragrance allergies.

The point is that he's tried all the commercial deodorants available to him and they cause an allergic reaction.


And just washing isn't the solution. Even antibacterial soaps (which are actually bad for you to use continuously) only kill 99.9% of bacteria.

[Norse_Angel]

Easy. I have a fragrance allergy. This means I'm allergic to almost all deodorants, shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, lotions, creams, perfumes, body sprays, makeups, household cleaning products, etc.

If it makes someone/something smell nice, I can't use it.

But does that include organic essential oils? If it's totally natural, no artificial fragrances added? May be a dumb question.

[thalassa]

But does that include organic essential oils? If it's totally natural, no artificial fragrances added? May be a dumb question.

I don't know about V, but I know a number of people that are allergic to the various compounds in certain essential oils. If you are allergic to the plant or plant family, you are likely to be allergic to its essential oil. I have a friend that is allergic to lavender that has this problem.

[Norse_Angel]

Very true, but, if OP does not have any plant allergies, EO's may be the best bet.

[thalassa]

Very true, but, if OP does not have any plant allergies, EO's may be the best bet.

Maybe. The problem there is that only 2 EO's are "safe" to use neat, everything else needs to be diluted. Dilution in alcohol-based solutions can cause problems with dermatitis. Dilution in carrier oils can be comedogenic and raise its own problems--even "non-comedogenic oils" can be problematic for some people in that area, as a "food source" to bacteria, including yeasts.

The "best" "natural" alternative to deo that I have found (from when I was a corpsman, working in radiation oncology, because patients there were advised not to use deo due to possibly skin irritation, though recent studies have found that this is not an issu (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/skip-deodorant-cancer-radiation-therapy/story?id=12066878)e) is a combination of arrowroot powder and/or cornstarch and baking soda (which is aluminum free automatically (http://www.crunchybetty.com/the-great-baking-soda-anti-hoax)) applied as a powder---exact proportions will depend on the person, but anywhere from a 1:3/1:1 ratio is okay...unless you have any scratches or open skin (baking soda stings like a mofo). Lavender, tea tree oil, etc are good germ-killa EO's, though tea tree can be a bit tingly (both of these are generally safe to use neat, depending on the area you are putting them on) that can be added if there's no allergy risk, as are a few others, though there are a number of EOs that I would avoid putting into a mix that is going on such a sensitive area.

[Bartmanhomer]

Also, some people are allergic to the metal compounds (usually aluminum) in the form that they are present in cosmetics. TBH, metal allergies are quite common, as well as fragrance allergies.

The point is that he's tried all the commercial deodorants available to him and they cause an allergic reaction.


And just washing isn't the solution. Even antibacterial soaps (which are actually bad for you to use continuously) only kill 99.9% of bacteria.

Well is that the case then I'm afraid that I'm all out of ideas to how to solve his body odor problem. There's has to be something he can do. :(

[Marradin]

Talked to my union, have a medical certificate - am trying the rock for now - but my union says it would end up being a discriminatory unfair dismissal if I get fired now I have the medical certificate. Hopefully the Rock works. And I've also been told that if she keeps being rude and confrontational about it I can give her a harassment warning.

[Medusa]

Talked to my union, have a medical certificate - am trying the rock for now - but my union says it would end up being a discriminatory unfair dismissal if I get fired now I have the medical certificate. Hopefully the Rock works. And I've also been told that if she keeps being rude and confrontational about it I can give her a harassment warning.

Have your co-workers complained about your odor or anything? I've had to work with a few very bad bo people. And I'll be honest. I've had to step away from them.

[habbalah]

Are you allergic to baby powder? That might work.

[Marradin]

Talcum powder Strongly advised against by my doctor using any powder bases. I Spend about 10 mins a week in the presence of most of my clients, collecting security tapes to review that sort of thing. That is one of the reasons I find this so annoying - most of my work is solo.

[iris]

Talcum powder Strongly advised against by my doctor using any powder bases. I Spend about 10 mins a week in the presence of most of my clients, collecting security tapes to review that sort of thing. That is one of the reasons I find this so annoying - most of my work is solo.

This sounds weird, but I saw on some danish forum someone suggested washing the armpits with intimate hygiene soap, let it stay there for about 10 minutes before rinsing it. Apparently that worked for someone, might be worth a try?

[Bartmanhomer]

This sounds weird, but I saw on some danish forum someone suggested washing the armpits with intimate hygiene soap, let it stay there for about 10 minutes before rinsing it. Apparently that worked for someone, might be worth a try?

I said that already. But thelassa said that soap doesn't work.

[anunitu]

intimate hygiene soap,is not regular soap. Might fall into the summers eve family....

[thalassa]

I said that already. But thelassa said that soap doesn't work.

I said that even antibacterial soap only kills 99.9% of bacteria. Depending on the specific species of bacteria, a population can double in size in 2-4 hours in good conditions (good conditions being damp and warm, which is just about every armpit, ever).

It's not a practical solution, to shower that frequently. Plus it will dry your skin out and make sensitive skin more sensitive.

Plus, triclosan is bad. (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-key-antibacterial-soap-ingredient-must-go/) (hopefully (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-reasons-why-you-should-probably-stop-using-antibacterial-soap-180948078/?no-ist) a problem going away soon (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-reasons-why-you-should-probably-stop-using-antibacterial-soap-180948078/?no-ist)--not sure what the status of triclosan is in the UK, but its still in a huge number of products in the US)

[Taulmaril]

I have just had my job threatened and want to ask if there is anything I can do beyond moving to - effectively - the rock - as replacement for my current deodorant - which isn't working any more. The deodorant I use was the last stick type - that didn't cause a rash. I get rashes from all spray and roll-on deodorants. I have a long history of allergies, my boss wanted me to try talcum powders but my doctor nixed that one.

I have a medical certificate for my boss basically stating that due to my allergies my choices in 'Personal hygiene' extras were very limited. Just wanting to know if there was anything extra I could do. The doctor BTW thinks my hygiene regime is 'better than average'.

My son actually uses women's deodorant because men's tends to give him a rash. You could try that perhaps?

[Juniper]

I don't have an answer to what kind of deodorant (or, 'odorant' as my hubby likes to call it) to use. I'm in a similar boat, myself. I can't use gel based deodorants because it gives me a rash. Other deodorants don't last long, if they even work in the first place. Now, I didn't really have many issues with this until I changed my diet, last year. It changed my body chemistry which resulted in me having to look for new things. (there's a thread any that floating around here somewhere).
I'm wondering if you're experiencing a similar problem. Did you make dietary changes a few months leading up to this becoming an issue for you?

[Marradin]

Trying to respond to A few things here
1) Tried women's deoderent - it's the base that I'm allergic to
2) no dietary changes in 3 years.
3) only significant change was sinus surgery last year to help me breathe better. not going back on that - my health has improved immensely :)
The rock seems to be working. but when I had 3 days off I forgot to put it on for 2 days and got a rash - wondering if that was because of the changes the rock causes - but that - so far - is dealable with.

[habbalah]

Found a homemade deodorant (https://asonomagarden.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/how-to-make-homemade-deodorant-i-love-it/) recipe in an ancient thread.