Under Arm

[Lost in LOS]

I am sure I will get grief over this so your best.

since living in Thailand I am having trouble with underarm odor. two showers a day, scrub my underarms and use deodorant but doesn’t last long in this heat. What is a good soap and deodorant to use. I can"t read the Thai descriptions on the local products

[jdinasia]

i import Mitchum deoderant ... no stink ... but 2 things you can do ... shower more often and educe the dairy/meat from your diet

[kurgen]

Just take more showers, wear deodorant and stick to cotton clothes.

Most days I shower 4 or 5 times, sometimes more, rarely less.

[Lost in LOS]

Thanks for the help

I will up the number of my daily showers. I do like to walk a lot for exercise, and that doesn’t do well for underarm odor, will have to find a better deodorant.

as far as my meat and diary. very little red meat, chicken in my Thai dishes, which is minimal, and cream in 2 cups of coffee for the dairy so I think I am doing well in that area

can anyone suggest brands of underarm deodorant and deodorant soap that can be bought in the local stores that work well for them? there are many choices and i could use help from experience.

thanks in advance

Jimmy

[Farma]

I had the same problem and found the best solution for me was to change deodorant brands every few days.

I'm currently alternating between Ban and Axe roll on.

[Soju]

Several years ago when I was too overweight I would sweat profusely and at that time there was a white powder (mineral?) I bought in the Philippines called Tawas that I applied after showering to still wet underarms. It worked better than any deodorant for me. I believe they sell the same stuff in Thailand but it's known as a different name there. Maybe someone else here knows what I'm talking about. A small plastic bag of the stuff that lasted me a year cost less than 1 USD. Much more effective and cheaper than deodorant, but the application can be a bit tricky and messy as lots of the powder ends up on the floor. I believe all it is is just the pure active ingredient in deodorants, without any added perfumes which tend to stink when you start sweating and they combine with your sweat.

Edited August 17, 2006 by Soju

[ZZZ]

Soap can kill good bacteria that protects and keep your skin klean, this can then result in bad odour.

Go for more showers all without soap for a few days and see if there is a difference. Only use soap if there is some dirt or grease that will not go away without it.

You will probably sweat less after not using soap for a few days as well.

[chuchok]

Try a sansom crystal.They work fantastic, although they do not stop you sweating.When the sansom is wet and rubbed on the skin it kills the bacteria and continues to do so during the day.The bacteria is what makes the smell in the first place.

[steveromagnino]

- only cold showers

- drink very cold drinks (to keep your body core temperature low)

- avoid highly processed food like coke etc; caffeine and coffee also will make you sweat

- use an antipersparent rather than a deodorant; this will help reduce sweating e.g. nivea have an anti persparent (however you spell that, today I am spelin' like an Aussie sorry); note that Axe and many of the spray ons are only deodorant; ie. they smell nice but will not reduce sweating at all

Fact of the matter is that it takes a little time to get used to the heat; loose fitting clothes will help but if you are overweight it is going to be pretty hot up in here !

[ZZZ]

Be careful with deodorants, antiperspirants and especially sansom crystal. Most of these are using aluminum as an active ingredient. Aluminum can be absorbed thru the skin and is a major contributor to the onset of Alzheimer’s decease and other bad things.

There are some aluminum free deodorants available.

Frequent showers, without soap, and a change of shirt will normally do the trick.

[bina]

cornstarch powder mixed with baking soda powder use a women's powder puff or cotton ball for applying: it works great, also in smelly shoes, on sweaty feet etc...the cornstarch powder is what is used in high quality baby powders (instead of talc) and the baking soda absorbs oders, etc...

wash under arms several times a day w/o soap or use polidine soap (iodine based, can get in pharmacies for 'women's complaints' ; polidine however is very strong disinfectant, so use on /off ....or wash with herb tea cooled down (sage or chamomile or lavender) as these are antibacterials...

use the salt crystal natural deoderant ifu can find it...

dont use antipersperant (u overheat, also, causes stopped up pores and bad odours also)...

the other thing: i'm around men (mostly) that work agricultural physical work in hot climate... their sweat is much cleaner smelling (saltier, and acatually, sexier) then that of male office workers that sweat but arent physically active.... i think the high physical work and sweat cleans out the 'poisons' faster so there is less smell... of course, clean cotton clothes etc helps also

thai men also use those powders with menthol for prickly heat, i've noticed, even the field worker guys.... they never stink and they eat and drink everything .... well sometimes they sweat the smell of 'lao khao'

[Lost in LOS]

thanks for all the help, I will try out these ideas........appreciate the serious replies

Jimmy

[markuk]

try a good anti-perspirant, deodorant will do nothing except smell nice and make you feel wetter!!

You i believe should not do have exercise when using Anti-perspirant, maybe wrong but its what they used to tell us in the Military

[chuchok]

Be careful with deodorants, antiperspirants and especially sansom crystal. Most of these are using aluminum as an active ingredient. Aluminum can be absorbed thru the skin and is a major contributor to the onset of Alzheimer’s decease and other bad things.

There are some aluminum free deodorants available.

Frequent showers, without soap, and a change of shirt will normally do the trick.

You are talking about aluminum chlorhydrate, that is normally in conventional deoderants.

Aluminum compound, such as aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium, which is very soluble, is used as an antiperspirant, that compound is readily absorbed, Once in the body, the aluminum portion of the molecule ionizes, forming free or radical aluminum (AI+++). This passes freely across cell membranes, and forms a physical plug, that when dissolved is selectively absorbed by the liver, kidney, brain, cartilage and bone marrow. It is this concentration of aluminum that has been the source of concern in the medical community and has prompted the research being done on ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE and BREAST CANCER victims, Potassium alum molecules have a negative ionic charge, making it unable to pass through the cell wall. THEY ARE NOT ABSORBED. This is why we recommend the use of Deodorant stones they are safe to use and will not cause high levels of ALUMINUM in your systems. ALUM and ALUMINUM are two different substances, with distinct chemical signatures. They posses different chemical properties which create different chemical attributes.

The chemical formula for potassium alum is K2SO4AI2(SO4)324H2O. Potassium alum is a colorless substance that forms octahedral or cubic crystals.

Bauxite is the ore from which alum is draw. It is formed by the rapid weathering of granite rocks in warm, humid climates and can be purified and converted directly into alum.

Potassium alum is soluble in seven times its weight of water at room temperature and is very soluble in hot water. When crystalline potassium alum is heated, some of the water of hydration becomes chemically separated, and the partly dehydrated salt dissolves in this water, so that the alum appears to melt at about 90 degrees C (approx.. 392 degrees F), potassium alum swells up, loses all water, and becomes a basic salt called burn alum. Potassium alum has a density of 1.725.Reference source: Microsoft® Encarta® 96 Encyclopedia © 1995

[popshirt]

Be careful with deodorants, antiperspirants and especially sansom crystal. Most of these are using aluminum as an active ingredient. Aluminum can be absorbed thru the skin and is a major contributor to the onset of Alzheimer’s decease and other bad things.

There are some aluminum free deodorants available.

I use a crystal deodorant that is called "natural" and tastes salty. Could that be sansom crystal, or the good kind?

[Thai-Aust]

Try a sansom crystal.They work fantastic, although they do not stop you sweating.When the sansom is wet and rubbed on the skin it kills the bacteria and continues to do so during the day.The bacteria is what makes the smell in the first place.

I would recommend the same, 'sansom crystal'. They're cheap and very effective.

At least it will protect you for half a day if you have a very strong odour. So take it will you during the day and apply it again in the afternoon. Wet your underarm first ant then rub it gently on the skin for one minute or two. It will help reduce the roughness of the crystal if you immerse it for a few minutes befor use.

[chuchok]

I use a crystal deodorant that is called "natural" and tastes salty. Could that be sansom crystal, or the good kind?

Sounds like the same thing.Sansom is also great for disinfecting insect bites.

[backflip]

"Be careful with deodorants, antiperspirants...most of these are using aluminum as an active ingredient. Aluminum can be absorbed thru the skin and is a major contributor to the onset of Alzheimer’s decease and other bad things."

Although it doesn't lead to Alzheimer's disease, aluminum compounds have led to an increased sense of paranoia and the devotion to conspiracy websites. Be careful.

[libya 115]

I experienced a similar situation recently, and I could not understand why my arm-pits were becoming smelly quickly. I sat down and thought about it and decided that the 'pit spray' made in Thailand wasn't working.

As earlier posters have said, a deoderant does not mean anti-perspirant.

I was using Thai 'Smart Ban' because it was the most expensive I thought it would be the best.

It did not work: ingredients were ethanol and fragrance. I had the Mrs. sew half an odour eater into the inside of my Tee-shirt arm pits for a while.

Then I had a brainwave:

I went to Boots pharmacy and purchased NIVEA deoderant dry, ingredients include Aluminium compounds, but I will take the chance with dementia risks. Is that why Kit Kat dropped the foil?

[tom yum goong]

Mitchum as somebody mentioned earlier is great, keeps your armpits odour free for absolutely ages. I'm pretty sure you can get it in Thailand, try Watsons.

If you can't get Mitchum, try Oriental Pricess roll-on. I often use the gf's and although it smells a bit girly, it really does work. I think the apple scent is probably the most neutral for a guy.

[ilyushin]

Get Under Arm Charm. Boots used to have it!

[sriracha john]

Just take more showers, wear deodorant and stick to cotton clothes.

Most days I shower 4 or 5 times, sometimes more, rarely less.

You mean this scene is repeated up to 5 times a day???

EVERY day???

The neighbors must be thrilled and over-joyed...

[sriracha john]

Try a sansom crystal.They work fantastic, although they do not stop you sweating.When the sansom is wet and rubbed on the skin it kills the bacteria and continues to do so during the day.The bacteria is what makes the smell in the first place.

Don't confuse this product with Sang Som... While Sang Som will reduce whether you care if you smell odorous or not, it doesn't really address the problem for others.

Edited August 21, 2006 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

thanks for all the help, I will try out these ideas........appreciate the serious replies

Jimmy

oops... read this too late.... SORRY

[soic]

There is also the "other" remedy. 100% effective. Carry around a bag of clothes pins. Instead of shaking hands, just hand them a clothes pin. Don't forget to collect them once you get down wind and are ready to leave.

[fxm88]

Use an antiperspirant. They contain a chemical, usually aluminum based, that keeps you from sweating. Look for the word "Dry" on the label and read the ingredients. Aluminum's link to Alzheimer's disease is pretty tenuous. (Although you might want to consider throwing out your Teflon coated pots and pans.) If you have a severe problem you might try Botox.

Also, trim or shave your underarm hair. Less surface area == fewer bacteria == less odor.