Antiperspirants: A Cause of Penis Odor?
March 19, 2018When the pants come off, a man wants to feel confident that his partner(s) are impressed with what he has to present. Not surprisingly, a man may concentrate on making a good impression visually, emphasizing perhaps his length or girth, or the appeal of his penis skin (which demonstrates his attention to proper penis care), or the obvious firmness of his erection.
But no matter how impressive the visual, it can all be shot to hell if his manhood gives off an unfortunate strong penis odor. Battling persistent penis odor can be a challenge for many men, due to the multiplicity of causes. And surprisingly, one of those causes may be antiperspirants, of all things.
Start with sweat
If a guy is going to look into penis odor, he has to start with sweat. While there can be other factors - such as, say, a fungal infection or a urinary tract issue - the most common cause of penis odor is the presence of sweat. (The emphasis is on the presence of sweat rather than sweat itself for a key reason: sweat doesn’t really smell. Bacteria are what cause unpleasant odor, but the bacteria doesn’t release that odor until it mingles with sweat.)
Sweat clearly is more common in a warm area, and the penis is in what might be considered the "tropics" of the body. Not only is it wrapped under (usually) two layers of clothing - underwear and pants, either or both of which may be very tight, thereby increasing the amount of heat - but the pubic hair surrounding it adds a further layer of insulation. Add to this the fact that when a man has an erection, the increased blood flow bumps the temperature up, and it’s easy to see why the penis is a heat factory producing sweat even before any activity begins. Once a man engages in physical activity, whether walking or playing football, the heat simply increases - and so does the sweat.
Antiperspirants
But why should antiperspirants affect penis odor? Aren’t they designed to stop sweat in the first place? And besides, antiperspirants aren’t designed for the penis; they’re meant to be used under the arms.
Both of those things are true. But let’s look at how antiperspirants work.
Deodorants work by killing the bacteria that combines with sweat to produce odor. Antiperspirants kill bacteria, but they also stop or reduce sweat itself, by temporarily blocking the pores that allow sweat to flow. So when antiperspirant is used under the arms, it stops (or at least reduces) sweat from leaving the underarms.
The problem is that all that sweat still needs to leave the body, so it has to find other places where antiperspirant has not been used - such as, say, the penis. So when a guy uses antiperspirants, he’s solving underarm odor but adding to penis odor.
Antiperspirants are important to blocking general body odor, so a man who finds them effective at this shouldn’t necessarily stop. But he does need to up his game when it comes to stemming the penis odor. He definitely needs to bathe regularly, paying special attention to the penis, and wear looser, less restrictive clothes made of natural fibers that allow the skin to breathe. And he should air out his penis, ideally for a couple of hours every day.
In addition, a guy whose use of antiperspirants may increase his penis odor should try to reduce the bacteria in his crotch. An aide in this area is the use of a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin), a neuroprotective ingredient, is better positioned to help restore some of that lost sensitivity. The crème should include vitamin A, which has known anti-bacterial properties that can help in the fight against persistent penis odor. Healthier penis skin can also be useful, so the crème should include antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid which strengthen skin by fighting against oxidative stress.
Posted by John Dugan. Posted In : Men's Health
