Antiperspirants have been a lifesaver for many a man. The male body naturally tends to generate aromas, especially when the man is active and sweating, and really good antiperspirants are the key to keeping excess body odor at bay. But what about penis odor? Surprisingly, even when a man is very careful about hygiene and penis health, he may still come down with a rank penis - and it’s possible that use of antiperspirants may be contributing to that problem.

Sweat

Look, there’s nothing wrong with a little sweat. It’s a totally natural function of the body and it happens with all men (and women). It also serves a very important function - acting as the body’s "air conditioning system" to help the body cool down when it’s overheated.

And people need a lot of cooling down. The armpits alone can pump out as much as 3.5 gallons of sweat in one day. But not all sweat is the same. Sweat tends to come from two different kinds of glands: the eccrine, which produces sweat that doesn’t create odor, and the apocrine, which certainly does.

Not that the sweat is malodorous as it leaves the body. It’s when it is outside the body that the aroma issue begins. The sweat from apocrine glands contains fats and proteins, which attract bacteria like flowers attract bees. The bacteria latch onto these ingredients in the sweat, and - voila! - odor occurs.

Also, bacteria simply love moist places like armpits (and penises) and they also love environments that have a low ph level. The underarm skin has a naturally acidic layer which helps keep bacteria away, but harsh soaps can wear this layer away - making bacteria more likely to proliferate.

Antiperspirants

And that’s where antiperspirants come in. They attempt to eliminate the odor problem by reducing the amount of sweat produced under the arms. Antiperspirants tend to be composed of mixtures of aluminum chloride and some nitrile compound. When these ingredients get placed under the arm, they react to the initial presence of sweat by forming a gel. The gel spreads across the pores, plugging them up so that more sweat can’t escape.

There’s substantial debate over exactly how safe antiperspirants are and how much they should be used. But for the time being, millions of men use them regularly. And for some of them, that may be the reason their penis odor is on the rise.

Penis odor connection

It may seem odd that using an antiperspirant under the arms should create odor around the penis, but there’s a pretty logical reason. Think about a little stream. If a person places a large boulder to block the stream, water builds up behind the boulder, but eventually it spills over and is diverted around the sides.

That’s what happens with antiperspirants. The sweat is blocked from exiting via the underarms, but it still needs to escape elsewhere, so it chooses other parts of the body - such as the crotch. The groin is already a mighty producer of sweat; with antiperspirant use, it may be a major receptacle for bypassed sweat.

What to do

Many men prefer deodorants to antiperspirants, but those who do use antiperspirants need to wash their penis regularly with a mild soap to help alleviate penis odor. They also are strongly advised to apply a superior penis health crème ( health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Since bacteria are a major cause of penis odor, selecting a crème with antibacterial properties is de rigueur. Therefore, be sure to find a crème with vitamin A, which is well-known for its ability to fight odor-producing bacteria. It also is helpful if vitamin E is included in the crème. Vitamin E helps repair damaged skin cells that may be a hangout for bacteria. In general, keeping the penis fit with a good penis health crème makes the penis more resistant to bacterial issues.