Armpit hair and odour

Q&ACategory: QuestionsArmpit hair and odour
Anonymous asked 8 years ago
I am wondering if there is relationship between armpit hair and body odour. Does it matter to the bacteria if there is armpit hair? Do different bacteria grow when there is hair vs. when the person has shaved? Does shaving have any effect on the bacteria? Would a hairy armpit smell differently from a shaved one? Would love to know more about this. Thank you!
1 Answers
drarmpit answered 8 years ago
Hey, shaving of the armpit hair has a temporary effect (improvement), as investigated by this research. The effect on the bacteria was not investigated. My insight: armpit hair has a small absorbing capacity towards odors and hormones. Bacteria can likewise -to a minimal extent- persist on the hair. Removing the hair = removing a low amount of odor and bacteria. To me it is more the feeling one gets. More importantly is the bacteria present around the hairshaft and in the sweat glands. These are not removed when shaving the armpit. Best, Chris