Hi Dr. Armpit in one of yours answers you mentioned "hormones" as being one of the 4 possible pathways to BO. What are the other three? Btw if you have a smelly armpit but non smelly feet, is it not easier to use your feet sweat and bacteria to inoculate the armpit? Given it's your own sweat would it not have a higher chance of succeeding?
2 Answers
Hi Linda, thanks for your question. The four pathways to BO are: 1/ Thioalcohols, which have an oniony, sulphuric, meaty odor, are cleaved off by specific bacteria from apocrine sweat; 2/ Short chain fatty acids, such as 3M2H, HMHA and 3M3H, which have an typical sour, rancid odor, and are cleaved off by specific bacteria from apocrine sweat; 3/ Mid- and long-chain fatty acids, which can have a broad range of sour, pungent odors, converted by underarm bacteria, and originating from human, unusual, methyl-branched, odd-numbered long-chain fatty acids; and 4/ conversion of steriods (hormones) - but considered less important.
Hi Linda, to answer your second question: it is a good idea to use your own bacteria, however, I wouldn't go for the feet bacteria. Every skin niche has its own unique microbiome. Feet have a thick skin and no apocrine sweat secretions and also has much more fungi then in the armpit; so for those reasons, it is not a good idea. Best, Chris
Please login or Register to submit your answer