What It Really Means When Your Armpits Still Smell After Showering

A good lathering of soap in the shower has most of us feeling fresh and clean at the start of the day or after a workout. However, some people experience stinky armpits, even if they have given them a good washing with soap. Don't worry, it is not a sign of a health problem, and it doesn't mean you need to hide from the public for the rest of your life. It's a simple problem with some surprisingly simple solutions.

Contrary to popular belief, body odor — including armpit odor — is not caused by sweat alone, but by bacteria. If you still experience stinking armpits after taking a shower, it just means that you have not properly eliminated the conditions for these bacteria to live and thrive. The good news is that you can tackle the root problem relatively easily, and be back to feeling shower fresh and odor-free in no time. 

Bathing with antibacterial soap can reduce the number of bacteria on your skin, which could be resulting in bad odors. Antibacterial soap contains special compounds designed to kill the microbes behind bad odor, leaving your skin bacteria-free and free of the smell that goes with them. Simply switching to antibacterial soap will eliminate the problem of stinky armpits after showering for most people.

Bacteria also like to hide out in body hair, and a 2015 study showed that both shaving and waxing of body hair resulted in a reduction of odors in men. Keeping your armpits hairless can potentially help you eliminate the bacteria that are causing you to smell, even after you take a shower. Try shaving or waxing your armpits, then showering and lathering with antibacterial soap — you should be able to ditch the unwanted problem of smelly armpits, even after bathing.