Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Adolescent with Unusually Smelly Sweat | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My daughter who is 12 years old (and weighs 55kg) has a smelly sweat problem. She sweats profusely, mostly the underarms and it smells very bad and worse after any strenuous activity. She is healthy otherwise and there is no history of diabetes in our family. Is there any topical medication that I can use? If there is a hormone imbalance how can I correct this?— Rochelle in U.A.E. | | | ANSWER |
February 8, 2002 | | | Dear Rochelle,
Unusually smelly perspiration is actually a pretty common complaint, as is excessive perspiration. Sweat glands on the hands, feet, and forehead are active from birth; other sweat glands under the arms are activated during puberty. It's perfectly normal for a 12-year-old to have odorous underarms.
The sweat itself doesn't smell--at least not at first. But sweat activates certain bacteria that normally live on the skin, and it's the bacteria that produce the unpleasant odor. There are some rare diseases that cause children's sweat to smell very bad or unusual, but these problems are present from infancy, and are very, very unlikely in an adolescent who is otherwise healthy. By far, the most probable cause for smelly sweat is simply, well, smelly sweat. The medical term for excessive sweat is hyperhydrosis; the term for smelly sweat is bromhydrosis.
At home, you might have your daughter wash with an antibacterial soap (Dial, for example) and use a deodorant, especially after exercising. Deodorants containing aluminum chloride are often effective in reducing sweat. Look out for rashes, however. Some children are sensitive to deodorants or the fragrances they are mixed with.
If washing and deodorants don't help, ask your daughter's doctor about topical medications that can reduce sweat or kill the bacteria that cause the smell. Some pediatricians and family doctors like to refer this problem to dermatologists, who may have more experience dealing with severe problems of this sort.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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