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Introduction
Body odor is a fact of life, but it’s also something that can be managed – it’s time to talk about why you need to exfoliate armpits. If you want to eliminate the smell of sweat under your arms and keep yourself smelling fresh, exfoliating your armpits for smell reduction is an essential step. Exfoliating regularly will help break down dead skin cells and other debris that can cling to your armpit hair and trap sweat—which can lead to bacterial growth if left unchecked. It’s a simple thing you can do every day to prevent embarrassing B.O., but there are other reasons why exfoliating is so important:
Exfoliate armpits to help control body odor.
Body odor is caused by bacteria that live on the skin and feed off of proteins in your sweat, as well as dead skin cells, natural skin oils, and other debris. There is a specific protein in sweat that causes that tell-tale BO smell when broken down by bacteria. But sweat is not the only thing these bacteria feed off of. They also colonize dead skin, oil and debris. Then when you sweat, you notice the BO scent because suddenly these thriving bacteria colonies have been fed the specific protein that causes BO. Cue the need to exfoliate armpits.
When you exfoliate armpits for smell, you remove these dead skin cells and other debris in order to get rid of the source of body odor before it has a chance to develop into an unpleasant smell.
When used alone, deodorant will only mask the smell temporarily; it does nothing to address the root cause of BO. However, when paired with regular exfoliation treatments, deodorant will work more effectively because it can eliminate bacteria before they have a chance to cause any issues with sweat production or coloration changes in your underarm area. You can easily exfoliate armpits manually by scrubbing in the shower or using a body scrub. But for an even more effective way to exfoliate armpits, we recommend using an alpha-hydroxy acid based product like Pit Prep.
Deodorant alone won’t prevent body odor.
Body odor is the result of bacteria in your armpits feeding on the proteins in your sweat. Sweat itself doesn’t smell bad; it’s the byproducts that cause odor.
Deodorant can only mask body odor, but not eliminate it. Deodorant alone won’t prevent body odor from occurring. Antiperspirants work to prevent you from sweating, which does effectively prevent body odor. However, they work because they contain aluminum, which literally blocks your sweat glands. As you probably know, blocking your bodies mechanism for flushing toxins (aka sweating) is risky, and aluminum has a dubious reputation. At worst, it has been linked to breast cancer; less concerning but still problematic, many people experience rashes and discomfort.
The solution is to pair deodorant with a high-quality chemical exfoliant like Pit Prep. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) are a gentle, effective way to both exfoliate armpits and reduce the pH so that odor causing bacteria are greatly reduced or eliminated. No bacteria, no BO!
How often should I exfoliate armpits?
Now that we’ve established the need to exfoliate armpits in order to get rid of dead skin cells and other debris that can cling to your armpit hair and trap sweat, which can cause bacterial growth, let’s talk protocol.
You’ll want to exfoliate armpits with a gentle AHA at least once or twice per week at a minimum — the more frequently you do it, the less dead skin and debris will collect. Additionally, the natural oil produced by the sebaceous glands in your skin will be greatly reduced by AHAs (which also means less body odor). Because AHAs must be used on clean, dry skin, we suggest using Pit Prep to exfoliate armpits every time you bathe or shower.
AHAs in Pit Prep are chemical exfoliants. You won’t notice dead skin sloughing off, as they are extremely gentle. You can increase the effect by using a manual exfoliant, like a skin scrub or washcloth. We recommend our Pit Mitt, because it’s just textured enough to provide a bit more gentle exfoliation, while not so rough as to leave your pits red or raw. You can use any of our bar soaps, or regular body wash with the Pit Mitt for a gentle yet effective bathing routine.
You want to use enough product to fully saturate your underarm skin, then let it dry as you get dressed and go about your day. Pit Prep is fragrance free, odorless and colorless, and non-tacky. It won’t stain or get on your clothes at all. By the time you get your shirt on it’ll feel like you’re not wearing anything at all.
Even though Pit Prep is very gentle, it is possible to overdo it. You don’t want to exfoliate armpits too aggressively, so we recommend limiting exfoliation to a maximum of twice per day. More than that can cause irritation and dry, flaky skin, which then causes the cycle of bacterial buildup to recur. We don’t want that. So be gentle, and stick to Pit Prep once or twice a day after showering.
If you’ve been struggling with natural deodorants, you’ll notice a dramatic reduction in your body odor the first time you use Pit Prep. Over time, this effect gets even better as you gently exfoliate armpits, and the pH remains at a level that keeps your pits comfortable, smooth, and clear. Within 7 to 14 days, you’ll start experiencing the best results.
Washing your shirts and undergarments is also very important, as bacteria may have colonized on the proteins clinging to the fabric. When you first begin exfoliating your armpits, make sure start with a clean, completely dry shirt each day.
Finally – give it some time! Using AHAs to control body odor is kind of like fermenting saurkraut or making sourdough bread. You’re working with your bodies chemistry to control the type and quantity of bacteria that naturally colonizes your skin.
Your biome and your bacteria are unique to you, and it can take some time for your system to balance out once you introduce AHAs. Once it does, you’ll stop thinking about your body odor, because you’ll no longer smell bad. You’ll just smell like…..you. Doesn’t that sound amazing?
Exfoliating your underarms will make your deodorant more effective because you’ll be removing the source of that pesky BO.
Exfoliating your underarms will make your deodorant more effective because you’ll be removing the source of that pesky BO.
Pit Prep is a fantastic deodorant in its own right. Because it’s fragrance free, many people use it to prep or prime their underarms before applying a great-smelling natural deodorant. This step is completely optional. If you DO decide to use a deodorant on top of Pit Prep, make sure it does not contain baking soda. Not only is baking soda abrasive, it also raises the pH of your armpits, which cancels out all the great work Pit Prep is doing to keep pH low.
Tell me more about Alpha Hydroxy Acids, please.
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are naturally occurring acids that can be found in many fruits, vegetables and grains. They’re also used to make cosmetic products like exfoliating creams and serums. Glycolic acid and Lactic acid are two of the most popular AHAs because they’re effective at removing dead skin cells without causing irritation or redness.
Pit Prep contains both, in addition to Malic and Tartaric acid. This particular formulation is ideal for lowering pH and keeping it low. Additionally, Pit Prep has a base of soothing aloe, so you’re not paying for water. And it’s vegan, cruelty free, and 80% organic. At the end of the day, Pit Prep is high-quality and high-function skincare, for your armpits.
Conclusion
With all of this in mind, it’s clear that exfoliating your armpits is a great way to help control body odor. It’s important to remember that deodorant alone won’t prevent body odor; it just masks it with fragrance. Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin cells and other debris that can cling to your armpit hair and trap sweat, which can cause bacterial growth. The best part? You can exfoliate armpits using an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) Deodorant like Pit Prep!
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