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Deodorant/Sweating OCD

Christine Jarvis

Active Member
I have this horrible ocd issue about sweating so I always put way too much deodorant on because the deodorant has to be strong enough to smell so that I can smell it in the morning just in case I ended up sweating at night. Well I’ll put a lot on and then it starts to get kind of wet instead of dry and get the marks all over my shirt. But I also have the issue of having to put it on even amounts of time and I don’t know if that’s why it ends up getting wet. But I also have deodorant that seems to be a little drier than when you first buy then at the store so I don’t know if that causes it to get wet because I have to put more on to feel like it’s got enough on. Any tips or suggestions?
 
You must not have sensory issues! I can't wear perfumed deodorant. Baking soda works well for odours, though.
 
Well I was told I do because of how when I wear form fitting clothing with seams I have to keep changing many times because it feels like my skin is peeling off after a sunburn and like my body is getting poked by needles. But I think it’s issue with the deodorant might be an ocd thing because I hate sweating.
 
But I also have to watch YouTube videos of how to put deodorant on because sometimes I don’t think I put it on the right way. So I’m trying to figure it out. And I also believe it’s a visual issue too because if the deodorant isn’t very visible then I think I haven’t put enough on for it to work.
 
It sounds like you are making progress, watching the U tube videos is a good idea. You don't have to be able to see the deodorant for it to work well, and you don't need much at all. A couple of puffs if it's aerosol or about 3 rolls if it's rollon.
 
I know what you mean about the deodorant maybe not being spread evenly, or patches being missed and not having any. I often spread it on with my fingers after applying. That way, I may not be able to see it, but I can feel it being there. And then wash my hands, of course.
 
Well I did 2 rolls up and down the middle then 2 on the side and 2 circles around the whole armpit. Might be a little much but I try and I’ve tried doing the same routine with 1 roll and doesn’t really work at all:
 
Well I did 2 rolls up and down the middle then 2 on the side and 2 circles around the whole armpit. Might be a little much but I try and I’ve tried doing the same routine with 1 roll and doesn’t really work at all:
Try unscented or men's deodorant it's woody less nauseating ,try and lie down and close your eyes, turn everything off!
 
I am very self conscious about 'the sweats' too.
Mine arise from intense anxiety.

I did get obsessed with application of deodorant and spent a small fortune on various products claiming to be the best at what it was suppose to do.

I developed ocd type rituals regarding application of deodorant in the belief that it mattered and would somehow save me from the fear of embarrassment of sweating in public.

When all I really needed to do was learn how to control my breathing and heart rate and trust myself to cope in stressful situations thus reducing the physical effects of the stress response.

I still encounter situations where I begin to sweat. It serves as a reminder for a 'time out' and a quiet five minutes to recognise trigger and calm myself,
rather than a trigger for fear of embarrassment and loss of control of sweat glands.

At one point in my life I reached a stage of applying three layers under each armpit.
First a roll on, let it dry.
Second, a heavy duty cream type.
Lastly, a spray on.

It took me a while to realise non of it actually stopped me sweating.
If my underarm stayed dry, I'd sweat around my hairline instead :)

The cause wasn't due to ineffective products or ineffective application of said products but the physiological effects of stress response.
Increase in heart rate, rise in body temperature. sweat helps to prevent overheating.

Learning to calm myself has saved me a lot of money in antiperspirants and deodorants.
 
The sweat glands that create the strongest stinky scent are all located in the armpit and pubic region. There is hair there to provide a greater surface area for pheromones to diffuse from. You can't smell a pheromone, the stinky smell is produced by a bacteria that also live there. Removing that hair will greatly reduce any scent.

Deodorants are usually just jellied alcohol with scents added that kill off the bacteria. (Of course, they come right back.) Antiperspirants are hydrophobic materials that prevent the sweat from emerging to start with. I find any antiperspirants to be highly irritating and also daily applications of regular deodorants. Do a Google search for "72 hour deodorant" I find applying that once every third day to be more effective than any daily deodorant or antiperspirant and not at all irritating.

Stinky feet are caused by fungus and moisture on your feet. Keeping them dry, "wicking" socks and generous use of anti-fungal foot powder is the solution there. Wool socks help too. Wool is naturally antibacterial.

Insensible perspiration, sweat that is not visible but happens continuously 24/7, ought not to cause any noticeable smell. (Sensible perspiration happens when you've just worked out or it is a hot muggy day.) It is absolutely necessary to keep your skin pliable and regulates your body temperature. There is a whole ecology of bacteria that keeps your skin healthy and fights infection. Applying deodorant/antiperspirant to large areas is a very unhealthy thing to do. Antibacterial soap is pretty much useless because it has been used so much that all the common skin bacteria have developed resistance. Body wash or common soap and water are best.

There are some medical conditions that can cause an unpleasant body smell. There is also a condition known as hyperhidrosis where a person sweats excessively. These need to be treated by a doctor.

I could wax poetic about how nudists rarely have body odor issues because of all the fresh air and sunshine and frequent quick showers but that probably isn't an option. :)

The best judge of whether you need to worry about body odor is a neutral 2nd or 3rd party. Not you. One can become obsessed with worry over it and way overdo your hygiene rituals. Too much is as damaging as too little.
 
Last edited:
@Au Naturel
:D yeh, There's nothing in my employee handbook regarding company policy for nudists.
99.99% certain I'd get arrested, or sacked though, if I tried that at work :D

Yeh, I'll stick with the breathing techniques and the taking a minute :)
 
Sweating is natural. If your sweat alarms you then just whisk off to the company bathroom and apply a touch up. Maybe some deep breathing in a yoga position to center yourself in the morning?
 
I personally think anti-perspirants are unhealthy. The good Lord or Mother Nature or evolution (depending on your POV) designed our bodies to sweat in certain locations. Blocking those sweat glands and thereby forcing our bodies to retain the toxins released by sweating cannot be good for us. People who have excessive sweating can buy armpit pads to soak up the sweat and avoid staining their clothing with sweat.

Deodorants that merely cover or disguise odors are probably fine.
 
I personally think anti-perspirants are unhealthy. The good Lord or Mother Nature or evolution (depending on your POV) designed our bodies to sweat in certain locations. Blocking those sweat glands and thereby forcing our bodies to retain the toxins released by sweating cannot be good for us. People who have excessive sweating can buy armpit pads to soak up the sweat and avoid staining their clothing with sweat.

Deodorants that merely cover or disguise odors are probably fine.

But what about the big funky pit sweat circles on clothing? Eww. And besides, after a certain point that sweat grows bacteria and starts to smell really funky. About 10 years ago, I had gone a couple days without showering, and my toddler leaned in and said, "Mom you smell gooood!" "Really, what do I smell like?", I asked. She replied: "Mmmm Mom, you smell like hot dogs."
 
But what about the big funky pit sweat circles on clothing? Eww. And besides, after a certain point that sweat grows bacteria and starts to smell really funky. About 10 years ago, I had gone a couple days without showering, and my toddler leaned in and said, "Mom you smell gooood!" "Really, what do I smell like?", I asked. She replied: "Mmmm Mom, you smell like hot dogs."

As I said, armpit pads can be used to soak up sweat and prevent clothing stains. You can buy disposable pads. And regular bathing with soap and water prevents hot dog smell, LOL.

There is a difference between deodorants and anti-perspirants. Deodorants disguise smells, like perfume disguises smells. Anti-perspirants actually physically block sweat glands and pores so the toxins in sweat either stay in the body or are released from the body through pores located somewhere other than armpits. Anti-perspirants also usually contain deodorants, too.
 

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