Scientists are a step closer to stopping your armpits from smelling for good
It may involve creating a next generation of deodorants.
Scientists believe they are a step closer to eliminating body odour once and for all after discovering a key mechanism in the way the unpleasant smell is generated.
The researchers, from the Universities of York and Oxford, have identified what they call a “transport protein” in the bacteria that enables them to recognise and ingest the odourless compounds secreted in sweat.
These bacteria then convert the compounds into pungent volatile chemicals that give the armpits their characteristic whiff.
The researchers believe their work could pave the way for new deodorants that could eliminate BO by using targeted active ingredients.
The team recently discovered that a small number of species of Staphylococcus bacteria are responsible for the formation of the BO chemicals.
Most deodorants contain some form of antibacterial agent – such as ethanol – that can kill the bacteria to some extent. Antiperspirants, meanwhile, contain aluminium chloride, which stops the release of sweat by temporarily plugging the skin pores.
The researchers believe creating deodorants or antiperspirants that target the transport protein could help get rid of BO once and for all.
Dr Gavin Thomas, from the Department of Biology at the University of York, said: “The skin of our underarms provides a unique niche for bacteria.
“Through the secretions of various glands that open onto the skin or into hair follicles, this environment is nutrient-rich and hosts its own microbial community, the armpit microbiome, of many species of different microbes.
“Modern deodorants work by inhibiting or killing many of the bacteria present in our underarms in order to prevent BO.
“This study, along with our previous research revealing that only a small number of the bacteria in our armpits are actually responsible for bad smells, could result in the development of more targeted products that aim to inhibit the transport protein and block the production of BO.”
The research, published in the journal eLife, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council along with an industry grant from Unilever.
