Can Antiperspirants Contribute to Penis Odor?

Sexual partnerships rise and fall on a number of factors which vary from person to person and couple to couple. One factor which tends to be very important is how hygienic the other partner is – or appears to be. Clearly, visible signs of proper hygiene are important, but other sense can come into play when assessing partner hygiene levels, including the sense of smell. In such cases, a strongly unpleasant or off-putting penis odor can lead a partner to withdraw, worried not only about hygiene but also about what penis odor might convey about their partner’s penis health status. This is one reason men need to be aware of whether they have a penis odor issue and what might be contributing to it. Curiously, and perhaps counterintuitively, use of antiperspirants in some cases may actually makes things worse.

The sweat factor

While it is true that there can be other causes of penis odor, such as a urinary tract infection of a fungal situation, frequently sweat is a big culprit in the manufacturing of pungent penis odor. When a guy sweats, it mixes with bacteria, releasing a range of aromas, some of which are definitely not attractive.

And the penis is situated in such a way that it can be like a sweat magnet. To start with, unless a guy manscapes, his penis is nestled beneath a thick layer of pubic hair which serves to insulate the penis and balls, adding to heat. In addition, resting between or atop the thighs adds another layer of body heat. And when the penis is erect, the influx of blood into the penis also adds further heat.
But that’s not where things stop. Most men wear both underwear and trousers, making a double layer of clothing which means the area is kept twice as warm as many other parts of the body. With all this going on, is it any wonder that guys tend to sweat in the crotch, and that odor tends to accumulate there?

Antiperspirants

But even so, why should antiperspirants somehow add to an unwanted penis odor situation? After all, antiperspirants are designed to STOP sweat. And besides, most men use antiperspirants under their arms, not on or around their penis.

All of this is true, but with a little thought one can see how antiperspirants could add to penis stench.
Both deodorants and antiperspirants help to kill the bacteria that combines with sweat to create odor. But antiperspirants also help to block sweat pores so that sweat has a much harder time even leaving the body in the areas where it is applied.

Yes, antiperspirant isn’t applied to the penis and surrounding areas. But if it is used under the arms, it doesn’t mean that sweat has been destroyed; it just means that sweat that is produced can no longer easily leave the body through the armpits. Instead, it needs to find another way out of the body, so it travels to other areas which are not dampered by antiperspirants – such as the penis. So more sweat exits the body through the penis, thereby increasing the potential for a rank penis smell.
None of this is to say that a guy has to stop using antiperspirants – but if he does use them, he needs to do an even better job of blocking penis odor. For example, he must wash very thoroughly and may need to do so more frequently.

Another excellent way to use antiperspirants and still combat penis odor is by daily applying a superior penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The crème must contain vitamin A, which has anti-bacterial properties which can help diminish persistent penis smells. The crème should also include a potent antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid. By fighting excess radicals that can cause oxidative stress to penis skin, alpha lipoic acid strengthens the skin so that it can better respond to efforts to fight excess odor.

Antiperspirants: A Cause of Penis Odor?

When the pants come off, a man wants to feel confident that his partner(s) are impressed with what he has to present. Not surprisingly, a man may concentrate on making a good impression visually, emphasizing perhaps his length or girth, or the appeal of his penis skin (which demonstrates his attention to proper penis care), or the obvious firmness of his erection.

But no matter how impressive the visual, it can all be shot to hell if his manhood gives off an unfortunate strong penis odor. Battling persistent penis odor can be a challenge for many men, due to the multiplicity of causes. And surprisingly, one of those causes may be antiperspirants, of all things.

Start with sweat

If a guy is going to look into penis odor, he has to start with sweat. While there can be other factors - such as, say, a fungal infection or a urinary tract issue - the most common cause of penis odor is the presence of sweat. (The emphasis is on the presence of sweat rather than sweat itself for a key reason: sweat doesn’t really smell. Bacteria are what cause unpleasant odor, but the bacteria doesn’t release that odor until it mingles with sweat.)

Sweat clearly is more common in a warm area, and the penis is in what might be considered the "tropics" of the body. Not only is it wrapped under (usually) two layers of clothing - underwear and pants, either or both of which may be very tight, thereby increasing the amount of heat - but the pubic hair surrounding it adds a further layer of insulation. Add to this the fact that when a man has an erection, the increased blood flow bumps the temperature up, and it’s easy to see why the penis is a heat factory producing sweat even before any activity begins. Once a man engages in physical activity, whether walking or playing football, the heat simply increases - and so does the sweat.

Antiperspirants

But why should antiperspirants affect penis odor? Aren’t they designed to stop sweat in the first place? And besides, antiperspirants aren’t designed for the penis; they’re meant to be used under the arms.

Both of those things are true. But let’s look at how antiperspirants work.

Deodorants work by killing the bacteria that combines with sweat to produce odor. Antiperspirants kill bacteria, but they also stop or reduce sweat itself, by temporarily blocking the pores that allow sweat to flow. So when antiperspirant is used under the arms, it stops (or at least reduces) sweat from leaving the underarms.

The problem is that all that sweat still needs to leave the body, so it has to find other places where antiperspirant has not been used - such as, say, the penis. So when a guy uses antiperspirants, he’s solving underarm odor but adding to penis odor.

Antiperspirants are important to blocking general body odor, so a man who finds them effective at this shouldn’t necessarily stop. But he does need to up his game when it comes to stemming the penis odor. He definitely needs to bathe regularly, paying special attention to the penis, and wear looser, less restrictive clothes made of natural fibers that allow the skin to breathe. And he should air out his penis, ideally for a couple of hours every day.

In addition, a guy whose use of antiperspirants may increase his penis odor should try to reduce the bacteria in his crotch. An aide in this area is the use of a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin), a neuroprotective ingredient, is better positioned to help restore some of that lost sensitivity. The crème should include vitamin A, which has known anti-bacterial properties that can help in the fight against persistent penis odor. Healthier penis skin can also be useful, so the crème should include antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid which strengthen skin by fighting against oxidative stress.

Sometimes Penis Odor is Related to Antiperspirants

Antiperspirants have been a lifesaver for many a man. The male body naturally tends to generate aromas, especially when the man is active and sweating, and really good antiperspirants are the key to keeping excess body odor at bay. But what about penis odor? Surprisingly, even when a man is very careful about hygiene and penis health, he may still come down with a rank penis - and it’s possible that use of antiperspirants may be contributing to that problem.

Sweat

Look, there’s nothing wrong with a little sweat. It’s a totally natural function of the body and it happens with all men (and women). It also serves a very important function - acting as the body’s "air conditioning system" to help the body cool down when it’s overheated.

And people need a lot of cooling down. The armpits alone can pump out as much as 3.5 gallons of sweat in one day. But not all sweat is the same. Sweat tends to come from two different kinds of glands: the eccrine, which produces sweat that doesn’t create odor, and the apocrine, which certainly does.

Not that the sweat is malodorous as it leaves the body. It’s when it is outside the body that the aroma issue begins. The sweat from apocrine glands contains fats and proteins, which attract bacteria like flowers attract bees. The bacteria latch onto these ingredients in the sweat, and - voila! - odor occurs.

Also, bacteria simply love moist places like armpits (and penises) and they also love environments that have a low ph level. The underarm skin has a naturally acidic layer which helps keep bacteria away, but harsh soaps can wear this layer away - making bacteria more likely to proliferate.

Antiperspirants

And that’s where antiperspirants come in. They attempt to eliminate the odor problem by reducing the amount of sweat produced under the arms. Antiperspirants tend to be composed of mixtures of aluminum chloride and some nitrile compound. When these ingredients get placed under the arm, they react to the initial presence of sweat by forming a gel. The gel spreads across the pores, plugging them up so that more sweat can’t escape.

There’s substantial debate over exactly how safe antiperspirants are and how much they should be used. But for the time being, millions of men use them regularly. And for some of them, that may be the reason their penis odor is on the rise.

Penis odor connection

It may seem odd that using an antiperspirant under the arms should create odor around the penis, but there’s a pretty logical reason. Think about a little stream. If a person places a large boulder to block the stream, water builds up behind the boulder, but eventually it spills over and is diverted around the sides.

That’s what happens with antiperspirants. The sweat is blocked from exiting via the underarms, but it still needs to escape elsewhere, so it chooses other parts of the body - such as the crotch. The groin is already a mighty producer of sweat; with antiperspirant use, it may be a major receptacle for bypassed sweat.

What to do

Many men prefer deodorants to antiperspirants, but those who do use antiperspirants need to wash their penis regularly with a mild soap to help alleviate penis odor. They also are strongly advised to apply a superior penis health crème ( health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Since bacteria are a major cause of penis odor, selecting a crème with antibacterial properties is de rigueur. Therefore, be sure to find a crème with vitamin A, which is well-known for its ability to fight odor-producing bacteria. It also is helpful if vitamin E is included in the crème. Vitamin E helps repair damaged skin cells that may be a hangout for bacteria. In general, keeping the penis fit with a good penis health crème makes the penis more resistant to bacterial issues.