Is sweat smelly? Not quite! We have two types of sweats – one that comes from our eccrine glands which are found all over and help the body to regulate its temperature, and the second is the apocrine glands. These are found in areas like the underarms, the groin, the chest – areas which we associate with being smelly.

The sweat itself, produced by the apocrine glands, does not smell. The smell is a result of the bacteria found in these areas which use the sweat produced by the glands as food, and the by-product of this process is a stinky smell. Therefore, showering with anti-bacterial soap daily and scrubbing these areas is one of the most effective ways to eliminate or reduce the smell. Antiperspirant deo­dorants also go a long way at reducing this odour.

Another fun fact is that about two per cent of the population have a special gene mutation that results in their bodies not producing any smelly odours at all. So not everybody’s armpits stink. However, if you have a stinky teenager in the house, don’t blame their lack of showering or not showering properly for their body odour. Research shows that due to the abundance of certain bacteria on teenagers in the phase of puberty, they have a much harder time to remain odourless irrespective of how frequently they shower.