In short, antiperspirant can make you smell worse because it alters the composition of bacteria in your armpits. And if you're a heavy sweater but you only wear it. And if you put on a heavy sweater but only use deodorant, you may continue to sweat, which can make you smell worse. While they're often combined with deodorants, antiperspirants actually work quite differently.
Deodorants work by masking odors after they are passed through the armpit. Antiperspirants prevent sweat by using an aluminum-based compound. If you put on the antiperspirant before bed, the antiperspirant will dissolve throughout the night and create a gel-like plug that blocks and constricts sweat glands. This temporarily prevents sweat from coming out.
The study states that the “prolonged use of antiperspirants” can cause an alteration in the production of odors in the armpit. Now let's dive into a deeper understanding of why antiperspirants and deodorants can make you smell worse. For some, the most common mistakes with deodorants include anything that could make you smell the slightest bit like a human.
