Deodorant soap can help neutralize underarm body odor.
Deodorant soap is a cleanser formulated to help reduce body odor. While all soaps cleanse the skin, a deodorant soap is formulated to kill and slow the growth of bacteria. By controlling bacteria, deodorant soap works by reducing the cause of unpleasant odours.
Body odor is normally produced when perspiration comes into contact with bacteria that live on the skin. Bacteria begin to consume perspiration, breaking it down into foul-smelling byproducts. When someone uses deodorant soap to wash, the antiseptic ingredients kill bacteria that are already present and discourage their growth. Deodorant soaps can be used all over the body to prevent rancid odors from forming as a result of sweating.
Some deodorant soaps contain fragrances that can irritate a person’s facial skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.
The first deodorant soap, Royal Disinfectant Soap, was originally marketed as a general hygiene product. Developed in the early 20th century, the soap was formulated with carbolic acid, a disinfectant commonly used in hospitals. Soap’s ability to kill bacteria and other microorganisms was a selling point at a time when antibiotics were not available and infectious diseases were rampant.
Some people may use products other than deodorant soap to control underarm sweating.
Eventually, people realized that disinfectant-infused soaps also had deodorizing capabilities, leading to a change in marketing strategy. Ironically, some soap companies today are formulating deodorant soaps with added antibacterial ingredients and marketing them as disease-fighting tools.
For many people, deodorant soaps are not enough to prevent the appearance of body odor throughout the day. Armpits in particular can be a major source of body odor and many people need to use a separate deodorant product under their arms. There are several types of deodorants on the market, including roll-on, stick, cream, and spray deodorants. Many deodorant scents are designed to appeal to a target market, with women’s deodorants often smelling like flowers or baby powder, and men’s deodorants with traditionally “masculine” scents like pine. Some companies sell deodorant soaps as well as underarm deodorants with the same fragrance.
Deodorant soap contains many of the same ingredients as the bacteria-killing cleaning products used in hospitals and clinics.
Even if someone finds deodorant soap effective in preventing body odor, they may want to use a separate product to control underarm sweating. Underarm sweating can be embarrassing and cause permanent stains on clothing. The antiseptic properties of deodorant soap do not prevent or delay perspiration. Underarm antiperspirants usually contain an antiseptic that can control odor and a separate ingredient to prevent sweating.