Is it me or do I suddenly smell more?

All these perimenopause problems and body odor too?

Menopause stinks and now so do!

It’s not your imagination. Your body odor might be going through changes just like your hormones. Menopause and the effects on the body are well-known and thankfully  openly discussed and accepted more than ever before. In spite of menopause being a completely natural and expected life phase that all who menstruate will eventually experience, it was not always understood or even acknowledged freely.  Not long ago the subject of perimenopause, menopause (defined as 12 consecutive months of no menstrual period without other underlying medical cause) or postmenopause, was seldom discussed among women, let alone a topic addressed publicly. It was often just written off as “the change”. Thankfully, the topic of menopause is now front and center for you to understand and even embrace. 

The almost endless list of questions and concerns you may face during menopause or leading up to this time of life can be addressed honestly. We now have access to wellness and skincare products, websites and even phone apps dedicated to the menopause/perimenopause journey. So it’s a time to feel empowered.

One concern you may be facing is body odor. It is true that with any type of hormonal change starting as young as during puberty, smelly underarms, feet etc. may get your attention. The good news is there are easy ways to combat that uptick in body odor you’re experiencing with menopause if you know why it occurs and how to handle it.

What’s Going On With Body Odor Around Menopause?

There are specific changes that occur that can lead to body odor worsening with menopause or perimenopause. The specific and notable rewiring is related to the reduced level of estrogen or its total absence. Because estrogen is the hormone linked to such things as the presence of oils on the skin surface, skin thickness owing to collagen and skin integrity from elastic tissue, it can also impact body odor. It all boils down to a sharp decrease in circulating estrogen which has a distinct impact on your biology and in particular the balance and functionality of your largest organ and chief interface with the outside world– your skin.

Skin pH Changes With Menopause

As we age the skin pH tends to rise. Youthful skin in its prime state of health tends to be slightly acidic with a range of 4.8-5.5. This acid mantle, as it is known, protects the skin in many ways, one of which is to deflect the presence of odor causing bacteria.  During perimenopause and middle age for both men and women, the skin pH can shift higher, towards a more alkaline pH. When the protective acidity of the skin is altered or lost, it can lead to proliferation of odor-causing bacteria or other microbes such as yeast. The result is a more pungent smelling skin surface.

Menopause and the Microbiome: Changes That The Nose Knows

When the skin’s security system, the microbiome, shifts from odor preventing resident bacteria species and the scales tip to allow influx of non-resident bacteria, odor can be more noticeable. There are actually inherent bacterial species in place on the skin that can protect you from odors. If these “good guys” are nudged out by the odor-inducing bacteria “bad guys”,  you’ll notice body odor. Different body parts have distinct, normal microbial inhabitants and with age and hormonal changes occurring during menopause, the microbiome may shift on skin sites like underarms or other skin folds which are known to harbor musty odors. The result? Your sniff test tells all.

Thinning Skin Leads to Sensitive Skin

As the skin loses its elasticity with every decade starting in your 30’s,  it becomes less resilient and more prone to injury,  leading to a disruption of the barrier function. This implies that while once your skin acted as armor against irritating elements that came in contact with you, now you are more sensitive. For example, the deodorant you always used, suddenly causes you irritation. It may be that the delicate underarm skin has become less tolerant from a diminished protective layer (the epidermis thins)  and the combination of harsh chemicals or fragrances often found in deodorant products now causes your skin to turn angry with redness, itching or even rash. With inflamed skin also comes a breach in the protective wrapping protecting you and once again, odor-causing bacteria are allowed entry.

Dry Skin With Menopause

It has been studied and confirmed that with age comes a trend toward diminished skin moisture. This is due in part to hormonal changes that affect what is called transepidermal water loss, abbreviated TEWL.  This means the skin does not retain built in moisturizing factors and can lose critical oils and fats that keep skin plump and smooth. The loss of natural moisturizing elements such as ceramides can give older skin a dry or flaky appearance and feel. This can lead to an increased risk of skin irritation and inflammation. This in turn means the skin’s ability to keep “the good stuff” in and the “bad stuff” (like odor-causing bacteria, other microbes like viruses and yeast organisms, along with allergens) out. This equals a potential risk of body odor.

Hot Flashes and Body Odor

The medical term for hot flashes is vasomotor symptoms or VMS. Women know all too well about this dreaded aspect of menopause. Without notice, the body heats up like the furnace gets turned on. Before you know it you are soaked with sweat. It can happen anywhere anytime. This increased skin moisture can be a source of increased body odor. But sweat on its own is not the cause of body odor. It is only when moisture is trapped in skin folds for a period of hours that the odor-causing bacteria (here they are again) get a foot hold and create stinky skin. So hot flashes and the resulting sweat may or may not cause odor depending on how your skin reacts to it. By keeping the skin aerated and not allowing wetness in skin folds to linger, odor does not have to be an eventuality.

How You Smell Changes With Menopause

You may not smell as bad as you think. Studies in odor perception have shown that age may alter your olfactory system, in other words the change may not be how you smell to others but how your brain perceives odors. Hence you may think your body odor is offensive but the perception might be miscued. 

How Do I Combat My Body Odor That’s Worse With Menopause:

1. Do not fear. Body odor is normal and everyone suffers with it at some time. You’re not alone.

2. Shower with gentle cleansers. Use pH balancing cleansers that help maintain the skin acidity.  Typical soap has a pH of 8-10 which is alkaline and can alter your skin’s natural ability to prevent body odor. Look for skin wash products that are pH balancing or have acidic ingredients and little or no added fragrance.

3. Pat skin dry with a soft clean towel after your shower. Then, using a hair dryer on a cool setting, air dry your skin folds. This is a gentle way to quickly banish residual water from your skin crevices where it can lurk. This ensures dampness does not linger all day (which can invite body odor to flourish).

4. If you suffer hot flashes, keep a small fan available to cool yourself off.

5. Wear loose fitting clothing that allows air to be in contact with skin, as tight fitting or occlusive clothing traps moisture and irritates skin both of which can invite body odor.

6. Choose fragrance free deodorant. Perfumes and added fragrances can cause skin irritation and ironically make you smell worse by disrupting the skin barrier.

7. Change out of damp clothing whenever possible. Do not sit in a wet bathing suit or damp workout gear.

8. Acidic but gentle skincare products that contain glycolic acid, lactic acid citric acid can help maintain the skin’s acid mantle which aids in repelling odor-causing bacteria. 

9. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated within.

10. If you think a product is drying your skin or causing irritation, get rid of it right away.

11. Squeaky clean is a bad thing. If you wash your skin and it feels tight, you’ve eliminated the wonderful moisturizer built into your skin. It is literally down the drain.  Be sure to replace moisture lost from your skin by applying a body lotion or cream that provides ceramides, hyaluronic acid, shea butter or other hydrating ingredients. 

Surface Deep Anti-Odorant

For those battling menopause or perimenopause symptoms and at any age, Surface Deep Brand Anti-Odorant products and pH Balancing Skin Wash are formulated to help banish odor with benefits. Instead of masking odor, our formulations work with the skin’s own barrier defenses to keep skin smooth, balanced and bright while also odor-free. All our skin health products can help nourish the skin microbiome, are vegan, cruelty free and do not contain harsh chemicals. The glycolic powered formulas are dermatologist developed and tested.

*The above is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice nor to substitute for seeking advice from your doctor.