Health

Deodorant Scientists Arm Against Odor

June 22, 2006 / 2:09 PM EDT / AP

With summer upon us, sniffing armpits can be a dirty job. But thanks to the work of a few brave "sniffers," consumers can come up smelling roses.

At the Degree deodorant "Sweat Lab," inside Unilever's Global Technology Center, a team of "sniffologists" remain at the front lines of the battle with sweat and odor as they sniff, swab and probe thousands of armpits every year.

"We have a database of over 9,000 men and women that we test in simulated hot room conditions to better understand the science of sweating," said Cindy Dumlao, Degree research and development specialist. "Our development scientists then use the data from our studies to formulate Degree Men and Degree Women antiperspirant/deodorant products that offer outstanding odor and wetness protection."

Get A Whiff Of This
Did you know that humans are one of the sweatiest species on the planet? The average person sweats nearly four cups of water every day — and is capable of sweating up to 40 cups a day.

The average person has 2.6 million sweat glands that are distributed over the entire body. While men and women have the same number of sweat glands, about 150 to 350 in each square centimeter, women can stand heat better than men, tolerating a body temperature nearly one degree higher before starting to perspire.

Stay Odor And Sweat Free

The sniffologists at Degree recommend the following tips to keep dry and odor free:

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids so that the body and sweat glands are replenished. Drinking cold water can also help keep you from getting too flushed during a workout.

Dress accordingly: Monitor weather forecasts so you aren't stuck wearing dark colors that reveal unsightly perspiration throughout the body, especially in the underarms.

Remove any makeup if you'll be susceptible to sweating: Keeping a clean face lessens clogged pores, which can happen when makeup and sweat clash. No mascara means no black lines running down your cheeks.

Use an antiperspirant product to reduce sweat: The active components in antiperspirant dissolve in moisture (sweat) on the skin surface to form a gel that reduces the amount of sweat secreted. They also eliminate bacteria and mask smelly odors.

Use a deodorant to smell fresh and clean: Deodorants contain antimicrobials that eliminate bacteria on the skin surface and the fragrance helps to mask bad odors.

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