Do you know what causes sweat under breasts to smell sour? There are multiple causes, some of can be quite dangerous. Read on to learn about them.

Apocrine, Eccrine and Apo eccrine are glands in the body that release sweat.

Eccrine glands produce a lot of sweat since they are found all over the body. Generally, eccrine glands produce odorless sweat.

Apocrine glands, on the other hand, are located in the scalp, underarms, face, perineum and scalp. These glands usually open on the air follicles as opposed to the skin, and produce a lower amount of sweat. The sweat produced from the apo eccrine glands is salty, and is mainly found in the underarm area.

The body transforms heat to water when you sweat to keep you cool.  When the heat from the sweat evaporates, it cools the body. Besides, sweat protects the skin against infection as it’s a natural moisturizer.

A huge percentage of sweat is made up of sodium chloride and water while the rest contains urea, ethanol, potassium, calcium, lactate, and ammonia in small amounts. Sweat is odorless. However, has a vinegar-like smell when it combines with bacteria.

Causes of Sweat Under Breasts Smells Sour

Let’s highlight some of the possible causes of sour smell under the breasts:

Kidney Disease

When sweat under the breasts smells sour, this might be a symptom of kidney disease. In this case, the kidney doesn’t break down urea, forcing the body to excrete it through sweat or urine. This can result in the vinegar-like smell.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a known cause of high blood pressure and if it’s not controlled, it can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. The body tends to burn fat for energy too quickly when deprived of glucose. As the fat burns, ketones are produced. This makes the blood to be more acidic and release metabolites like acetone to the sweat , which causes the sour smell.

Trichomycosis

This is a bacterial infection usually found in the underarm hair, also known as trichobacteriosis. The infection also affects other areas and is caused by Corynebacterium.

The sour smell could be a symptom of Trichomycosis since it also makes the sweat color to darken.

Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis makes someone to sweat excessively. It’s classified in two categories – primary focal and secondary hyperhidrosis. The latter can be caused by medication or an underlying health condition.

Primary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, means the sweating affects different parts of the body including feet, underarms, forehead and hands. You’ll notice a sour smell when the sweat comes in contact with bacteria on your skin.

Trimethylaminuria

This condition is quite rare and is known to make sweat under the breasts to smell sour since the body can’t break down trimethylaminuria.

Other Causes of Sweat Smelling Sour Under Breasts

 Meat

Digesting food requires some energy, which causes an increase in body temperature. This can trigger sweating.

Studies shows that more energy is required to digest animal protein like pork. This technically means that consuming meat will make you sweat more, producing body odor. Red meat also weighs in negatively on smell.

Dairy

People with metabolic disorders usually have an unpleasant body smell following dairy consumption. Your sweat can have a sour smell if trimethylamine chemical is not broken down.

Seasonings and Spices

The body tends to produce Sulphur compounds when you eat curry, garlic or cumin. These can create an unpleasant smell when it reacts with sweat.

Stress

Stress causes an increase in body temperature, thereby activating sweat glands. Stress induces the apocrine glands to release sweat that can be quite smelly.

Hormones

Hormonal changes during pregnancy, puberty, menopause and menstruation also changes the way your sweat smells. Hormones increase sweat levels. For example, during menopause, the level of estrogen lowers causing an increase in body temperature. This, in turn, causes sweating.

Prevent Sweat Under Breast from Smelling Sour

You can use the following methods to get rid of that sour smell under your breasts:

Antiperspirants and deodorant

A deodorant can block body odor and cover up a smelly sweat while antiperspirants block the glands to keep you dry and fresh.

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You can prevent sweat from mixing with the bacteria on the skin by using an antiperspirant.

Change of clothes

Changing clothes frequently will help control the rate at which moisture comes in contact with the skin. It will prevent sweat from mixing with any bacteria and producing sour smell.

Washing

Use an antibacterial soap to wash as it helps reduce sweat odor. Washing frequently will also help minimize the risk of bacterial infection.

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Drink a lot of water

Staying well hydrated will not only dilute sweat but also make it odorless.

 Diet

How your sweat smells can be influenced by your diet. You can reduce your intake of foods with seasoning and spices if you notice they make your sweat smell sour.

Reduce stress

Stress tends to trigger the apocrine glands to produce more sweat. Avoiding situations or things that can stress you out will significantly reduce sweating and body odors as a result.

Seek medical attention if your sweat has a vinegar-like smell to rule out any underlying medical conditions like:

• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Flushed or dry skin
• Breathing difficulties
• Vomiting and nausea
• Fruity smell on urine, breath or sweat

Kidney disease symptoms include:

• Foamy urine
• Puffy eyes
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Dry or itchy skin
• Frequent urination
• Blood in the urine

Treatment to Stop Sweat Smelling Sour Under Breasts

• Using antiperspirants and deodorants
• Using an antibacterial soap when washing
• Ensuring the skin is dry

If you are worried about the smell of your sweat, you can use the following methods:

• Microwave Thermolysis

This method destroys the sweat glands using microwave energy to get in the way of their functionality. It works well for those dealing with excessive sweating and bad odors as a result.

• Botox

Botox injection will help stop sweating. You can stop the sweat glands from producing sweat glands by injecting Botulinum toxin A.  According to research, Botox injections reduces sweating by up to 75%.

• Antiperspirants

Prescription antiperspirants contain active ingredients like metallic salts in high quantities. Follow the doctor’s guide to prevent any skin irritation.

• Antibiotics

The doctor can prescribe antibiotics if your sweat has a vinegar-like smell caused by certain infections. You can also try antifungal creams if you are struggling with a bacterial skin infection due to excessive sweating.

Conclusion

Sweat under breasts smell sour can be due to different reasons including underlying health conditions. Try out some of the methods mentioned above to get rid of the unpleasant smell. I hope this article helps!