r/Perimenopause • u/Parentingjourney2024 • 1d ago
Skin Changes Armpits
OK, this feels like a weird one, but maybe I’m not the only one. I feel like my body odor has changed in my early 40s and my left armpit smells different than my right armpit. Usually it will be the one to start smelling first. Is that a thing?
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u/DetailMysterious4797 1d ago
Yes and now.. rashes! Out of the blue both armpits are covered in red patches of pain it’s awful
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u/itsok16 1d ago
Omg same :( What are you using to help it heal?
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u/DetailMysterious4797 18h ago
Nothing at the moment, told to watch out for it feeling warm/hot but idk I’m switching deodorant and not shaving for now, which isn’t fun
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u/Icy_Definition5044 1d ago
Yes!!! Finally someone else says this!
It’s so weird and uncomfortable!
My armpit skin just feels gross, ans sometimes the skin around my groin does too1
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u/Opposite-Ball-6479 18h ago
This could be from the deodorant. Some make my armpits break out even if I used them years ago.
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u/OkAnywhere4872 1d ago
Oh yeah you start to smell like onion. I use glycolic acid for the smell.
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u/screamnshake 21h ago
That stuff is miraculous
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u/kind-butterfly515 20h ago
Yes the mega babe space bar worked better for than the TO glycolic acid toner. It’s got tea tree and charcoal in addition to the glycolic acid - guess I need all the guns!! 🤷♀️
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u/stronggirl79 1d ago
Yes! Unfortunately for me persimmon soap doesn’t work. It’s like thinking a stinky stranger is standing too close to you and when you turn around you realize it’s you.
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u/slightlydramatic 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have the solution!! I had this very problem myself. Grab a bottle of The Ordinary Glycolic Acid solution and swipe it on your armpits after a shower (And under and between your breasts if youre large breasted) I am telling you.It is the holy Grail of stink defense.You won't even need deodorant anymore if you use it.( I still use deodorant) The only caveat is that if you try to put deodorant on immediately after applying the glycolic acid, the deodorant will kind of pill up and not absorb as well. I just wait until the morning to put my deodorant on before I leave the house. I'm telling you, it's changed my life. It also gets rid of if you get those bumps on your legs from shaving (strawberry skin?), it gets rid of that as well! I think it's about ten dollars on amazon too.
Edited for grammar and typos, because I'm on a mobile and using voice to text makes me sound like a moron
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u/stronggirl79 23h ago
You are a life saver! I already have that product. I’ll try it out today. Thank you so much 🙏
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u/Typical_Extent_2853 17h ago
Same, both persimmon soup and glycolic acid didn’t help ! I found witch hazel helps a little. I now just carry deodorant and wet wipes with me and freshen up periodically throughout the day. Good luck!!
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u/Whatchab 1d ago
Yes, and it's my left side too. I looked into this extensively, and everything says "sometimes the dominant side is used more so can smell worse." Well, I'm right handed, so. My left side pit always smells worse.
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u/YoghurtBeneficial519 1d ago
What the actual... REALLY? I thought I was maybe missing one armpit during my shower routine because I am so tired, but... WHAT? 🤯
Bodies keep surprising me.
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u/PretendOil8923 20h ago
Huh. For me it’s right. Was wondering if I’m crazy… you know, for the 6th different reason in the last two years 🥲
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u/Whatchab 20h ago
I know the feeling. Even better when you catch yourself really sniffing your own stank pits in an attempt to figure it out if one is worse (been there).
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u/Flicksterea 1d ago
It's so weird. I'll shower, full body scrub, etc and my right arm pit always smells vaguely of body odour. It's another gift of the peri 🙄
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u/Civil-Read-3571 hanging on by a thread 1d ago
I’ve found that a lot of … things… smell bad at this age. I have tried everything.
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u/im_doing_my_best727 1d ago
A couple months ago I started smelling BO on myself at all times and was wondering if it's a peri symptom. I haven't been diagnosed (my pcp said I'm too young at 38 🙄) but more and more symptoms keep popping up...
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u/Jazzlike_Activity_97 13h ago
Looking back, mine absolutely started at 38. So many horrible symptoms that doctors couldn’t find a test to prove, so was blamed on “anxiety”
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u/meghan_78_marie 1d ago
Glycolic acid on a pad and wipe those pits, works like a charm
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u/slightlydramatic 1d ago
I just commented above that glycolic acid is the holy grail solution for this problem!
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u/Putrid-Ad2390 hanging on by a thread 1d ago
Yup, left pit smelled like a cat peed on Indian food. It’s the worst. Though it went away when I got to the right dose of estrogen. Comes back a bit in luteal.
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u/spoonwarriors 1d ago
Why is it always the left side?! My doc told me it's actually a thing.
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u/AgreeableTrouble5733 19h ago
Came to ask the same thing. Why indeed is it always the left side that's worse????
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u/Dogzillas_Mom 1d ago
It’s a thing. Persimmon soap is the answer.
I’m at a Halloween event right now and just remembered I didn’t use it tonight and now I can’t raise my arms past my elbows. lol.
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u/Aunty_Agley 1d ago
I noticed that too! I learned that most of the body's lymph travels through the nodes at the left clavicle, and I wondered if it's just overwhelming the filters or something.
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u/umeboshiplumpaste Late peri 1d ago
Yup. It's one of the many symptoms of peri. Body odor changes, sweating changes, phantom smells. All common, unfortunately.
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u/Ok-Tooth-4306 1d ago
Antibacterial body wash. Dove makes a lightly scented one and Dial has the gold version as a body wash.
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u/Sillylily99 1d ago
Oxy pads after shower but before deodorant helped me.
My doc had never heard of smells during peri but I believe you all!!
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u/holler_queen 1d ago
I swear to gods some of these doctors are just rage baiting our peri menopause 🤦♀️
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u/spoonwarriors 1d ago
They are a thing. Changing smell. On the meno wiki page. 100 symptoms and counting
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u/Legitimate_Bend_9879 1d ago
Have you tried applying your antiperspirant deodorant at night? I use the clinical strength and apply just before bed. That’s what the instructions say on secret clinical, but I have been doing it for about 20 years. Body temp drops at night and gives it a better chance to absorb. I know this is a common peri symptom and I have friends who said night application helped them. I haven’t had this issue (yet).
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u/my_psychic_powers 18h ago
But what if you shower the next day?
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u/Legitimate_Bend_9879 16h ago
You don’t reapply. Just get dressed. Never swampy pits. Never white marks on clothing. I can ride the peloton and be dripping with sweat and my underarms stay mostly dry.
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u/TangoEchoChuck DHEA Evangelist 1d ago
Yes, it's very common.
My urine started smelling different too. Persimmon products knocked them all out so I smell normal again. By normal I just mean "lacking-horrific-funk-but-not-roses."
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u/thatgirl428 17h ago
I've long noticed slightly more body odor on one side (left) more so than the other. We also have slightly more hair on one side than the other, and one boob slightly bigger than the other so, our bodies are not perfectly even/symmetrical.
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u/Brunch_Drinks 1d ago
Is anyone also getting a ton of clogged pores in their armpits all of the sudden?
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u/Drama_Filled_Cup 1d ago
I'm getting more and more skin tags in my armpit area for some reason :(
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u/Brunch_Drinks 1d ago
Girl, that too! I'm getting them everywhere all of the sudden! I'm just too afraid of those DIY plasma pens, and I'm kinda concerned that I'll screw up the at-home freeze kit too, so I've only had a few of the more irritating ones professionally frozen off so far. Solidarity, sister! 💖 Hang in there! 🌈✨🌺
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u/Drama_Filled_Cup 1d ago
Ugh if you think that's bad: A few days ago, I had a skin tag near my collar bone turn black and fall off. I mean...what the hell.
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u/Brunch_Drinks 1d ago
Yeah, the number of mental and physical ailments caused by hormone fluctuations is wildly unfair. I hate it. And apparently, I'm only on year three or four of a very long haul. 😵💫
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u/Known-Tumbleweed129 1d ago
A fun thing about having two X chromosomes is that each cell in our body only uses one of them. It’s random, but it can clump. Some people sweet in one armpit but not the other, or have much more hair in one than the other, etc. So why not different body odor?
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u/VirgoJ29 1d ago
With me it's my boobs, not my armpits. I get boob sweat and all of a sudden I find it smells. Not every day, just some. I need to start writing the stinky days down to see if there's a pattern with my cycle.
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u/No-Artichoke-6939 17h ago
It’s my right one! Noticed over the summer while traveling. Going to get some glycolic acid and persimmon soap!
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u/MethodBeautiful9688 14h ago
Yeah wicker BO when I started HRT. Had to switch to a stronger deodorant and shower a few times per day. It calmed down after a few months.
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u/CommunityOk3926 1d ago
Benzoyl peroxide is great for BO. Let it sit for a minute and then wash off.
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u/Killerisamom920 Early peri 1d ago
I started using secret outlast clear gel deodorant because I'd start to smell hours after applying my old stick style deodorant. Honestly it's made a difference for me.
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u/No_Calligrapher_2473 1d ago
It can be lymph blockage. I also had one stinkier pit and a lymphatic massage made it go away. Turns out, that’s a thing. Lymphatic system is wild
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u/stay_starry_eyed 1d ago
Omg yes! I’ve never had an issue but now I’m I find myself putting on deodorant 2-3x a day
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u/dabPrassion 1d ago
Yeah my armpits smell like chlorine and the rest of my body smells like boysweat idk
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u/LilRedRidinNDaHood 1d ago
Me for about 6 months and it's unbearable. The only thing that really helps it is washing with your armpits with Head and shoulders dandr shampoo good scrubbing next day it won't be as bad but it comes right back. And it's not like anybody else can smell it but I can and it drives me insane my whole life. I've never even had to wear deodorant. I did not stink. I never ever had a smell so this is driving me absolutely bananas
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u/LeatherRecord2142 22h ago
The answer is yes to every weird-ass symptom ever during PM. Girl we got you here! Also, truth!
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u/Loveitallandthensome 21h ago
This happened to me. It was so bizarre. No amount of antiperspirants prevented the smell. It came out of nowhere and I was so embarrassed. But once I went on HRT this along with a long list of other symptoms went away.
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u/Mountain_Source_103 19h ago
So weird, mine was on the left too. I felt like it was stress sweat or something. Switched to ‘natural’ deodorant (the dragons den one) and while I now get sweaty I haven’t had odour in a year - and I care much more about avoiding odour!
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u/Euphoric_Cheetah6489 18h ago
Progesterone cured my horrendously smelly armpits within a week of taking it. Before that I was smelling worse than my 16 year old son.
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u/Krusteeny 14h ago
Yes! I’m left handed and it’s my left armpit. For reference, I’m 46, 2 years post menopausal and have never had stinky armpits in my life.
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u/Due-Humor956 7h ago
So I’m not alone. My left armpit got worse. After my regular soap, I use a dandruff shampoo on my pits, under boobs, any rolls…it’s the south and always warm. I figure an anti fungal can’t hurt. I started using Carpe antiperspirant/deodorant and it works fantastic. Only one I’ve found that actually lasts the number of hours it advertises.
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u/Defy_Gravity_147 Early peri 1d ago
Yup. Hormonal sweat glands (concentrated in the pits, privates, and behind the ears), start smelling different as hormone production is handed off to non-reproductive organs.
Some use persimmon soap. Some use pH balancing soap (I like it okay but it's pricey). I just use 5% glycolic acid toner, a few times a week after a shower and let air dry, then apply deodorant and body powder as normal.
I like to discourage the anaerobic bacteria, which I think make up the worst part of the smell (humans aren't great at smelling pheromones). And I try not to eat things that make me smell more onion-y.