Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I used to need deodorant every single day or I could smell myself.  4 months... nearly 5 months into HRT (4 months 2 weeks since starting E) and I hadn't been noticing ANY odor coming from my underarms. Basically, I've been wearing deodorant simply to keep from sweating lately. I've actually been concerned about that because, well tbh I was looking forward to that point where I could smell the hormones shifting my body scent to more of a female scent.

Until tonight.

So I lifted my arms to stretch and looked to the side to watch tv... and god it hit me. It's definitely not the same smell I had as a hormonal male. IDK if yall can understand this (and sorry if this grosses yall out), I used to have sort of a bean dip kind of smell and it never used to be very potent even if I had been sweating alot. The smell I hinted at tonight smelled like onions or something, and holy crap it's strong! It's so strong that my deodorant is not even coming close to covering it up. I haven't even been sweating!

Great. Something else to feel self conscious about. Just when I was worried about how I'm going to hide my rather rapidly growing breasts until I transition and how to tend to my extremely dry skin (Which I'm handling well), now I have a body odor problem that will not shut the heck up that I probably never had since I was 15. And I thought my chance of ever having a boyfriend was slim before!

Now, I have read that men tend to have more of a cheesy smell that isn't actually very strong, while females tend to smell like garlic but is far more strong. So I'm pretty sure what is going on is not outside of the norm. My wonder, instead, is how do I deal with this odor? Am I going to have to wait until February (my next endo visit / lab works) to figure out what to do? Ahhhhh I hate not being hygenic, help!!

go out and get some feminine deodorant. After all, since men's and women's body odor is different the feminine deodorant will be made to work best with women.

 Deodorant and frequent washing... it's about all you can do.

I'm thankful that I don't have armpit odor anymore, though I wonder if it will be in my future.

Quote from: Keaira on January 15, 2012, 01:33:33 AM
go out and get some feminine deodorant. After all, since men's and women's body odor is different the feminine deodorant will be made to work best with women.

I have!!!  I've even used my old guys deodorant, and a neutral deodorant. These pits are like a astroid, nothings stopping em except for the ground!!  :'(

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on January 15, 2012, 01:40:32 AM
I have!!!  I've even used my old guys deodorant, and a neutral deodorant. These pits are like a astroid, nothings stopping em except for the ground!!  :'(

It may be just a temporary thing. Do you shave your 'pits?

And I sure hope it doesn't happen to me, I love being odorless. >_>

Quote from: Maja.V on January 15, 2012, 02:37:40 AM
It may be just a temporary thing. Do you shave your 'pits?

And I sure hope it doesn't happen to me, I love being odorless. >_>

No but I will tomorrow... esp since odor sticks to hair like gum

 Epilate the pits? Sounds like a pretty crazy thing to do. And I thought epilating my belly was painful... the pits would be the experience of a lifetime, I'm sure.

Well, the arm pit hair has to go somehow!!This odor is horrible and I have a feeling that hair will hold it in and make sure I always stink.

I stopped wearing deodorant about six months ago and don't smell at all anymore. "Male or female." I barely sweat at all. When I used to shave my armpits it was a disaster, itchy and with nothing to stop the sweat from running down my sides. I preferred hair. Now it's not problem. I can shave and nothing happens.

I think hormones can have an effect on underarm odour.  A decent feminine deoderant should help.  Too much shaving can cause damage to underarms as the skin is pretty delicate.  You may have picked up an infection.  Treat with a mild anteseptic.  Bad body odour can be bacterial, your gp should be able to help.

I've been rubbing baking soda under my arms for 3 years now every morning and have completely forgotten what my body odor even smelled like. Baking soda beats any man-made deodrant, and it's cheap + harmless.

I don't remember the last time I used a deodorant, I don't need it anymore, I smell like candy now and I love it

I'm not MTF, but I feel like it was safe for me to comment here since my body odor has definitely changed since HRT..

If I'm in a rush and forget to wear deodorant/anti-antiperspirant, I really notice it later on; Pre-HRT, I hardly noticed it at all other than the fact that perspiration was a lot worse.

In my opinion, I've begun to reek. I don't really like sweaty man smell (even if it's mine), so that certainly doesn't help.

Quote from: japple on January 23, 2012, 03:37:50 AM
I stopped wearing deodorant about six months ago and don't smell at all anymore. "Male or female." I barely sweat at all. When I used to shave my armpits it was a disaster, itchy and with nothing to stop the sweat from running down my sides. I preferred hair. Now it's not problem. I can shave and nothing happens.

That's how I had been for a while, then those couple of days / nights when I started this thread it all changed!! Now I don't smell anything really, maybe a slight hint of a sweet smell but it's very faint and non offensive. B4 HRT if I didn't go with DO on it was gonna be an embarassing day, now I barely ever need it! I'll put some on when I think it'll be hot out but that's it. Hey I live in Louisiana.. humidity is just a way of life here :/

  Underarm odor is usually a problem to us of the Caucasian race, mixed or otherwise.  It depends on your genetics as well as climate on how much and how different you smell from others.  The armpit sweat of the Caucasians has some sebum coming out with it and it is the bacteria that feed on this that give off the mal odor. You cannot remove this bacteria by washing.  Skin bacteria actually increases after a shower/bath.  There are different bacteria involved and some won't grow on some people.  Also the sebum formulation differs from family to family, sex and age.   Some women do sweat more under there and they can get a prescription antiperspirant/deodorant. 
  I was dry under the pits with the antiperspirant all last summer, but the Spiro caused me to sweat much more elsewhere. 
  Joelene