Analysis Of Body Odor Prevention Methods

Comfort is a feeling that arises when someone feels accepted and happy with the situation and conditions. Holistically, comfort includes four aspects, such as: physical, social, spiritual, and environment (Potter Perry, 2013). The environment is related to conditions and influences from outside to humans, not only temperature, color, lighting, and sound but also smell. All stimuli from the environment enter through the human sensory nerves and then digested by the brain to be assessed. The brain will stimulate to provide the value of comfort or no. Nurses must provide comfort to patients to be able to provide strength, hope, entertainment, support, encouragement, and assistance.

The smell is one of the stimuli that can make a patient uncomfortable, especially body odor. Based on Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries is an unpleasant smell from a person’s body, especially of sweat. Usually, body odor comes when a human reaches puberty, people who are obese, those who regularly eat spicy foods, as well as individuals with certain medications such as diabetes, and people who sweat too much.

Body odor is caused by bacteria breaking down sweat and is largely linked to the apocrine glands. The apocrine glands are mainly responsible for body odor because the sweat they produce is high protein and fat, which bacteria can breakdown easily. It can make smell so stinky (Tortora, 2012). Nurses should be aware of their body odor because it will make their patients uncomfortable. There are several ways that the writer collected to prevent body odor. The writer hopes that through this paper nurses can be alert to their body odor in order to make patients comfortable. This paper was made by reviewing various literature both journals and books.

The first is to maintain body hygiene. Poor maintenance of body hygiene causes bacteria to stick and many dead skin cells so make the body smell even more. Because Indonesia has a tropical climate, it is recommended to shower twice a day. Showering uses antibacterial soap so that it can reduce the number of bacteria (Daoud, 2003). Today many soap brands uses antibacterial ingredients for their products.

The second is shaving axillary or armpit hair. Generally, armpit is the body parts that most often smell. It is because the hair in the area is dense enough so that the apocrine glands work more actively. Shaving axillary hair can reduce odors and prevent the accumulation of bacteria and sweat (Wiseman, 2008). Use a safe tool and the right procedure for shaving because armpit skin is more sensitive than other skin.

The third is washing clothes and socks properly. Not only the body that must be cleaned regularly buat also the clothes are needed to be cleaned properly. Always wash clothes in the right procedure, so that germs and dirt can disappear completely. Clean clothes will deal with unpleasant bodu odor. In addition, use clothing and socks that absorb sweat (Stattkus, 2006). The weather in Indonesia is almost hot every year with an average temperature of 35 – 37 degrees Celsius. That means, living in Indonesia is very easy to get sweat. Excessive sweating will be the main trigger for body odor, especially in hot weather. Use clothes that can absorb sweat well, so that the body remains comfortable and does not sweat.

The fourth is to regulate a food diet. One example of regulating a food diet is to educe foods that can trigger body odor, such as spices, onions, garlic, and alcohol. In addition, the consumption of many fruits and vegetables that contain fiber can also reduce body odor. The fiber in fruits and vegetables affect the absorption of nutrients regularly and facilitate defecate (Kirana, 2008). Troubled digestion can also lead to body odor. It is because there is a lot of pule fat that can make the body sweat more. For that, try to consume fruits and vegetables that contain lots of fiber, so that digestion becomes facile. If digestion is good, then fat in the body can certainly be overcome and at the same time, body odor can also be avoided.

Besides the four things above, body odor can be treated with the use of deodorant and antiperspirants. In principle, antiperspirants can reduce sweating, which can ultimately change the environment so that bacterial growth is inhibited. While deodorant is intended to reduce body odor production. Both of them have antibacterial ingredients and fragrances (Pierard, 2003). Components that can be found in antiperspirants are aluminum chloride, hexahydrate, buffered aluminum hydrochloride, aluminum zirconium chorhydrate, glycine complex salts, titanium ammonium lactate, vanadium salt, and indium chloride.

These components are dissolved on the surface of the skin to produce acidic solutions, which will penetrate into the sweat glands and it will be hydrolysis and alkaline metal hydroxide gel are formed. While the workings of deodorants in reducing body odor are by suppressing perspiration, reducing the number of resident bacteria and masking the odor. Deodorant is topical ingredient that is useful for reducing body odor, especially in the axillary odor. The formation of sweat cannot be prevented by deodorants alone. Therefore, the use of deodorant and antiperspirant together will be very good for reducing body odor. For other alternatives, there are several newest products in the minimarket that contain both deodorant and antiperspirant.

It can be conclude, the patient will be comfortable if the nurse avoids body odor. If the patient is comfortable, then basic human needs are fulfilled and patient will recover quickly. There are several ways to prevent body odor, including: maintain body hygiene, shaving axillary, wash clothes and sock properly, regulate a food diet, and use deodorant and antiperspirant. The writer hopes the methods mentioned above can prevent body odor. Furthermore, the writer will accept criticism and suggestions for developing this paper.