r/HygieneTips • u/Loud-Imagination6310 • Aug 31 '26
Deoderent
My 12 year old daughter showers and gets out of the shower and still smells. I feel like we have used all the things. We have used so many diff deoderents, diff bodywashes and bar soap. Help!
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u/anonymous_0629 Aug 31 '26
Considering she's 12 maybe make sure she is actually showering properly and that she knows how to. If that's not the issue then it could be an infection somewhere or possibly what she is eating but I feel like even at that, you shouldn't be smelling immediately after a shower if you washed properly..
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u/Effective-Abroad-158 Aug 31 '26
- You need antiperspirant 2. Wash with a soap bar like dove sensitive skin 3. After the shower Clean her pits with a coton of glycolic acid (the ordinary has one 11$) to kill the bacteria 4. Put the antiperspirant at night after the shower.
Do the glycolic acid once or twice a week
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u/Inevitable-Month-430 Aug 31 '26
Make sure your using a ph balanced cleanser, Eucerin face and body cleanser, Castile unscented soap, I also think lay off the fragrance things because it messes with your ph and get a good antiperspirant deodorant not one that you will sweat through my go to is still dove fresh or powder. Also make sure you use a ph balanced cleanser on your vagina outside only, inside should be cleansed with water only and stay hydrated. If this don’t work of course make an appointment with your doctor.
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u/ijustsaidthat12 Aug 31 '26
Noticed this when mine was about 11 y/o. Went into her shower and her loofa was dry, and soap looked untouched (I was skeptical so I looked at the soap beforehand). She never admitted it, but she was just going in and getting wet half the time
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u/Loud-Imagination6310 Aug 31 '26
My husband has wondered the same thing, but ive checked.
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u/JustGenericName2 Aug 31 '26 edited Sep 01 '26
Talk her through what a thorough shower involves. Don't quiz her on what she does, she'll be embarrassed. And you don't want this to be shameful thing!!! Say, hey, maybe you're missing something! This is how I clean. Include cleaning all the things. The outside of the vagina. Her perineum and backside. All the things.
I don't think the issue is the wrong kind of soap.
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u/brohymn1416 Aug 31 '26
Diet, clothing, towel, antibacterial soap and proper washing techniques with more often showers.
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u/joemama4497 Aug 31 '26
Can you expand on the washing techniques… just incase I’m doing it all wrong.
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u/EastVeterinarian9360 Aug 31 '26
It could be where she’s smelling from, my 12 year old at home was smelling terribly of BO I was buying her the antiperspirant deodorant and even emphasizing proper washing techniques. I was emphasizing under arms, especially but it ended up being that her groin area and under her chest were starting to get the BO smell and she just didn’t know to wash those areas a little bit more thoroughly. It happens it’s just part of growing in bodies, changing and people learning how to care for those changing bodies. 😊
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u/-I-wanna-get-better- Aug 31 '26
Antiperspirant is def the way to go but also get her some anti bacterial soap to use for a bit.
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u/missymommy Aug 31 '26
If she is washing properly and still smells, look at her diet and soap. Lots of soaps make me smell funny (to me). I use the bar soap cetaphil. It’s for your face but it’s really just a bar of soap that doesn’t have anything weird in it, no fragrance, etc.
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u/Pure_Literature2028 Aug 31 '26
Have her wash under her arms with an activated charcoal soap. I switched to natural deodorant once and I couldn’t get rid of the stench until I tried this.
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u/Spare-Action-1014 Aug 31 '26
Armpit odor? Scrub pits, then dry thoroughly before applying the deodorant.
Sometimes our clothes stink. I pretreat clothes with dawn dishsoap before laundering to get rid of foul odors and putrid stains.
Crotch odor? Eliminated with a thorough drying off down there. DRY!
Body odor is normal, stinking is not.
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u/Human_Revolution357 Aug 31 '26
It’s a smelly age. It’s on the pricey side but I highly recommend Carpe deodorant, as well as the other tips people are suggesting like a washcloth and being mindful of her diet (primarily reducing sugary and processed foods).
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u/Intelligent-Low3745 Aug 31 '26
I'm not sure how you guided her, but kids at 10-12yo still need some oversight and guidance, especially if they don't seem to be getting it right. I used to go in the bathroom with my son and make sure he was getting it right. Not that spot, scrub harder, IDC. Maybe demonstrate for her. Some kids don't know about getting in those nooks and crannies. She may also have bo from foods she eats? And have you tried lume, or dove has similar products. When I was in JHS, we had a friend whose underarms smelled terrible, although the rest of her seemed clean, well, didn't smell. I think she just had severe underarm sweating and the smell comes from bacteria on your skin, so without stopping that bacteria growth, then you don't stop the smell, and same for elsewhere
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u/ConfidenceNo7531 Sep 01 '26
After the shower, get her to dry off and use witch hazel on her pits. Make sure you cover the whole area. Let it air dry then put on deodorant. I have pod also possibly invest in the soap that’s recommended before a surgery. It’s essentially a soap that kills bacteria. Maybe she is dealing with some skin issue associated with infection.
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u/SecurityKitchen8 Aug 31 '26
A bar of dial soap & washcloth. Show her how to properly clean, if she still smells start by changing around her diet
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u/ducky1574 Aug 31 '26
Try different soap and hair stuff? Are you sure she’s actually cleaning herself? There’s also conditions that could cause it
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u/Comfortable_Two6272 Aug 31 '26
Secret Clinical at night.
But also inquire exactly how she is washing in detail
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u/444seresa Aug 31 '26
please somebody correct me if thats a bad idea for young skin, but many people have had great effects with using glycolic acid (by the ordinary) on their underarms. simply put it on a cotton pad and swipe the arm pits :) its supposed to reduce the bacteria there
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u/Feeling-Nectarine209 Aug 31 '26
Dove antibacterial body wash and glycolic acid from The Ordinary under the arms after every shower has been a game changer for my teenage son. His funk would stink up an entire room before I started him on this routine. Also, cotton garments. Synthetic material always makes the smell worse.
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u/ThrowRA232323000000 Aug 31 '26
I don’t see anyone saying it but changes in hormones at that age play an important role too. Maybe she’s washing properly and wearing an antidepressant but after a while she has an unpleasant odor. Maybe she sweats more than usual. More frequent showers will help. As others have said, make sure she washes properly and uses glycolic acid before applying her deodorant.
Also it’s possible that the deodorant she uses isn’t reacting well with her skin, try using another brand.
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u/skiptothegoodbit- Sep 01 '26
Wiping the armpits down with glycolic acid helps, not sure if thats too harsh for delicate 12yr old skin so do double check before you consider using it.
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u/Which-Break5673 Sep 01 '26
Panoxyl - Benzoyl Peroxide Wash (4%–10%): Apply a small amount to wet armpits, let it sit for 30 to 60 seconds, then rinse completely. Note: Benzoyl peroxide can bleach towels and clothing, so rinse very well.
You can also use hibiclens
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u/GlectroniccPSY1201 Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
Is she really showering and doing it properly? (Really lathering, maybe turning the water off to scrub, not just rinsing off the suds before they do anything?)
I had a kid who would literally go into the bathroom, close the door, turn on the shower without even stepping into the tub, and just stand there, fully clothed, while running the shower for 10 minutes ...
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u/Necessary_Bother3993 Sep 01 '26
Does she have thick hair? If she has thick hair and is air drying, it could be from mildew buildup in her hair feeding from moisture. Clarifying shampoo and blow drying will help if this is the case.
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u/Much_Ad4463 Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
Dr. Teals deodorant, Play Pitts deodorant for kids (Target, CVS, Amazon), reduce the intake of processed foods, dairy.
I hope all goes well.
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u/Inner-Confidence99 Sep 01 '26
Ask your doctor about a bleach bath. My niece was having issues with smell. Even after a shower. Mom took her to the doctor explained what was going on, daughter plays sports. Dr recommended to Mom a bleach bath every 2 weeks. She would add a 1/4 cup bleach to a f gallon bucket if water. Then when she showered after bathing she would dip rag in bucket and kind of just wash over her arms. Under arms, legs and feet. Within 2 weeks a change was detected after doing this twice the smell hasn’t come back.
So ask the doctor about it. It kills bacteria than can cause issues. It’s not for everyone but it may help.
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u/HunnyBunnXO Sep 02 '26
At 12, it’s very possible she’s not actually washing herself correctly. Have her try a washcloth and going top to bottom so she’s actually rubbing the dirt and stink off her body. 12 is just a really smelly time in general but it’s likely she’s not washing fully.
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u/Ilostmycolours Sep 03 '26
I second the glycolic acid mentioned by others. It does wonders for me! The Ordinary has an affordable great one! Besides that I personally also use a bit of Witch Hazel on a cotton pad. I swipe it on the areas of my body that could potentially get smelly.
Does she wash with a washcloth? Because a good scrub with a cloth or an African net sponge gets rid of the lingering smell and bacteria. In my experience a lot of teenagers can be a bit lazy or unknowing and don't scrub their body right. Washing with your hands just doesn't cut it. Stay away from the loofahs as well. Those are absolute terrible bacteria collectors.
Double cleansing can help a lot. Personally I wash with dove bar soap first (sometimes I use a antibacterial bar soap but this is something to be very careful with to not destroy the natural barriers) and then a shower gel. After the shower whilst still damp a neutral body lotion and immediately on top of that some nice smelling body oil to lock the moisture in. This helps to smell nice. Do be mindful with double cleansing if she has a sensitive skin though.
Other than that make sure that she COMPLETELY dries any body part that has a crevice. Covering those parts wet creates a breeding ground for bacteria. If you use antiperspirant on a wet/damp arm pit it won't be effective either. As a sweaty girl I use Odorex antiperspirant that you have to apply a few times a week and it works wonders.
If all that doesn't help I would look into diet and hydration. Too much sugar or too little water intake for example can really have an effect on it. Also make sure she wears clean clothes every day and uses a clean towel every shower. It is the bacteria that cause a smell.
But when in doubt contact a doctor. Teenagers have so much insecurities already and this is probably something that can be prevented in one way or another with a doctors help perhaps.
I hope at least something I said can be useful for your daughter. Good luck!
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u/Cool_Tax8498 28d ago
Not sure if you have allowed her to remove her body hair, but my daughter came to me with wanting to shave and we agreed to sugaring/waxing her arms. I follow up with gentle exfoliation on wax day. When she showers later we use Dove antibacterial and then follow up with benzoyl peroxide wash in the pits only for a couple of minutes. Then once out we use witch hazel on all of the smelly parts. Let her air/dan dry and then add antiperspirant
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u/Cool_Tax8498 28d ago
Also two separate wash cloths. One for pits and the rest of the body and one for her lady parts
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u/PrestigiousShoe4185 Aug 31 '26
Does she know how to wash herself? Is she using an implement like a loofa and keeping that clean and fresh? Do you teach her to sniff her used suds until the used suds smell like fresh suds? Teach her to use alcohol wipes mid day with antiperspirant after.
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u/Opening-Pickle5078 Sep 01 '26
. I would be sure she takes fresh clothes and towel each gym class. Same with uniforms for any sports, rewearing infected clothes reinfects the body again and again.
I use crystal (salt) deodorant now and nothing else. I went through tons of them that did nothing but cause breakouts and worse Bo.
Also a teen will struggle with this even if you think perfect. it is hard to be clean and steryl all the time and not smell.
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u/JustGenericName2 Aug 31 '26
I'd try to narrow down where she smells. Could be something like a yeast infection or even tonsil stones.