Hormones affect a lot more than our mood and skin, they also affect the way we smell too.

Believe it or not, during each stage of our lives, especially us women, our body odor is going to take on a different smell. And though our diet plays a big role in that, so do our hormones. If you have a child nearing the age of puberty, or you’re nearing the age of menopause, you will notice a change in body odor. Let’s take a closer look to understand our bodies and our children’s bodies a little better.

How Hormones Near and During Puberty Affect Body Odor
Ever notice the difference between a middle school gym and a high school gym? Besides all the accessories, the difference in smell is really beyond words. Our children can start experiencing body odor as early as 7 years old. When we’re nearing the age of puberty our apocrine sweat glands start to exercise their worth all thanks to those puberty hormones.

A Woman’s Monthly Cycle and Her Changing Body Odor
During a woman’s monthly cycle, her estrogen and progesterone levels are in a sort of dance. There are four different stages in a woman’s cycle. They are menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. During ovulation, women may send out a signal through their sweat to attract a partner, and during menstruation our body temperature rises, which causes us to sweat more. When our sweat mixes with bacteria in our armpits, we can give off a stronger smell. This is why it’s recommended to wash your underarms more frequently during menstruation and re-apply your natural deodorant after a good clean.

Menopause and Your Body Odor
During menopause or pre-menopause a woman’s estrogen and progesterone levels start to decrease. The lack of estrogen or progesterone in a woman’s body will cause the body to go through a myriad of changes, her body odor being one of them. Some women sweat less, or not at all, while others will go through hot flashes and sweat more. In this case, you’ll want to have your Play Pit’s Queen at hand, during those moments you need that royal underarm pamper.

If you have any questions about your child’s body odor, their changing body, or your own changing body, we do recommend you see a professional who can guide you through all the changes - so that you can be more than prepared.