3 ms·
> Are you assuming people don’t do any daily exercise? Showering in this case may be useful, but the use of soaps/cleansers would still probably not be needed.
by throw0101a 3y ago
> Are you assuming people don’t do any daily exercise?
Showering in this case may be useful, but the use of soaps/cleansers would still probably not be needed. Sweat is mostly water itself, along with salt and some other minerals (potassium?), so a quick shower—using just water, which is a great solvent—will rinse/dissolve most things from your skin.
Worth remembering that body odour is from bacteria and not the sweat itself. The bacteria is determined (partly) by your genetics and the type of sweat glads you have. Eccrine sweat glands go directly to the surface of the skin (secrete: water, NaCl, K), while apocrine sweat glands connect into hair follicle (secrete: protein, lipids,): the bacteria feed off the latter.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_gland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_gland
The gene on whether you have (more) apocrine glands is ABCC11:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABCC11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABCC11
Asians are more likely to have to have the gene variant that makes you less smelly (Allele A).
In the Before Times (pre-COVID/WFH) I used to cycle hard to work everyday: I would shower at home, pedal in with the funny-looking lycra, and change at work. I didn't bother showering at work and I didn't stink. (This concern regularly gets mentioned when topics of car-alternative comes up on HN.)