Odour  The background to Bromhidrosis

The aprocine glands have no known physiologic importance as we live today, their role of "scent glands" being lost long ago in our evolutionary past, unfortunately there are several distinctive dermatological disorders involving these glands. Control of the pervasive odour of apocrine sweat is regarded by most of modern society as a daily necessity. North Americans alone spend over 800 million dollars annually on the purchase of Axillary (underarm) deodorants and antiperspirants.

Apocrine sweat / wax is the only natural product of the body which, when decomposed with bacteria, gives rise to the classic apocrine odour. Nothing in the world can be substituted for apocrine sweat and result in the same odour: not sebum, hair, ordinary sweat (eccrine), keratin scales, or any combination of these. In fact, this odour can be so pervasive and prominent, that despite its origination from the axilla only, it has been given the common designation of "body odour".

Apocrine Bromhidrosis never occurs before puberty, because the particular glands involved are not active in the pre-pubescent individual. It is also less likely in the elderly. Apocrine sweat is sterile and odourless when it first appears on the skin surface. However, within an hour bacteria degrade the sweat to the point where the classic acrid odour is detectable. Fatty acids and ammonia are the major odoriferous products of this bacterial decomposition. Thus, a variety of odours; musty, rancid, faecal, sour and sweet' may be detected, reflecting of course, differences in chemical makeup of each individual's axillary sweat. Hair and clothing also provide additional lodgings for the retention of the odorous sweat and this contributes greatly to the odour-producing problem.

Bromhidrosis occurs in all races, but there are some variations in racial incidence. The apocrine glands from individuals of African ancestry are the largest and most active. Asian's have the smallest and least active glands. Beyond that, variations in the occurrence of Bromhidrosis are unexplained, there are individual differences in the composition of apocrine sweat but no studies have yet been made to determine causal factors. The hygienic routine (or lack of) probably explains why there is a greater frequency of the problem in males.