How to handle your preteen’s body odour
Photo: Glow Images
Last year, Teresa Gallagher?s* husband reported that the grade-five teachers at the school where he works have to take ?fresh-air? breaks after their students return from gym class. So Gallagher figured the time was ripe to talk to 11-year-old Brandyn, the eldest of their three sons, about wearing deodorant. Brandyn was still odour-free, but had started to sprout underarm hair at age nine.
?He knew that Mom and Dad wear deodorant and was very laid-back about the whole thing,? says Gallagher. In fact, he took pride in the milestone, remarking, ?Well, I am a preteen.?
Puberty-causing hormones typically begin to flow, at low levels, as young as age eight or nine for boys. These hormones affect the glands that produce oil and sweat on the skin, says Edmonton dermatologist Gordon Searles, president of the Canadian Dermatology Association. While sweat itself doesn?t smell (it?s mostly water), a wet, closed-off environment is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which leads to that funky odour. That?s why proper hygiene is so important at this age: If you get rid of the bacteria, you get rid of the smell. A daily shower or bath ? especially in warm weather or after vigorous activity ? usually takes care of any issues. According to Searles, simple soap and water is fine, but if the problem persists, wash with antibacterial soap once or twice a week. You can also create your own disinfectant by adding a cap full of vinegar or household bleach to a spritz bottle...
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