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Antimicrobial Cleanser Banishes Body Odor

Q. You wrote recently about using milk of magnesia as an underarm deodorant. My husband uses the antimicrobial skin cleanser, Hibiclens. He puts it on his armpits for 10 minutes each morning, then washes it off. This has solved his body odor problem.

Hibiclens does not require a prescription. In some drugstores you do have to ask for it.

A. Since underarm odor is largely the result of skin bacteria fueled by sweat, getting rid of the bacteria each morning seems like a logical approach. Hibiclens is an antibacterial cleanser containing chlorhexidine. Health care workers often use it to avoid spreading germs from patient to patient.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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