Submitted by haribobosses t3_11jp4cn in askscience
Are the bacterial colonies different? Why can’t a foot ever smell like an armpit? Or a crotch, for that matter?
Comments
[deleted] t1_jb81iig wrote
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[deleted] t1_jb85w6y wrote
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[deleted] t1_jb8fnzo wrote
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godsfathermixtape t1_jbca0iv wrote
Eccrine sweat glands are present throughout the body, while apocrine sweat glands are confined mostly to the groin and armpit. Eccrine sweat is mostly water, while apocrine sweat is viscous, fat-rich sweat which bacteria love to break down and therefore results in body odour.
haribobosses OP t1_jbckl8l wrote
Thanks. But why is it unique-smelling? I've never met someone with armpit stink in their crotch.
godsfathermixtape t1_jbcmohj wrote
It's possible that more androstenone is secreted at the groin that at the armpit, and that sweat that is secreted at the armpit is more sulfurous.
JFIDIF t1_jbm65d9 wrote
This. The apocrine glands are more dense in those areas and have more reactive androgen and estrogen receptors. They also may be more dense in steroidogenesis enzymes which change cholesterol/other steroids into other compounds.
A common effect of anabolic steroids is a massive change to your armpit smell.
Solid-Warning8793 t1_jc25nw6 wrote
The compounds produced are different due to different metabolism. Bacteria are different. There are several types of bacteria and their by products are different. So the environment in the armpits are more suitable to certain type of bacteria that produce the by product that smells like armpit.
[deleted] t1_jc2oy94 wrote
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haribobosses OP t1_jc48k9m wrote
I appreciate your taking the time.
Can I ask a follow up? Why makes the armpit environment so different from a crotch environment?
Solid-Warning8793 t1_jc490di wrote
It is like a mini ecosystem. Just like how a jungle is different than a sea. Level of sweat, ingredients in sweat, rival bacteria etc.
[deleted] t1_jc4972f wrote
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haribobosses OP t1_jc4j625 wrote
To me it’s more like the jungle is different than the woodland.
Rival bacteria is precisely the point. Clearly a specific bacteria can come to dominate an armpit that never has a chance elsewhere.
I want to know why. What makes the armpit better suited than the crotch for that particular BO smell.
[deleted] t1_jc4nrsf wrote
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Solid-Warning8793 t1_jc4ux44 wrote
Well armpits constantly sweat providing higher moisture. While crotch does not always sweat constantly.
haribobosses OP t1_jc4v92m wrote
Interesting. Conjecture or researched fact?
Solid-Warning8793 t1_jc4vvyk wrote
Researched. It should be in the sweat glands section of physiology textbooks
haribobosses OP t1_jc4yjva wrote
So with enough sweat I can get my balls to smell like BO?
[deleted] t1_jb80vr3 wrote
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