Bromhidrosis and Sweating

Generality

Bromhidrosis is a chronic condition in which the odor emanating from the skin becomes unpleasant. When it is particularly intense or significantly interferes with social life, bromhidrosis takes on pathological aspects and requires specialized treatment.

The disorder is largely linked to the secretion produced by the apocrine glands; it can be of a constitutional nature, or depend on alterations of the skin of certain regions (hands, toes) or of the most superficial layers of the epidermis (as happens in certain bacterial or fungal infections). pubertal, but its incidence is nevertheless considered rare.

Human body odor

Bromhidrosis indicates an "intensification of physiological body odors: it can develop in the axillary, soles of the feet or scalp and is not necessarily associated with hyperhidrosis.

Physiologically, the body gives off a characteristic odor: this mainly depends on the type and quantity of bacterial flora present, which metabolizes substances secreted by the sweat glands or derived from keratinocytes (scalp = sweat and sebum; armpits = sweat; feet = sweat and keratin) . Even the intervention of certain factors, such as the presence of pathological conditions, the hormonal changes of a healthy subject, certain foods and the intake of particular drugs can influence body odor.

Types of glands and their functions

Sweat glands are mainly divided into two types: eccrine and apocrine glands.