Body odor

Body odor is the smell of sweat and whatever bacteria are growing on the skin. It is specific to the individual (except for identical twins in the same environment) and can be used to identify people, though this is more often done by dogs than by humans. Many humans find the odor of Corynebacterium tenuis and C. xerosis in the apocrine sweat of the underarms offensive, so they use antiperspirants or deodorants. Antiperspirants stop the sweat, while deodorants kill or inhibit the bacteria.

Social history

In the period of 1910-1920, the advertising industry concluded that anxious, discontented consumers were better customers than satisfied ones. They initiated the now-familiar strategy of advertisements intended to foster anxiety about social status, and concern about personal deficiencies that could be remedied by buying the advertised product. In 1919, Odo-Ro-No became the first company to use the term "B.O." in an advertisement. \n