HERE IS WHY ONE ARMPIT SMELLS WORSE THAN THE OTHER
by MADAME SWEAT
As the founder of a deodorant brand, my team and I often have discussions about our own bodily ailments. One thing that came up recently is how sometimes one armpit can smell worse than the other at times. People experience this on various levels, which is why I want to discuss some of the possible reasons as to why one armpit may smell worse than the other and what you can do about it.
Quick answer: One armpit almost always smells worse than the other because of bacteria — not because you're doing anything wrong. Bodies aren't symmetrical, your dominant arm tends to sweat and move more, and one side can simply carry more odor-causing bacteria than the other. Deodorant alone won't fix this. The fix starts in the shower, rebalancing the bacteria on both sides before deodorant ever goes on.
Key takeaways:
- One armpit smelling worse is almost always a bacteria imbalance, not a hygiene failure
- Body asymmetry means your dominant side is naturally more active and produces more sweat and bacteria
- Deodorant treats odor after the fact — it can't rebalance bacteria that's already there
- A shower step with activated charcoal and apple cider vinegar resets both underarms to the same bacterial baseline before deodorant goes on
NO TWO SIDES OF YOUR BODY ARE IDENTICAL
Recently, I listened to an interesting Ted Talk (Why are human bodies asymmetrical?, Leo Q.) that discussed how most human bodies are asymmetrical. While I had a hard time finding a study that proved that one armpit can smell worse than the other, I did find a study that showed that one armpit can produce more bacteria than the other. Since bacteria is the main cause of odors and asymmetry is prevalent in our bodies, it makes sense that one armpit can smell worse than the other.
WE DON’T USE BOTH SIDES OF OUR BODIES EQUALLY
This dichotomy has existed since we were born, which is why we are either right handed or left handed. We are naturally going to use our dominant side more, so the increased activity may produce more sweat and bacteria. If you are right-handed like most of the world, you will use that arm more and produce sweat that leads to molecules that release Organosulfur compounds called Thioalcohols which contain pungent odor. Therefore, your right armpit will smell more than your left.
YOU MAY NOT BE CARING FOR BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BODY EQUALLY
Since we’ve established that you may favor one side over the other, this can inadvertently contribute to your lack of hygiene. Of course, when you shower or apply deodorant, you are doing it to both sides, but you may prioritize one over the other. This leads to more odor on one side than the other. You must shave, apply deodorant, and wash your underarms at the same time to keep odors at bay.
HOW TO REBALANCE UNDERARM BACTERIA
The imbalance is bacterial; one armpit has more bacteria than the other. When you apply the same amount of deodorant on each underarm the deodorant will struggle to rebalance the extra smelly underarm.
That rebalancing has to happen in the shower, before deodorant goes on.
This is exactly why I developed the Underarm Bar with sea salt, activated charcoal, and apple cider vinegar. Sea salt is naturally antibacterial — it kills the bacteria on contact, before the charcoal and ACV even get to work. ACV brings underarm skin back to a pH the odor-causing bacteria doesn't thrive in. Charcoal binds to that bacteria and washes it away instead of letting it sit there feeding on yesterday's bacteria. None of these ingredients mask odor — they remove what's causing it.
Here's how I use it: I massage the bar into each underarm for 20 to 30 seconds, then rinse everything off before I touch a towel or a deodorant stick.
If one side has been carrying more bacteria than the other, this is the step that resets both sides to the same starting point. Whatever deodorant you use after that actually gets a fair shot at working evenly on both underarms. I follow mine with a generous layer of the Charcoal Deodorant, underarm to underarm, while the skin is still slightly damp.
The Underarm Bar plus the Charcoal Deodorant is the 2-Step System for Excess Odor — the shower step and the daily routine, done in that order.
ADDITIONAL TIPS TO HELP
It can be definitely be strange to find that only one armpit is producing an odor, especially when most people wash both armpits at the same time. To help stop this common occurrence from happening here are some other small lifestyle changes you can make to prevent one armpit smelling worse than the other.
REMOVE YOUR ARMPIT HAIR:
Armpit hair is more likely to trap sweat and bacteria in the area — more surface area for bacteria to hold onto, and warmer, more humid skin underneath.
If you prefer some hair in the area, you should trim it and lather the Underarm Bar under your underarms for 20-30 seconds.
If you'd rather remove it completely, shave a few minutes into your shower — hair's softer, fewer nicks.
WATCH WHAT YOU WEAR:
Opt for clothes made of breathable fabrics to allow for fresh air to flow into your body and to keep your body cool.
Cotton, linen, and bamboo are the ones I actually reach for — they let air move and pull moisture off your skin instead of trapping it against you. If you know you're going to sweat that day, a moisture-wicking technical blend (the kind made for workout gear) does the same job even better.
What I stay away from: silk, polyester, and anything heavy on spandex. They hold heat and moisture right against your skin — which is exactly the environment odor-causing bacteria wants.
THE TAKEAWAY
It's a strange phenomenon but the natural asymmetry of the body, along with your hygiene routine can be the reason why one armpit smells more than the other. Implement these simple lifestyle routine changes and use the underarm bar for Underarm Odor on a daily basis to help manage the excess unwanted odor.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it normal for one armpit to smell worse than the other? Yes. It's one of the most common questions I get and one of the least talked about. Your body isn't perfectly symmetrical, and neither is the bacteria living on it. One will accumulate more bacteria than the other.
Can deodorant fix uneven armpit odor? Deodorant treats the smell after it starts. It can't rebalance the bacteria causing one side to smell more than the other. That has to happen in the shower, before deodorant goes on.
How long does it take to notice a difference? Give the shower step a few days of consistent use — 20 to 30 seconds on each underarm — before judging results.
Should I see a doctor if only one armpit smells? If it comes with pain, a lump, or a sudden and drastic change, yes — that's outside what a shower routine can address. Otherwise, this is a normal, manageable hygiene pattern.