Doctors Have Thoughts About Those Popular Whole-Body Deodorants

katleho Seisa via Getty Images “More than just my armpits stink.” “No one likes odor below the belt.” Ads for whole-body deodorants featuring these taglines seem to be everywhere. “I can’t think of any circumstances where I would recommend a full-body deodorant for my patients,” said Dr. Kimberly Kho, an OB-GYN at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “I don’t think they’re necessary,” Mauskar said of whole-body deodorants. “There’s this pressure to really conform to this ideal of being perfect, this ideal woman who smells amazing or not at all,” said Duvall, who runs a body image group. Duvall said the messaging around whole-body deodorant could make people, including women, men and nonbinary individuals, feel shame around sweating, body odor, or failing to measure up to a certain body image ideal.