Why does perspiration in the armpits have such an intensive odor?
The apocrine sweat glands are most dense in the anogenital area, on the nipples, and in the armpits. The perspiration produced by these glands contains a high concentration of organic substances, especially adipoid or fat-like constituents and cell fragments. Fresh, apocrine sweat is almost odorless, though it determines the typical specific smell of each person. Due to the high content of organic compounds, bacterial decomposition produces short-chain fatty acids (like butyric acid), and the sweat ?smells.?
