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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/CaglaErdemOztas on 2025-12-04 20:36:53+00:00.
This is my first-ever Reddit post, so apologies in advance if I mess up the formatting. Anyway—here’s how I managed to ruin my own armpits by trusting baking soda like it was holy water.
I used to be someone who normally sweated at an average level. On summer days, if I showered in the morning, I’d stay fresh until noon and only get a light smell in the evening. In winter, I could skip a couple of days without smelling at all. Because I wanted something even better for hot days — and because I’m stubborn about avoiding non-natural products — I experimented. First I tried lemon juice. Useless. Then I tried baking soda because my mom said it worked for her. I’d mix a bit with a few drops of water and apply it after showering. Almost every day.
And at first? It was incredible. Shockingly effective. Not 12 hours — 24 hours of zero smell. My mom quit after a few weeks because she said it made her itch. Lucky woman.
But after a while, the magic faded. I ignored it. Kept using it. Then things escalated. My armpits started smelling while I was still stepping out of the shower. I’m not exaggerating — I’d wash thoroughly, shave regularly, dry off, check… and there it was: instant smell. I thought it was a fungus. I stopped the baking soda, but the smell didn’t stop. I washed everything at high heat — shirts, towels, even my shower sponge. No change.
Dermatologist #1 Useless. Gave me meds, didn’t explain anything. I used them for two weeks. Nothing changed.
Meanwhile I started carrying an extra shirt to work during winter. Before going out in the evening, I’d switch shirts in the office bathroom like some tragic undercover agent. And if you’re thinking this was psychological… no.
Dermatologist #2 actually examined me and said: no fungus, just bacteria that dug deep and wouldn’t go away with washing. He gave me two creams (one antibiotic, one antifungal “just in case”) and told me to use them twice a day for three months. Three. Months.
Using the creams killed the smell instantly. For 2.5 months I lived like a normal human again. But then a new curse appeared: excessive sweating. Not mild sweating. I’m talking waterfall levels. Picture the sweat marks on my shirts going down nearly a hand’s length. Summer, winter, didn’t matter. A nonstop sprinkler system under my arms.
I pushed through, finished the full three months, stopped the creams… and a few days later the smell came back. Not as strong as before, but still awful. So now I had two problems instead of zero:
unwanted odor,
Niagara Falls under both arms.
Eventually I gave up on all treatments. No more creams, no more hacks, no more “natural” experiments. Just normal hygiene, gentle washing, no over-soaping. I stopped applying soap directly — I lather my hands first, apply lightly, and rinse very well.
It’s been about eight months since I quit everything. And finally — finally — the waterfalls dried up, and the smell has mostly retreated. I have no idea what I went through, but I’m grateful to be almost normal again.
Do I still use baking soda? Yes — but only because I bought it in bulk. My husband uses it for cleaning floors now. And honestly? I’m scared to walk barefoot on them.
TL;DR: “Natural product” doesn’t mean harmless. Baking soda ruined my armpits, gave me instant post-shower odor, then medical creams turned me into a human waterfall. Months later I finally recovered. Do not dive into baking soda like I did. It is not your friend.
Note: I don't speak English well enough. I used AI to translate and improve the text. I hope this doesn't violate the community guidelines. My story is real. The images are no longer proof, but I have the recipe. I shared my recipe in a comment below.