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According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deodorant#Overview) it is more a matter of not having bacteria than of having the right ones. It says that washing and shaving one’s armpits are contributing factors to having bacterial colonies, and, hence, smelly armpits:

”When adult armpits are washed with alkaline pH soap, the skin loses its acid mantle (pH 4.5 - 6), raising the skin pH and disrupting the skin barrier. As many bacteria thrive in this elevated pH environment, this makes the skin susceptible to bacterial colonization. […] Underarm hair wicks the moisture away from the skin and aids in keeping the skin dry enough to prevent or diminish bacterial colonization. The hair is less susceptible to bacterial growth and therefore is ideal for preventing the bacterial odor.”

I think deodorant mostly is an example of capitalism creating demand where none exists.

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> I think deodorant mostly is an example of capitalism creating demand where none exists.

That’s the most foolish thing I’ve read in a long time.

When I was growing up, I was a bit stubborn regarding use of soap and deodorant: I pretty much refused to use anything but water to shower, and never used deodorant (or any other topical substance, for that matter).

That approach worked just great, until I hit puberty... Trust me, if you think nobody needs deodorant just as long as you don’t use soap (or some other such nonsense), I am the living proof of just how extremely far from the truth you are.

Of course, many people out there will never need deodorant (genetics play a large part here, according to some studies I’ve read). There may even be some microbiological technology we can find to cure body odor in alternate ways. But to assume that deodorant is a universally needless product (in favor of not using soap) is incredibly naive, or nearsighted.

I’ll save responding to your random derision of capitalism for another debate.

>That approach worked just great, until I hit puberty... Trust me, if you think nobody needs deodorant just as long as you don’t use soap (or some other such nonsense), I am the living proof of just how extremely far from the truth you are.

oh, middle school... i can certainly attest to your experience.

> Of course, many people out there will never need deodorant

Many? The only ethnicity that does not have that is asians IIRC, they lack a certain gene for body odor. So i think it's really everyone but them.

I always heard that it was deodorant manufacturers that made body odor socially unacceptable, not that they body odor didn't exist before deodorant.

It's not surprising at all that widespread, cheap, effective means to reduce body odor would make it less socially acceptable to have body odor.

There are many unpleasant aspects of being human that we tolerate, because we have no other choice. Through time, technology is created that helps us deal with more and more of these things. That's only natural, and good.

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