Gym Bans Sweating Member Over Strong Body Odor; Refund and Alternatives Offered
Creatrip Team
24 days ago
A Chinese man in Hangzhou was expelled from his gym and given a partial refund after other members complained about a persistent, strong body odor while he worked out. The man, who had lost significant weight and became a frequent gym-goer, had paid for a three-year membership; the gym refunded part of his remaining fee and offered a three-month pass to another facility. Experts say excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and a specific condition causing foul-smelling sweat (bromhidrosis or axillary odor) can be medical issues rather than purely hygiene problems. Sweat from apocrine glands can be broken down by skin bacteria into fatty acids and ammonia, producing strong smells; obesity and high-fat diets can worsen this. Prevention and treatment include rigorous hygiene (antibacterial soap, thorough drying of skin folds), dietary changes, topical medications, botulinum toxin injections to reduce sweating, and in severe cases surgical removal of apocrine glands.
