The big stink: is ‘genital anxiety’ behind the rapid rise of whole-body deodorants?

In the past we would just deodorise our armpits, but now a huge wave of products are aimed at our most intimate areas. Do these serve a need – or just encourage paranoia?

Earlier this year, the deodorant brand Sure launched a product to be used on “ta-tas”, “trotters”, and “marbles” (AKA breasts, feet and testicles). “Whatever you call them, wherever you smell”, Sure Whole Body deodorant can help, a playful TV advert promised.

It’s not a completely new concept: many of us will remember the intense whiff of a liberally applied “body spray” – the deodorant-cum-fragrances brought out by brands such as Lynx, Charlie and Impulse that were popular in the 00s. But specific deodorants for body parts other than the armpits weren’t really a thing until 2018, when an American obstetrics and gynaecology doctor founded Lume Whole Body Deodorant, after repeatedly seeing patients who were worried about odour “below the belt”. Sold as a roll-on, cream, spray or wipes, it can apparently be used on “pits, underboobs, belly buttons, butt cracks, vulvas, balls, feet and more!” On its website, it has more than 200,000 five-star reviews – and now the mainstream deodorant brands are following suit.