The Hand Sanitizer Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner
It's happened to all of us at least once: You left the house without applying deodorant. The frustration once you realize you forgot to put it on is fast and strong, and sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. If you don't carry around an In-Case-of-Emergencies mini deodorant, and a friend doesn't have one, you're stuck with your building B.O. for the rest of the day (or until you get home). But what if that didn't have to be the case? A hack could do the trick.The internet provides us with many things, and one of them is how to handle an emergency B.O. mishap. It includes hand sanitizer… and you can probably guess the rest. But should you be using this hack is the real question. Well, Parade spoke with Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist. She goes by @dermguru on both Instagram and TikTok, and has over 39.9 million views on TikTok, as of July 2025. So, she knows a thing or two about the best things you should do for your skin and how to take care of body odor. Read on to see if you should use this hand sanitizer hack and what Dr. Zubritsky suggests as the best in-a-bind deodorant method. Plus, she tells Parade her B.O. she swears by. This way to smelling good!Related:
The Hand Sanitizer Hack Some People Are Using in Emergencies
In a popular r/beauty subreddit, a very distressed post titled, 'I FORGOT MY DEODORANT.''Today it's going to break 90° in the shop I work in,' they wrote. 'I ran out to my car before realizing I took out my deodorant yesterday, so now I am at high risk for massive B.O., and stressing about it is making it worse. What can I do? Is there anything at all I can do if I forgot?'The stress sweats are not forgiving, let us tell you that. Luckily, there were some helpful people in the comments, and the top best comment asked if they had hand sanitizer or antibacterial hand soap.'Hand sanitizer, I've just massaged into my pits a few times during the day to kill bacteria,' they wrote. 'You could also try to 'wash' your pits with hand soap, preferably antibacterial, but anything is better than nothing. I take a paper towel, get it slightly wet, then add a small amount of soap. Wipe pits… [This] does a decent job for me in controlled temps, not sure if it'll help you in extreme temps.'The original poster did share an update, saying they used hand sanitizer and it 'really did the trick.' Of course, 'despite the alcohol in it temporarily burning from shaving the other day.' Ouch! Their partner ended up bringing them deodorant later in the day, so all was well.
A Dermatologist Weighs In
While the person who suggested hand sanitizer didn't fully explain why, they were right in recommending something antibacterial. Dr. Zubritsky tells Parade that body odor isn't caused by sweat, but instead is a 'mixture of bacteria on our skin with our perspiration.' So using antibacterial hand sanitizer isn't that out there of an idea.'Therefore, when you eliminate the bacteria on the skin, you eliminate the odor,' she says, explaining the thinking behind this trick. 'Hand sanitizer usually has a high concentration of alcohol, which acts as an antimicrobial agent, so the thinking is that using sanitizer can temporarily kill off those bacteria and help reduce odor.'This is also helpful because, as she points out, it's not like you're just spraying perfume over it, 'masking the smell.' You're 'targeting the root cause,' or at least trying to.Related:
But, Is It Okay To Use Hand Sanitizer on Your Armpits?
Sure, we're talking about emergency circumstances. But should you ever use hand sanitizer on your armpits, even with good reason? Dr. Zubritsky warns that the biggest risk with using it on your pits is the high chance of irritation.'Hand sanitizers contain high amounts of alcohol, which can irritate the sensitive skin of the underarms, especially if you recently shaved the area,' she says. 'The other concern is that this area is often occluded, which would increase the time hand sanitizer would remain on our skin. More time on the skin equals a higher risk of irritation.'She also points out that it can 'cause significant dryness,' irritating your skin even further, especially if you have conditions such as atopic dermatitis or eczema.Dr. Zubritsky doesn't say you should never use this hack in case of emergencies. That's why she tells Parade that it kind of depends on you and your skin, along with 'previous medical conditions and sensitivity level.''For the most part, it's likely safe to use once or twice in a pinch, and you are self-conscious about your body odor,' she explains. 'But it would only work to stop the odor and would not help with perspiration.'
What's a Gentler Option in a Deodorant Emergency?
Dr. Zubrtisky instead suggests a gentler approach if you accidentally forget to apply deodorant in the morning and don't have anything at work. 'The best thing you can do is cleanse the skin with an antibacterial soap and wash away with water,' she says. 'You can do this throughout the day to help eliminate odor.'Related:
The Dermatologist-Approved B.O. Hack She Swears By
Are there any deodorant or B.O. hacks that Dr. Zubrtisky can fully get behind (or that she loves to use and keep in her back pocket)? Of course. She doesn't have over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and TikTok (each) for no reason!'One of my favorite derm-approved hacks is using hypochlorous acid spray on your underarms a few times a week,' she shares with Parade. 'This is gentle with little side effects and works to eliminate odor-causing bacteria on the skin. It's also great on the chest and back to help reduce the risk of developing body acne after a sweaty workout.'She also notes an important fact that more people should remember: 'Occasional body odor is completely normal…'But if you do notice that your B.O. 'becomes unusually strong, persistent or suddenly changes,' you should maybe see a dermatologist to check out why. 'Sometimes, odor can be linked to medical conditions, diet or hormonal changes,' she explains. But if you're just worried about daily, normal body odor, 'prevention is key,' Dr. Zubritsky says. 'Daily hygiene, antiperspirants and breathable clothing can go a long way,' she shares.Up Next:Source:
Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist. You can follow her on Instagram & TikTok under @dermguru.
The Hand Sanitizer Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner first appeared on Parade on Aug 2, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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