WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SMELLIER THAN OTHERS?

Why Are Some People Smellier Than Others?

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Body odor and halitosis are caused by bacteria. But they are different in nature and this blog post will focus on body odor only.

Body Odor

Our armpits and groin get smelly when we sweat, not because sweat smells in itself, but because bacteria break down odorless compounds in our sweat into thioalcohols, which are pungent chemicals, similar to those in onions (in fact, human sweat can smell a bit like onions). Thioalcohols are volatile compounds so they are perfect for producing strong smells. The main commensal bacteria in the armpit is Staphylococcus hominis.

Armpits and groin are typically moist, warm, and dark, and bacteria love those environments. To make matters worse, hair traps smells. But why do different people smell differently when they sweat? Before the obvious use of deodorants and antiperspirants, the composition of the skin microbiome, that is, all the microorganisms that live on our skin normally, varies between different people.

We are only beginning to understand what these differences in skin flora are due to, namely the person's genetics and hence the immune system, which dictate their dermal microbiome, and also environmental factors.

So, it's easy to imagine how someone who harbors on their skin a higher proportion of bacteria that produce volatile pungent compounds will be smellier than others.

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