# Combating Nonenal, the Old Person Smell? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404 "2017-04-28T00:44:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/1 "2017-04-28T00:44:17Z")
I’ve read what causes this and how regular washing doesn’t really help. I was wondering if the SD can recommend what potions they’ve tried that works? If I have to go to cologne to mask it, what’s affordable without smelling cheap? Any silver bullets? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/2 "2017-04-28T01:32:35Z")
You could try diet changes; would you rather smell of old person or garlic/curry, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/3 "2017-04-28T01:40:33Z")
Silver bullets, garlic, are you as old as the undead? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/4 "2017-04-28T04:05:31Z")
[Finally, an ‘old people smell’ solution](http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/finally-old-people-smell-solution-article-1.3080889) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/5 "2017-04-28T05:09:15Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > [Finally, an ‘old people smell’ solution](http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/finally-old-people-smell-solution-article-1.3080889) Oh, thank goodness it’s just that; I was afraid it was the old ice-floe trip they had in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/6 "2017-04-28T09:17:19Z")
I’ve also seen a report of Japanese research using a mixture of esential oils. Unfortunately, I can’t remember anything more, but I’d probably start with Eucalyptus with a little t-tree and a lot of methylated spirits. Not as a cover up. Those essential oils are reactive, and good at breaking up / dissolving stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/7 "2017-04-28T13:00:59Z")
I think I’ll stop referring to myself as getting old, and start referring to myself as slowly oxidizing. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/8 "2017-04-28T13:39:56Z")
Do old people actually acquire a certain smell, systemically? Or do they just lose their own sense of smell, and therefore no longer take measures to maintain a personal masking smell that meets the Febreeze test of social expectations? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/9 "2017-04-28T14:25:49Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Do old people actually acquire a certain smell, systemically? Or do they just lose their own sense of smell, and therefore no longer take measures to maintain a personal masking smell that meets the Febreeze test of social expectations? Old people acquire a smell, and it isn’t regular body odor. I’d been wondering if maybe it was Aspercream and dollar-store toiletries, but I’ll go with nonenal, too. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/10 "2017-04-28T14:33:14Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Do old people actually acquire a certain smell, systemically? Or do they just lose their own sense of smell, and therefore no longer take measures to maintain a personal masking smell that meets the Febreeze test of social expectations? Oh, it’s real. I moved into a house that was built and lived in by a couple for 65 years. The house was immaculate (they were fussy to the extreme), but it took me a year to get the old person smell out. I asked everyone who came over to be brutally honest about the smell, in case my nose had gotten used to it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/11 "2017-04-28T15:20:13Z")
“So”, says the doctor to the old lady, “what seems to be the problem?” “Well, doctor, I have a rather unique problem. I break wind a lot, but there isn’t any noise, and there isn’t any smell. For instance, I tooted twice, just now, but I bet nobody could tell!” “First”, says the doctor, “we will try to fix your hearing, and after that we can work on your sense of smell.” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/12 "2017-04-28T15:41:58Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Do old people actually acquire a certain smell, systemically? Or do they just lose their own sense of smell, and therefore no longer take measures to maintain a personal masking smell that meets the Febreeze test of social expectations? Maybe a little of both? We also bought a house from old folks and it took some doing to get out oderos (mostly in the restrooms, where in addition to whatever body issues were going on, I think the elderly gentleman may have had a hit 'n miss pee strategy). Having been friends with several folks approaching “super old,” mouth smell can also contribute. Hell, if I live this long I’m sure my toothies and related parts won’t smell really great either. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/13 "2017-04-28T19:06:25Z")
In a culture and era in which everybody applies a liberal dose of industrial chemicals to their body on a near-daily basis, it is quite possible that the smell is caused by a reaction to the the health and beauty aids when exposed to a new set of human exudations which themselves have no odor. The only people whose smell I ever notice, are the ones wafting a cloud of brand-name olfactory cosmetics behind them. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/14 "2017-04-28T19:34:49Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > In a culture and era in which everybody applies a liberal dose of industrial chemicals to their body on a near-daily basis, it is quite possible that the smell is caused by a reaction to the the health and beauty aids when exposed to a new set of human exudations which themselves have no odor. > > The only people whose smell I ever notice, are the ones wafting a cloud of brand-name olfactory cosmetics behind them. Anything’s possible, but [here’s what science says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_person_smell). ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/15 "2017-04-28T19:35:56Z")
Old folks don’t bathe and shower as much. Bathtubs become a significant physical exertion and risky hazard. The smell I notice is mostly stale body odor that gets absorbed by the fabrics and materials of the environment. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/16 "2017-04-28T21:23:44Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Anything’s possible, but [here’s what science says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_person_smell). Quite right. Quoting your source, here’s what science says: "One study suggested that old person smell may be . . . " And then: "Another study failed to detect 2-nonenal . . . " A lot of highly speculative information in there, with very little empirical. Anything remains possible. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/17 "2017-04-28T21:47:50Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Old folks don’t bathe and shower as much. Bathtubs become a significant physical exertion and risky hazard. The smell I notice is mostly stale body odor that gets absorbed by the fabrics and materials of the environment. This is my take. I’m in my late 50s. So no kid but well short of elderly. I don’t have any chronic health issues or extra special BO. I think I stink about like most Americans do. Sometimes when I don’t have much going on I’ll skip showering for a couple days. On about day 3 I don’t reek since I’ve usually gone swimming in the ocean a couple times, but I do notice the start of that distinctive old man smell. And I notice that even vigorous showering with ordinary soap & water does almost nothing; the old man smell persists and in fact continues to get worse. I suspect something, probably bacteria, is growing in those unwashed armpits and stinkin’ up the place. If I slap a handful of rubbing alcohol on the pits and rub it in thoroughly that promptly & completely murders the odor. Even long after the alcohol smell has dissipated. Armpits are actually fairly sensitive glands and I don’t recommend dousing them in alcohol regularly. But the OP might try it once after showering to see what effect that has. If he’s also having a hard time reaching the middle of his back a better brush or some help from a friend might be in order. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/18 "2017-04-29T13:41:13Z")
I was a CNA when I was in school, so I worked with a lot of older folks. I only noticed “old people smell” on people who weren’t able to care for themselves well. Hair, in particular, gets quite smelly if it isn’t washed. Old folks shower less due to skin becoming much drier as one ages, and washing your hair in the kitchen sink doesn’t work so well if you lost mobility and/or have balance problems. On fixed incomes, no one can afford a twice-weekly salon wash and style. As for body scent, I never noticed it beyond some of the ladies my Nana knew who wore old-fashioned perfumes. There is probably something to the change in body chemistry mentioned in the article. Ladies lose their estrogen and their androgen levels go up. Also explains the random weird thick black facial hairs. ETA2: Medications can cause a person’s body scent to change drastically. ETA: I’ll take old people smell over middle school boy smell. Holy cow! ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/19 "2017-04-29T17:44:38Z")
Which medications? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/combating-nonenal-the-old-person-smell/785404/20 "2017-04-29T18:14:48Z")
I have to take a handful of medications every day. I have no idea what kinds of chemical reactions are going on in my body, and how much of it escapes through my pores. I know my urine smells a lot stronger than it used to.