# I have never used a deodorant. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106 "2010-01-08T01:21:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/1 "2010-01-08T01:21:03Z")
People don’t shy away from me and I have no reason to think I have any odor. I shower every evening before going to bed. During the summer I will often take another shower before dinner or after working in the garden. My kids cannot believe this. My wife finds it hard to believe too. So I am curious if there is any other doper who never uses deodorant (and remains in society). ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/2 "2010-01-08T01:24:36Z")
I used to rarely use it, but then I found myself needing it. I put it on every day now as a matter of habit but to be honest, I only really feel gross there when I’ve got a lot of hair. When I’m hairless, the sweat doesn’t seem to stick. I also shower twice a day so I think in terms of odor I’m good. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/3 "2010-01-08T01:42:57Z")
I didn’t need it until one day in college. I suppose I got suddenly colonized by whatever bacteria it is that most people have in their armpits. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/4 "2010-01-08T01:54:06Z")
I’ve never used deoderant either. Nobody’s ever complained about me smelling, though. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/5 "2010-01-08T01:58:37Z")
I use deodorant every day because chances are I need it but I just don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/6 "2010-01-08T02:46:01Z")
When I was 25 I went several months without it. At the time I was having some serious health problems and I was very much underweight, and I just didn’t need it. That’s no longer true. ---
**Author:** ![LadyJane84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@LadyJane84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyJane84)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/7 "2010-01-08T02:50:17Z")
My dh doesn’t and I’ve never smelled any bad smells off of him, other than cig smoke which is another thing altogether ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/8 "2010-01-08T03:47:02Z")
I’ve used it ever since, when I was about 15, my mom gently let me know I needed to start. A few months ago, though, I started [making my own](http://www.instructables.com/id/Deodorant/), so now I can smell like whatever I want, instead of having to choose from whatever limited selection was deemed acceptable by some focus group. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/9 "2010-01-08T07:24:08Z")
I often don’t use it when I’m hanging around at home and I generally don’t need it, but when I need it, I NEED it (nervous sweat smells bad). So in the interests of workplace harmony I always wear it at work, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/10 "2010-01-08T08:14:54Z")
I used to wear it only before going to work, but nowadays I can’t be arsed to put it on for anything. I have a travel bag with toiletries in it so if the need is a _need_ I can put some on at will. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/11 "2010-01-08T11:31:53Z")
I don’t know if I always need deodorant, but I definitely need antiperspirant. Ever since I started using the “clinical strength” versions of deodorant/antiperspirant, I’ve been happily quite dry. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/12 "2010-01-08T11:35:21Z")
Y’all are lucky. I have to use it as soon as I get out of the shower, or within minutes, I will stink. (Okay, so it usually takes an hour for other people to notice.) ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/13 "2010-01-08T11:41:15Z")
- crosses BigT off list for potential camping expedition companions \* ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/14 "2010-01-08T12:00:29Z")
At least two people that I know never wear deodorant. Ask me how I know. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/15 "2010-01-08T12:57:14Z")
I have never used it, and I often take showers only two or three times a week. My wife has always been amazed that I can run ten miles, towel off, and then get dressed for whatever occasion, with no odor whatsoever. And it’s not like she’s just being nice about it either—when my breath is less than pleasant she has no problem letting me know about it. She told me a few weeks ago that she saw some program where they were talking about a physical trait that causes some people to stink and others not to stink. Apparently I have been spared the “stinky sweat” gene. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/16 "2010-01-08T13:15:00Z")
I don’t and never have. And the thought of “turning off” my sweat doesn’t appeal to me. I’d rather not screw with it. I don’t know that I _don’t_ smell when I sweat, but I’m certain that I don’t smell nearly as much as some people I know. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/17 "2010-01-08T14:26:31Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I have never used it, and I often take showers only two or three times a week. > > My wife has always been amazed that I can run ten miles, towel off, and then get dressed for whatever occasion, with no odor whatsoever. > And it’s not like she’s just being nice about it either—when my breath is less than pleasant she has no problem letting me know about it. > > She told me a few weeks ago that she saw some program where they were talking about a physical trait that causes some people to stink and others not to stink. Apparently I have been spared the “stinky sweat” gene. My wife also complains when my mouth stinks. It is generally some food caught in some area that neither brushing nor flossing gets to (and I am aware of the bad taste too), but once or twice has been decay. She does not hesitate to tell me about that, but can detect no BO. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/18 "2010-01-08T14:49:59Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > And the thought of “turning off” my sweat doesn’t appeal to me. I’d rather not screw with it. Deodorants don’t turn off sweat; they prevent the odor by masking it with some sort of perfume, as well as acting as an antimicrobial, killing the bacteria that cause odor. Antiperspirants turn off sweat. You can get deodorants without antiperspirant. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/19 "2010-01-08T14:50:27Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > At least two people that I know never wear deodorant. Ask me how I know. Oh yes. After a couple years in middle school with a stinky guy in the same homeroom (we were grouped by surname), I will wear deodorant even if I think I’m just fine, because I’m not going to accidentally inflict stank on anyone around me. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106/20 "2010-01-08T15:08:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Deodorants don’t turn off sweat; they prevent the odor by masking it with some sort of perfume, Jeez, give me the benefit of a doubt – I’m clearly talking about antiperspirants here! Why the hell do so many people on the Board assume others don’t know what they’re talking about? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-never-used-a-deodorant/524106.md?page=2)