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Of the few people I've worked with IRL that proclaim they don't shower and insist they don't need to, all of them have an unpleasant odor to others. I also rem

• thaumasiotes 6y ago
  There is a literature on hunter-gatherers who wash infrequently but do not smell. The phenomenon exists. The differences in lifestyle are so numerous, though, that it isn't really understood what's going on.
  • corty 6y ago
    The theories I know there are centered on different compositions of skin bacteria. Sweat is decomposed over time by certain bacteria, producing a characteristic "old sweat" smell. People you interact with can transfer some of their skin bacteria to you, equalizing smell within a social group. Environmental factors such as use of soap, clothes, UV radiation on the skin and nutrition also influence which bacteria are able to live on your skin. So it sounds entirely plausible that there are populations of humans that do not smell, even without washing. But I agree that this is far from settled from what I've read.
    • medstrom 6y ago
      I expect that if someone stumbles on a true "fix" for body odor, it'll involve inoculation of better microbes, from live soil maybe (many animals love to roll in dirt for some reason), and then avoiding killing those microbes. Also finding a diet that creates less odor for you. Maybe always rinsing off sweat as soon as it shows up. And so on. But not that you simply stop washing and keep living as normal.
      • thaumasiotes 6y ago
        > But not that you simply stop washing and keep living as normal. Eh, it's worked in the past. Japanese encountering Europeans for the first time recorded their complaints about the Europeans' odor. This was presumably not an issue for the Europeans among themselves. If everyone stopped washing, there wouldn't be an odor problem. There would be odors, but they wouldn't be a problem. Why is that worse than the "washing" mode?
        • taurath 6y ago
          Because you’d rather people not in your social group not smell foul to you. The “con guy” stereotype is real and it’s quite unpleasant.
        • medstrom 6y ago
          Isn't it odd that Europeans didn't complain about Japanese odor?
          • thaumasiotes 6y ago
            No, why would it be? We're stipulating that the Europeans had an odor the Japanese didn't. But how was that a problem for the Europeans?
            • medstrom 6y ago
              I mean, it sounds like the Japanese objectively did not smell bad. You also hear about the Latin Americans complain about the stench of Columbus and his crew. Was it just the stench of sailors, or did these cultures know a fix?
• ogig 6y ago
  I was in no soap mode for a year, had to quit because other people would notice my light odor and, those close to me, would call it out. It was simply out of the social norm. Still, I loved it. I liked my odor, and I like or dislike others body odors, they are signals and part of what we perceive of someone. What I can't handle are perfumes and cosmetic smells. When the elevator was used by the oldspice, shaving cream, half bottle perfume neighbor I can't go afterwards. The 30 secs trip is too much for my nose and palate. I would rather have the sweaty after gym smell. Perfumes are like masks. I would really like to go around smelling like me. I also have a big nose.
  • alpaca128 6y ago
    > people would notice my light odor and, those close to me, would call it out I do not know nearly enough about this situation to make a judgement and can only talk about my environment, but if anyone, close or not, would comment on my looks or odor then none of them would ever think of the term "light". I've worked with homeless people, and it takes a lot for most to mention rather touchy subjects like this - exactly because a person's life circumstances are such a sensitive and private matter. The only smell I absolutely cannot stand is the smell of cigarettes and people who just smoked one. Perfumes, sweat, strong body odor, who cares, it's not my body. But cigarette smell makes me want to avoid you like the plague. It's just too piercing to ignore.
    • nmeofthestate 6y ago
      Absolutely - pointing out that somebody smells is hugely awkward. You have to smell really bad for people to get over that awkwardness and tell you.
    • deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    • rimliu 6y ago
      I do not smoke and I cannot stand cigarette smoke, but pipe smells so good. Not sure how it's smoke smells on clothes though.
  • 6y ago
• burntoutfire 6y ago
  Repeating something I've read on the internet: there are people who lack the sweat glands which produce the kind of sweat that stinks. It's a somewhat rare genetic mutation. Their sweat is basically almost only water. They can wear the same shirt for a week and the shirt, after drying up, is as if they was just washed!
  • 100011_100001 6y ago
    I am that anomaly. I change my shirt twice a week, not because it smells but because it gets dirty from the environment (spills, rubbing against something etc). It takes about 7 days of no showers to have a noticeable smell. However I prefer showering daily or every other day because I enjoy taking a shower at the end of the day. I also don't need deodorant. I used it once as a teen and saw no purpose for it.
  • prepend 6y ago
    I’ve had many people tell me that have this special mutation. They all stunk. I suppose it is possible and I’m around them all the time without knowing. But I’ve probably encountered 30 people who said this and it’s kind of an odd thing to mention to coworker or classmate or casual friend. But they all had an unpleasant odor. Aside from maybe 1-2 close friends I never argued with them or confronted them, but thought it was funny how they would go out of their way to say they don’t stink but they actually do. Helps remind me that I’m probably wrong about many things I deeply believe are right.
    • burntoutfire 6y ago
      How do you meet 30 people who, apropos nothing, change the conversation to them not stinking? Do you live in some hotbed of weirdness? (like San Francisco perhaps).
      • prepend 6y ago
        I’m old and have met thousands of people. I’d say I’ve had at least an hour long conversation with at least a thousand people through dinners, classes, parties, work, etc I certainly don’t change the conversation to this topic and that’s why I’ve noted that I think it’s odd that 30 people would mention how they don’t need to wear deodorant due to their lack of stinking.
• elric 6y ago
  I think this is a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder thing", only with noses. Which smells you find offensive are a product of what you're used to. I'm not too fond of that typical "homeless musk" (which sounds offensive, but I'm struggling to think of a more neutral term). I can take or leave manure. But I absolutely cannot stand strong soaps & perfumes. YMMV, I suffer from migraines and my nose is particularly sensitive.
• johnisgood 6y ago
  When I was young I did not feel the body odor on me either. I was put in front of the spotlight before lesson that I smell and I was told to use a deodorant (the teacher told me in front of the class). I felt so ashamed. Because of this experience I am very conscious of how I smell now. Extremely so.
  • sheepdestroyer 6y ago
    Shaming people's natural body odor shouldn't be the norm. It's quite distasteful and intolerant in fact (even sometimes a clear sign of racism). If someone gets offended by someone's BO, I would suggest them to reevaluate themselves as a human being and try to be tolerant of other's human nature. I shower irregularly, when needed. Obviously more after a special sweat inducing effort or getting dirty outdoor. I don't stink, I smell human. I find it offensive that someone would be so insensitive to have the nerve to express a displeasure at my natural body odor, when most often than not they would be the ones flouting a strong headache inducing chemical deodorant and/or perfume smell. Living in a diverse society doesn't mean that everybody should be as bland as possible, but instead that efforts have to be made to be tolerant of others as they are. So F* your teacher, shame on them
    • johnisgood 6y ago
      I suppose I can understand if some people are put off by it, but I do not think that I should have been told this in front of the entire class like that. I have not felt more ashamed in my entire life than I did then. She should have talked to me about it in private, perhaps after lesson or something I do not know, but not shaming me in front of the entire class like that.
    • rimliu 6y ago
      Too poo is also human. That teacher was a massive jerk, but walking around reeking because it is human is not much better.
• thehoomanist 6y ago
  Weird, opposite experience: of the few people I've worked with IRL that proclaimed they didn’t use soap, none had an awkward smell and I would have not even known if they didn’t tell me.
• snicker7 6y ago
  Yeah, "I don't smell" is an oxymoron because how one smells is something determined by others, not oneself. I bet these people reek.