The old smell exists: study concludes when it begins to be felt
The research also revealed how unpleasant the 'old man smell' is and how it can be concealed. Details are provided in the article below.
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Scientists have recently investigated the existence of the so-called “old man smell” , which is often perceived in older people.
While it is real, it is very difficult to describe and most agree that it is a somewhat musty aroma , but it is not due to poor hygiene .
Just like the ” baby smell “, the scientific study confirmed that this aroma does exist and that it has to do with the hormonal and biochemical changes that our body experiences during the different stages of our lives.
What causes the ‘old smell’?
According to chemist José María Antón, a biotechnology expert at the CSIC and founding president of the Prima-Derm group, this peculiar stench is due to a particular molecule .
“It is caused by 2-nonenal, a molecule that is generated in the skin when the fatty acids in the lipid barrier naturally oxidize. 2-nonenal smells really bad . So much so that when we open a capsule with this molecule in the laboratory, everything stinks,” the scientist told the newspaper El País.
This smell can start to become noticeable from the age of 30 , since, as Antón explained, “hormonal changes with maturity result in an increase in the production of lipids on the surface of the skin. At the same time, our natural antioxidant capacity is reduced.”
Science commonly describes it as similar to a nutty aroma with hints of spoiled oil and mustiness .
Antón revealed that the smell doesn’t disappear just like that, but it can be neutralized . In fact, there is a unisex body fragrance that serves precisely this purpose.
This “perfume” was created from active ingredients such as Sirtalice and Seadermium. “These molecules encapsulate the other stinking molecules. In this way we deactivate the bad smell ,” he concluded.
