Have any other women noticed their body smells change as they age?

Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
I'm 45 & I have noticed over the last few years that my body has begun to smell differently. For example, the underarm odor I used to recognize, has now totally changed & I had to change my deodorant. I also have a different smell to my genitals when aroused or when sweaty. These aren't upsetting or offensive smells, they are just different from what I was used to. I know that hormones are causing this and not a health concern, but I wondered if any other women noticed this, as well. Please, share your age, if you don't mind & any experience you may have with this, I'm curious.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Yes, I have noticed this happening recently
7
Yes, I have had this happen in the past
5
No, this has never happened to me
4
I've heard of this happening before
2
I've never heard of this before
4
The ubiquitous "other"
Total votes: 22 (18 voters)
Poll is closed
03/28/2013
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Contributor: AmethystQueen AmethystQueen
I'm still in my 30's but my smells are basically the same as I remember them to be.
03/28/2013
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
YES!

For the longest time I felt miserable with the changes. I'm 43, peri-menopausal, and have thyroid problems, so my hormones are just whacked out and nothing feels or smells familiar anymore.

At first it bothered me to even be able to smell myself. I thought I was smelling someone else! Then I realized it's just me and my nose getting used to the new balance (or inbalance) in my body and that I just have to get used to it.

It's not unpleasant, other than being unfamiliar, but it's definitely an adjustment.

Also? Night sweats don't smell like regular sweat and are very weird!
03/28/2013
Contributor: bratcat bratcat
I'm very young in comparison to everyone, bring in my early 20's, but i have noticed more recently that my genital smell have changed and now when aroused it smells much more like how my partner's/when we have sex, even when we're not together. Also since taking an oral BC i've become very sensitive to smells, including my own body oder and when on my cycle i will have a very strong noticeable change in the way my under arms smell.
03/28/2013
Contributor: eri86 eri86
Nope.
03/29/2013
Contributor: js250 js250
I am 42 and I have noticed some changes. They are different than usual--but do not bother me.
03/29/2013
Contributor: Beautiful-Disaster Beautiful-Disaster
I've never heard of that.
03/29/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
YES!

For the longest time I felt miserable with the changes. I'm 43, peri-menopausal, and have thyroid problems, so my hormones are just whacked out and nothing feels or smells familiar anymore.

At first it bothered me to even be ... more
I thought it was someone else, too! I very gently told my nephew he might need to start wearing deodorant & he said , "No Auntie, it's not me, it's you!" Then began the long search for something that worked with my new chemistry.

Before, I never could smell myself unless I did the *ahem* sniff test. Why was I not prepared for any of this? As you say, it's not bad, it's just unexpected.

I have not been blessed with night sweats, yet. That may be another discussion I start, look out!
03/30/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by bratcat
I'm very young in comparison to everyone, bring in my early 20's, but i have noticed more recently that my genital smell have changed and now when aroused it smells much more like how my partner's/when we have sex, even when we're not ... more
This is so interesting about the similar genital smell to your partner & there has to be a biological explanation for it! I know women who reside together adjust their menstrual cycles to each other's perhaps due to pheromones & these could be playing a part. But I also think it could do with the microbiota from his skin populating yours. I hope that doesn't gross you out, it's not a bad or pathological thing. You would smell more familiar to him which would be a good thing as far as keeping his long term interest as well as "marking you" for other men to "sense", at least on a pheromonal level, that you're taken. That would be a good evolutionary adaptation.

I know women of childbearing age have more sensitive senses of smell than post menopausal women or men of any age & it's surely due to hormones. So it's no stretch to think your oral BC is to blame for your increased sensitivity to odors. I have always had a change in the strength of my scent during my period, too. When I have large doses of steroids, my sense of taste & smell change drastically!
03/30/2013
Contributor: doowop doowop
I think every few years my body chemistry majorly changes. I recently went through it again this past year.
03/30/2013
Contributor: TheirPet TheirPet
My smells changed right before I was dxed with my bowel disease.
03/30/2013
Contributor: Munko Munko
I noticed a change right at the end of my pregnancy, that so far hasn't gone away and I'm 13 months postpartum, so I think this is the new normal for me. It's not offensive...but it's still unfamiliar to me. I never used to sweat before I had my bubs either, and now I do a lot, so that's new to me, too....I didn't generally need deodorant, but now I definitely do!
04/01/2013
Contributor: bratcat bratcat
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
This is so interesting about the similar genital smell to your partner & there has to be a biological explanation for it! I know women who reside together adjust their menstrual cycles to each other's perhaps due to pheromones & these ... more
I never really thought of the biological factors that could play a part in my partner and i have a similar genital smell, but it's pretty cool to think about! I want to do a bit of research on that and see if theres a definitive explanation for that.
04/01/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Munko
I noticed a change right at the end of my pregnancy, that so far hasn't gone away and I'm 13 months postpartum, so I think this is the new normal for me. It's not offensive...but it's still unfamiliar to me. I never used to sweat ... more
Same thing happened to my sister after her babies. She never had to wear deodorant until then, either. How interesting!
04/01/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by bratcat
I never really thought of the biological factors that could play a part in my partner and i have a similar genital smell, but it's pretty cool to think about! I want to do a bit of research on that and see if theres a definitive explanation for that.
I would love it if you would share with us anything you discover in your research! This is all stuff I haven't seen mentioned in mainstream reading. I would be interested in knowing about the more unconventional areas of study about topics relating to changes in body smells for women.

I really didn't know if it was something many other's experienced or not, but I'm glad I had the nerve to ask!
04/01/2013
Contributor: LavenderSkies LavenderSkies
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
I'm 45 & I have noticed over the last few years that my body has begun to smell differently. For example, the underarm odor I used to recognize, has now totally changed & I had to change my deodorant. I also have a different smell to my ... more
It's never happened to me, but I'm very young still. (20s)
04/02/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by LavenderSkies
It's never happened to me, but I'm very young still. (20s)
At least it won't be a total surprise to you, if it does happen later in your life. I think this is one of those topics, like menopause used to be, that has been kept quiet. I think the more info I have, the better I do & feel, but then, I don't really like surprises with my health!
04/04/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Wow, I had a body smell change after getting food poisoning! I got sick on Sun. 6-15 and am still getting over it! This whole past week+ I have sweat that smells like a man for lack of a better description. It is starting to go away, but other smells were affected, too, how weird is that?I've been sick before, plenty of times, but this is the first time this has happened. Or at least, the first time I noticed it.
06/25/2013