Are There Any Cultures That Find Offensive Body Odor Appealing?

Asked by: Ms. Paul Krause B.A. | Last update: January 6, 2022
star rating: 5.0/5 (78 ratings)

Studies have shown that body odor is strongly connected with attraction in heterosexual females. The women in one study ranked body odor as more important for attraction than “looks”. Humans may not simply depend on visual and verbal senses to be attracted to a possible partner/mate.

Which ethnicity has the least amount of body odor?

Ethnic background also comes into play: People of East Asian descent tend to sweat less and have less body odor than those of African and European descent. Nakano, M., Nobutomo, M., Akiyoshi, H., et al.

Why do people like smelling their armpits?

Research shows that women can be turned on by just a few sniffs of a man's sweaty armpits. The scientists showed that male sweat contains a compound capable of lightening a woman's mood and heightening her sexual arousal.

Can Asians have body odor?

Most of the world's population has the gene that codes for the wet-type earwax and normal body odor; however, East Asians are more likely to inherit the allele associated with the dry-type earwax and a reduction in body odor.

Do men like women's body odor?

Some bodily smells are pleasant. And new research suggests they might appeal to more than our noses. Straight men find the smell of women's reproductive hormones attractive, scientists report today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The discovery suggests women's body odor is a cue for fertility.

17 related questions found

Can a guy smell when a girl is on her period?

Previous studies have shown that a woman's body odor is strongest during menstruation and that men who are particularly sensitive to smells can even detect this change in her scent.

What race has the strongest body odor?

Although there is some controversy on the subject of "racial" variation in body odor, it is determined that African blacks probably produce the greatest amount of apocrine sweat, which is the known substrate for axillary odor.

Which ethnicity has the most ABCC11 gene?

Today most East Asians and nearly all Koreans lack a chemical in their armpits that bacteria munch on to make body odor, because they carry this variant of the ABCC11 gene. About 98 percent of Europeans have the smelly-armpit version of the gene, and along with it comes stickier and smellier earwax.

What races sweat the most?

Volume of body sweat increased in both races with rate of walking; volume of hand sweat increased more in Whites than in Blacks. The Mann-Whitney test revealed that volumes of hand sweat were significantly greater for Whites than for Blacks.

Why do I like the smell of body odor?

"Their scent becomes comforting and a source of positive feelings, so you come to enjoy it. In fact, when people lose their sense of smell, what they find most distressing is not being able to detect the scent of loved ones.".

What is a woman's natural scent called?

The natural scent varies with the menstrual cycle. Some studies revealed that women's scent smells most pleasantly during ovulation. Typically, a woman's natural scent is called androstadienone.

What is someone's natural smell called?

olfaction The sense of smell. pheromone A molecule or specific mix of molecules that makes other members of the same species change their behavior or development. Pheromones drift through the air and send messages to other animals, saying such things as “danger” or “I'm looking for a mate.”.

Do Vietnamese have body odor?

More than half of the Vietnamese males and females have concerns on their body odor. Besides from showering daily, deodorant products have been widely used to prevent the body odor. 92% takes bath at least once/ day. Both males and females have the same concern level on their body odor.

What religion does not allow deodorant?

This is a particular problem on the Sabbath – Judaism's holiest day running from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. Orthodox Jews are forbidden from doing anything that's considered work – even using a deodorant. And that makes Sabbath prayers in packed synagogues a very smelly affair.

Do Korean people wear deodorant?

What's with the lack of quality deodorant in Korea? Basically, most Koreans don't actually need deodorant. Several years ago, scientists discovered a gene that was dubbed “ABCC11”. The team who discovered the gene found that it was a key determinant in whether a person will produce dry or wet earwax.

Why does body odor turn me on?

“Humans don't have a functioning 'vomeronasal organ',” she says, “which is what other animals use to detect pheromones secreted by another animal of the same species. Instead, we sense smells via the olfactory system. Perceivable smells likely do play a role in attraction, or lack of attraction, in people.”.

How come when I open my legs it smells male?

Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating. Men are especially vulnerable to this in the groin area due to testicles that can rub against their skin, creating friction, and increasing sweating. The extra sweat can attract fungus and bacteria, which leads to bad smells.

What do male pheromones smell like?

"Male Body Odor Can Stink Like Urine Or Have A Pleasant Vanilla Smell, Depending On One Gene." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 September 2007.

What does a woman in heat mean?

In a state of sexual excitement immediately preceding ovulation.

What is the smelliest city in the world?

Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua is full of spurting steam vents and bubbling pools, and some even blow up unannounced and randomly. And with it the sulphur is released and produces an eggy stench, which is difficult to ignore.

Do I have the ABCC11 gene?

The gene variant is known as ABCC11 and the study authors said that the consistency of earwax is a good indication of those who have it. People who have dry earwax as opposed to sticky earwax are highly likely to have the ABCC11 variant and therefore do not produce under arm body odour.

What do different body smells mean?

Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.