Old person smell

Biology

One study suggested that old person smell may be the result of 2-nonenal, an unsaturated aldehyde which is associated with human body odor alterations during aging. Another study failed to detect 2-nonenal at all, but found significantly increased concentrations of benzothiazole, dimethylsulphone, and nonanal on older subjects. There are also other hypotheses, such as change of the monounsaturated fatty acid composition of skin surface lipids and the increase of lipid peroxides associated with aging.

In 2012, the Monell Chemical Senses Center published a press release claiming that the human ability to identify information such as age, illness, and genetic suitability from odor is responsible for the distinctive "old man smell". Sensory neuroscientist Johan Lundström stated, "Elderly people have a discernible underarm odor that younger people consider to be fairly neutral and not very unpleasant."

In Japan

Old person smell is known as in Japan, where much social value is placed on personal grooming, and specific upmarket odor-eliminating soaps are targeted at more elderly consumers. Kareishū (加齢臭) cannot be removed by regular soap, so soap specifically utilizing Japanese persimmon extract is used to counter the buildup of 2-nonenal with tannins. Persimmon tannins act as natural, astringent odor eliminators that bind to and neutralize nonenal.

References

References

1. Sifferlin, Alexandra. (31 May 2012). "'Old-Person Smell' Really Exists, Scientists Say".
2. (30 May 2012). "The Smell of Age: Perception and Discrimination of Body Odors of Different Ages". PLOS ONE.
3. (2001). "2-Nonenal Newly Found in Human Body Odor Tends to Increase with Aging". [[Journal of Investigative Dermatology]].
4. (October 2008). "Analyses of volatile organic compounds from human skin". British Journal of Dermatology.
5. MacMillan, Amanda. "Scientists Confirm Existence of 'Old Person Smell'". Health Media Ventures, Inc..
6. (2002). "The cutaneous uptake of atmospheric oxygen contributes significantly to the oxygen supply of human dermis and epidermis". The Journal of Physiology.
7. (30 May 2012). "The special scent of age". Monell Chemical Senses Center.
8. Levenstein, Steve. (6 August 2008). "Japan's Aging Population Deals with Old Man Smell". Halcyon Solutions Inc..