I don’t use deoderant; I don’t feel the difference and I never really cared much about my smell; but my parent keeps bringing it up and it’s annoying.

Also, what’s wrong with smell? Human smells differ anyway.

  • Pax
    31·
    3 years ago

    This thread’s kind of depressing to read. Come on people-- this is basic hygiene/consideration, it’s not rocket science. Brush your teeth (and tongue) when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Shower every 1-2 days (use soap everywhere below your face), and wear deodorant if you’re going to be around people especially indoors.

    i’m hope i don’t come off as aggressive or anything, not my intention. just remember that those things aren’t easy for everyone (but i agree, definitely more considerate).

    i don’t brush often due to many health problems, one major one being OCD. i can only brush during certain time slots, which rarely occur. i know my breath is atrocious. fortunately, i imagine a mask helps. i’m also not around people often.

    i shower every 3-4 days, sometimes less often (though i don’t like showering less often). i also don’t use much soap unless i’m taking my eczema medication or waxing. and of course i use soap in the private areas, because i’ve had c. diff.

    might sound gross, but i’ve asked honest people and they swear i don’t smell. and they’re the kind of people who have told me when i do smell. they know about my bathing habits. i just don’t smell (breath i’m sure stinks though, i haven’t asked because i know). if i did smell i would definitely do something about it. like our stomach, we have probiotics on our skin, and if our skin biome is healthy we generally won’t stink. now being that i have eczema i probably don’t have the best skin biome, but there’s certainly something good there. when my physical health issues were EXTREMELY severe and i hadn’t bathed in two months, my partner at the time told me i didn’t stink. and it wasn’t to be kind, she was genuinely surprised because, you know, two months without bathing, a person should probably stink.

    there’s a guy in my building who always stinks. from conversations it seems he showers several times a day. i suspect he has a medical condition that i desperately wish he would get checked out, because i’ve nearly vomited around him several times. i know him well enough to know he’s on medicaid, so this is something that would be covered.

    so everyone’s different. some of us can get away with showering less frequently, others can’t. i believe there’s a gene that makes your sweat not smell. just know your body and do your best not to be stinky imo

    • MerchantsOfMisery
      5·
      3 years ago

      I don’t think you’re coming off as aggressive.

      When it’s a matter of mental health getting in the way of hygiene, I definitely am a lot more understanding. But if it’s someone who just doesn’t put on deodorant or doesn’t shower regularly because they think they don’t stink but others do, then I think it’s a little different.

      I’ll add that some peoples’ shower technique is terrible. I’m a guy and I’ve met countless men who legitimately believe they don’t need to wash their feet, armpits, butt or dick because they’re under the impression that the soapy water from the rest of their body makes its way over those regions so there’s no need to actually lather up and wash them. Also, drinking water helps a TON with body odor whereas drinking other stuff i.e. soft drinks just contributes towards body odor.

      But yeah, half the reason why I try not to judge strangers when it comes to hygiene stuff is because as yo said, I really have no clue what’s going on with their physical or mental health.