Boyfriend told me that I smell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about your diet.

Also visit a derm - make sure you don’t have a skin infection.

Also - how well do you shower? I’m dating a guy who sometimes smells not so great and I know from showering with him that he thinks he is showering well, but he is not. He doesn’t use enough soap in certain places like his face and sometimes his face smells as a result. I don’t think he washes his neck and ears etc well. A few times we have showered together and I’ve lathered him up and guess what - he smelled good! So think about your shower techniques.

+ 1

Buy an exfoliating washcloth and scrub your skin all over. If this problem has been going on since childhood I wonder if you never got the hang of getting all the way clean? Just letting water flow over you is not enough for most people. In my experience, brushing teeth, tongue and gums helps, same for flossing. Mouthwash makes things worse because it dries out your mouth. Your breath smells better fir the first 15 minutes, then much worse over the next few hours. Throw away your mouthwash. Drink more water throughout the day.

It’s also not normal to be constipated all the time. I bet the smell is a combination of bad diet/nutrition and subpar hygiene practices.

It could also be encopresis and leakage is happening.

[Anonymous]

Are you overweight? Not a judgement at all, I am. But some people who are overweight and have more flab and "rolls" can grow yeast, bacteria, and other things on their skin if they don't get cleaned properly and because they hold more moisture. Which could be the case since you say you sweat a lot

[Anonymous]

Is the smell in your clothes at the end of the day? Do you have any underlying health conditions? What has happened in past relationships? How has the smell issue been dealt with?

Does the odor smell like BO or does it have any other aspect to it (metallic. Sulphur, food etc).

What ethnicity are you?

Do you eat spices or spicey foods?

Have you ever had tonsil stones?

Does it emanate from everywhere?

Do your pillows or sheets or light color clothes get stained from it or your sweat? Does your sweat have a color tinge?

Do you have any extra hair on your body or any signs of hormonal issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Think about your diet.

Also visit a derm - make sure you don’t have a skin infection.

Also - how well do you shower? I’m dating a guy who sometimes smells not so great and I know from showering with him that he thinks he is showering well, but he is not. He doesn’t use enough soap in certain places like his face and sometimes his face smells as a result. I don’t think he washes his neck and ears etc well. A few times we have showered together and I’ve lathered him up and guess what - he smelled good! So think about your shower techniques.

NO man will shower well, if a women is showering with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you overweight? Not a judgement at all, I am. But some people who are overweight and have more flab and "rolls" can grow yeast, bacteria, and other things on their skin if they don't get cleaned properly and because they hold more moisture. Which could be the case since you say you sweat a lot

No I'm not overweight. I've been super skinny up until I turned 30, but now weigh 135 and I'm a size 4. I tend to overheat quickly. It is common for me to have near fainting spells if I'm not careful of my exposure to warm temps

[Anonymous]

Get rid of milk in your diet and see if that helps.

Also the chronic constipation...this is not normal and indicative of something further. IBS, leaky gut...but what comes to mind is getting someone good to check you out for Chron's because it's often missed as a diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

I don't want to freak you out but you should probably get a physical and bring up the heat intolerance combined with the odor. The heat intolerance can be a sign of MS and MS also can cause odors. I only know this because my mom was recently diagnosed. I imagine other autoimmune disorders can have similar symptoms. I hope you can find an answer soon. Your post made me so sad for you.

[Anonymous]

Use a water pick on your teeth
Take baths for female hygiene

[Anonymous]

Senna tea for constipation on Amazon

[Anonymous]

Do you drink enough water? Any other smelliest in your family? I also had some of the same questions as PPs, so answer those here. As a PP mentioned, DCUM can be a great resource.

Get a second dental opinion. Maybe do an elimination diet. Get your hormones checked. If your regular doctor doesn’t have answers for you, spend the money and go to a concierge practice where you will be charged a lot but they will spend a lot of time with you and be able to connect you with any relevant specialists.

[Anonymous]

12:38 here. You might want to start a new thread in the Medicine forum, or ask Jeff to move this thread, so that you can get more help from people on this site.

As far as the boyfriend, I think that relationship is over. Focus on getting to the bottom of this problem. I have the feeling that you will succeed. Keep us posted!

[Anonymous]

IF the smell is from the skin it could be an endocrine issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you should dump him. I'm sorry, but even if you are smelly, and I'm a sensitive to smell person saying this, it's just such a hurtful thing to do. You smell, I don't want to be have sex with you. It's just indicative of his character. Move on.

Nah I have a sensitive nose. It would be a turnoff for me if the person I was with had a bad odor and awful breath. I’ve actually dated ones who had bad breath and while they were nice people, I couldn’t do it after a few weeks.

It doesn’t mean the person is a jerk for not liking their bad breath.

Honestly, I would be happy for his honesty.
Yes, It is painful to hear. But had you talked about the topic before? Did he know it was a sore subject with you?
Do you do aerobic activities (run, spin class, aerobics, etc.)? My body odor improves when I have a great workout (and obviously shower after). It seems to rid my body of toxins. I can definitely tell a difference in my body odor when I haven’t worked out in a while.

[Anonymous]

OP, what were his exact words and tone?

[Anonymous]

so is it just your breath that smells or your lady parts? if it's your breath constantly chew gum or have mints handy. If it's the lady parts, Id go to the doctor to figure out if theres an under lying issue.