Community Chat

[violann]

On 3/4/2015 feline groovy said:

If she is obese, bacteria can accumulate in/under the skin folds and cause an unpleasant odor.

Sadly, this can happen almost immediately after a morning shower too. I'd definitely ask for a private meeting with her supervisor and request specifics.

[qualitygal]

On 3/4/2015 colliegirls said:

Could it be her breath? Some people seem to have very bad breath no matter what they do. Perhaps its her dental hygiene?

My mom had this once and it turned out to be an infection of some sort, Good thought, I'd have her check that out. Mom got pills, it healed and no problem after that.

[Group 5 minus 1]

What do you mean by personal hygiene? Can you be more direct?

[YorkieonmyPillow]

I doubt there is anything wrong with her hygiene.

[Group 5 minus 1]

I thought a little bit about this and I feel your daughter needs to have a meeting w/ the accuser, HR and maybe an (gasp) attorney. It could mean her whole professional history is at risk.

Does she shampoo her hair everyday? That is a smell that is offensive to many-unwashed hair. The accuser is not being specific enough. Or are they?

[goodstuff]

On 3/4/2015 Newnick ame said:

On 3/4/2015 feline groovy said:

If she is obese, bacteria can accumulate in/under the skin folds and cause an unpleasant odor.

Sadly, this can happen almost immediately after a morning shower too. I'd definitely ask for a private meeting with her supervisor and request specifics.

I used to see (and smell!) this problem quite frequently when I worked for a surgeon who performed weight loss surgery. The odor in skin folds is caused by a fungal growth or infection in the skin folds, and emits a sour or "yeasty" odor. It can be treated with antifungal medications including OTC creams or powder sprays designed for athlete's foot. Once under control, recurrence can be discouraged by thoroughly drying the affected areas with a cool blow dryer after bathing and then applying a preparation containing tea tree oil diluted with other oils.

Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil Skin and Scalp Conditioner, sold very inexpensively at WalMart and through Amazon, became highly recommended among our patients dealing with this challenge.

[RedTop]

I remember as a teenager, making a comment to my mother about the smell of each family member, and how she spazzed to think I was saying we stunk! I explained that it was not that anyone was offensive and actually stunk, but I could tell we each had a distinct smell due to our chemical makeup, and she thought I was nuts. So we did a test where I was blindfolded, and she passed an article of worn clothing for each person under my nose. I correctly identified the smell of each person in the family, except for myself. My mom continued to say she could not smell anything in the clothing and was surprised I had gotten everything right.

Years later, I realized that nicotine was a big part of the smell I associated with my parents. My husband has smoked for 50 years, so I can smell the nicotine from the pores of his skin when he sweats, and it's on his clothes as well, but also our shower will smell like nicotine after he has bathed, and the nicotine smell is on his towel and washcloth. My youngest daughter drives a tractor trailer for a living, making east to west coast runs where she is out 5-7 days at a time. She cannot shower every day, but is meticulous about hygiene, using baby wipes to clean herself between showers, and changes clothes from skin out, daily. She cannot stand to think she might have a smell about herself, and I have assured her that when I dump her work clothes out of the laundry bag to wash them, there is no offensive odor.

I think it is a distinct possibility that a very scenty fragrance like Irish Spring mixes with your daughter's body chemistry scent in a negative way, and this could be the culprit. Perhaps she should try something more pure like Ivory or a baby wash to see if this makes a difference. Best wishes to her with this sensitive issue.

[nursejulia]

Thank you everyone. She HAS met with her supervisor who is actually the one reporting this to her. Today, she is going to her union. She is so embarrassed. BTW she is working on finding another job, which is not that easy. Thank you again for your helpful and non judgemental replies.

[sfnative]

On 3/4/2015 feline groovy said:

If she is obese, bacteria can accumulate in/under the skin folds and cause an unpleasant odor.

I used to sing in a quartet with a 4x woman and was sooooooo glad I didn't have to stand next to her. OMG! She just could not get a handle on all of her folds and the bacteria and mold which grew there.

[jubilant]

Aw, I feel so badly for her. It's odd that you don't smell it. Does she perspire more at work? My mom had a dear friend that perspired terribly and it had a strong odor. She was athletic and tried everything but nothing worked for very long. I doubt at her age she wears a wig but if she does.... it is important to wash them often.