Week 3: “What’s that smell? Is it me?”

Let’s imagine this scenario for a minute: You’re a guy who has been out all night drinking. You’re at a packed bar and dancing feverishly with a girl. As you dance, your testosterone level increases, further elevating your already-present bodily aroma. By nature, your sense of smell is already less powerful than the girl’s, and the alcohol in your system is only hindering that sense more.

So with all those factors, how do you know if you smell? You could ask the girl you’re with (although not recommended) or a friend. Or you could use this method for identifying whether an aroma of B.O. is emanating from you.

Go outside for five minutes. Come back inside, find an enclosed room (men’s room works) and see if you notice a smell. There is always the old stand-by of “put your nose under your arm and sniff,” however by doing this, you will miss most of the bad smells coming from your scalp, trunk and abdomen.

The bottom line: When out at crowded, blisteringly hot bars, most guys think they can just use underarm deodorant. However, those guys may still start to smell bad whether they recognize it or not. Adding an all-over deodorant bodyspray may help you stay fresh all night long by combating odor-causing bacteria.

Check back next week to learn how an “olfactory bubble” could keep you from getting the girl.

Got any thoughts on Dr. Hirsch’s post? Any suggestions on how to tell if you smell bad at the bar? Any nasty (or successful) smelly bar stories? Spill the beans at the “Stench Support Group” here.