At 40, I started to smell like an elderly person. No matter how much I showered. It didn’t go away. The doctor revealed the cause and recommended a drink that can help reduce the smell. It’s very easy to find in Thailand!
Dr. Li Sixian, a family medicine physician and weight loss expert , explained on his Facebook page that “old person odor” does not occur in everyone, but only in some people. It has a distinctive smell that is similar to the smell of old oil.
He explains that human skin naturally secretes sebum to protect it from external damage. Normally, these sebum are oxidized, but the body creates antioxidants to fight it and maintain the balance.
However, as we age, the production of antioxidants decreases and the composition of the skin’s lipids changes. Causing this smell to start appearing after the age of 40.
Dr. Li Sixian explained that “old person odor” often occurs in areas with high sebum secretion and are difficult to clean. Such as the scalp, behind the ears, armpits, chest, back, and neck. This is because these areas have dense sebaceous glands and secrete a large amount of fatty acids. Which are easily oxidized.
Some people may think that “If you have old people’s odor. Just increase your bathing and wash it clean with soap.” But Dr. Li Sixian shook his head and explained that 2-Nonenal is a fat-soluble substance, which cannot be washed off with plain water. Even using soap may not be able to remove it completely. If you clean it too harshly. It may dry out your skin and damage your skin’s protective barrier, leading to other problems.
How to get rid of “old person smell”?
Dr. Li Sixian explained that although this smell is associated with aging, it can be reduced by supplementing with antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin D, polyphenols and lipoic acid, which help slow down the oxidation of fatty acids. He suggested that drinking “green tea” is also a good choice. Just drinking a cup a day can help increase the body’s antioxidant ability.
In addition, sweating and metabolism are also important factors. Dr. Li Sixian suggests that regular exercise, steaming or sauna can help remove residues in the sebaceous glands, reducing the accumulation of 2-Nonenal.
He also cautions that even if it is not thoroughly cleansed, one should not use too many cleansers, and should maintain the balance of microbes on the ufabet https://ufabet999.app skin, as these microbes can promote good skin metabolism. In addition, red light therapy may help stimulate skin metabolism, although more evidence is needed, it is an interesting option.
If you still feel that the smell is unpleasant, Dr. Li Sixian recommends covering it up with natural essential oils such as tea tree oil, rosemary oil or peppermint. In addition to providing a fresh scent, it also has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, giving you multiple benefits at once.
Dr. Li Sixian emphasized that “old person odor” is different from ordinary body odor, and it is not caused by poor hygiene, but is a natural process of aging. Everyone will grow old and face this problem one day. Therefore, instead of seeing it as disgusting, it is more rational and effective to understand and improve it scientifically.