I smell....weird

[BashfulClam]

Last winter I was in a very stressful job and a few times I noticed a smell from my armpits at the end of each day . Not BO but not a nice odour, I assumed it was stress and my antiperspirant failing.

I moved jobs, got a new anti perspirant and haven’t noticed it since last November. Today after work (wfh) I noticed it again. It’s not like the
Onion smell of BO but it’s not nice at all. I showered this morning with antibacterial soap (I am fastidious about washing under my arms when I shower), I used sure anti perspirant and everything I wore was clean and fresh. Just gone upstairs to change my top, as I spilled coffee on the one I had on, I can smell this same smell from myself. It goes if I wash again but what’s weird is the timing, some sort of November Whiff?!

What kind of washing powder do you use?
Could it be a smell from your clothes rather than you?

Could it be related to Xmas / seasonal stress? I've found when I've been very ill from stress it's affected my body odour.

Also how old are you OP? Could it be related to menopause or hormones?

Could it be boob sweat smell?

You’re not menopausal are you OP?
I’ve gone from no whiff armpits to scrubbing them 2-3 times a day (or I’ll stink) since my periods stopped

Ah, cross posted with @sparklepink

I’m 40 menopausal yet. It’s definitely my underarms, had a sleeveless top on and it was when I sniffed my armpits. The thing that’s weird is it’s been the same time every year and isn’t a normal BO smell. All through the summer there was no odour. It goes away woth body spray which normally mingles with BO to smell worse. Why November though?

Have you got a touch of thrush in a crevice? It doesn't smell the best... easily seen off though.

• NOT menopausal yet (showing no signs and my mum and grandmother didn’t go through it till they were in their 50’s)

@nemeton it doesn’t smell thrush like, it’s a hard smell to describe but why only in november?

Do you normally use antibacterial soap? Could that have upset the balance of good bacteria?

Nylon top?

Yep been using it daily for 5 years. It must be something in November but I don’t know what. My job isn’t super stressful anymore, I’m working from home, Christmas is all arranged and sorted... it’s just bizarre!

@helloxhristmas no it was a cotton vest top today and the smell was definitely me and not the top which is fairly new.

It reminds me of the smell you get at the back
of your nose when you are not well....maybe I’m getting a cold or something!

Hi OP, I'm watching with interest. Sorry I can't help but is it a malty, mousy smell, not totally unpleasant but weird? I have noticed this a few times last few weeks and I know it happened last winter too. I was definitely stressed last winter but not now. I can't work out of it's a stress thing, winter thing, hormone thing.

Maybe you’re fighting an illness off?

OP, do you usually shave or wax your armpits? I shave mine in the warmer months and they don't smell at all. But come winter, I tend to let them go au naturale and I've noticed my armpits start to smell.

Do you eat more onions at this time of year - it is soup season? The smell comes right through you,

Sorry, I misread the OP, Could still be seasonal eating though.

Get a diabetes test done, my dad started smelling weird so his GP sent him for a test. It came back positive.

To help with the odour, try Apple cider vinegar on your armpits, about 5 mins before every shower. It will kill any bacteria in your skin and keep it at bay. Hope you find out the cause. X

Have you left damp laundry in the washing machine for too long? I had a load go mildewy.