body odor complaint by my employer

Sounds like you work at an uptight place, I work with people that smell like crap, but you get used to it because its actually the real way we smell so its natural. We have just tried to trick ourselves that BO is not natural but lime axe body wash is. My GF put some perfume on my dog once and it immediately started sneezing and rubbing its nose on the floor.

Are you in shape ?
Did you ever shave your arm pits ?
What is your diet like ? (You smell what you eat)

I would try exercise to improve your mood.
And if you can, remove as much hair from your body as you can.

DO NOT USE BLEACH. The toxic fumes are probably making you feel like crap !

Go see your doctor. Extra strong BO could be a sign or symptom of something serious. I don't know what that something would be... But better safe than sorry. At the very least they do have prescription strength deodorants...


And stop bathing in bleach. That is only going to hurt you. You are going to sweat no matter what you bathe in so don't do anything potentially harmful like bathing in bleach.

reply to post by nobodysavedme


Okay, first things first: Stop washing with bleach! That stuff will take the skin right off of you. You don't need it anyway.

Now, let me ask a couple of questions:

1) Do you shower in the morning or at night?
2) Do you have problems cleaning yourself after a bowel movement?
3) Do you always use aerosol antiperspirant?

As a big guy who used to do steroids, my body odor used to be really bad. Showering in the mornings helped a lot and switching to a clinical strength stick antiperspirant helped even more. A little body spray, and I mean a little, like axe or tag will also help. The reason that I asked about cleaning after a BM is because that is the biggest cause of body odor. Start carrying the flushible moist wipes with you when you go to the bathroom.

I know how alienating this can be. If my advice doesn't help, you need to see a doctor because body odor can be a sign of a medical issue, sometimes a serious one (but that's overly rare).

Let me reiterate my first point though: STOP WASHING YOURSELF WITH BLEACH!!!!

I'm advising you on the assumption odour is a problem because I've treated several people who do have serious odour problems and were unaware of them. If this is the case with you, your boss has done you a favour in drawing your attention to it.
All the advice I've given is worth paying attention to even if you don't have a problem.
It doesn't hurt to get even healthier.

However I'm aware it could be a simple case of harassment.

Serious, long-term body-odour is rarely a hygiene problem.
However make sure your clothing is kept very clean with socks and kickers washed daily.
Drying clothes in sunlight kills odour-producing bugs better than using a clothes-dryer.

Re skin hygiene.
Please stop the bleach.
It won't help and can do your skin a lot of damage.
Instead, get yourself cheap apple-cider vinegar and put a cup of that into your bath.
This will kill the bacteria that stink, and encourage the good bacteria that keep the others in check.
Make sure you pull "it" back in the bath if that's relevent, and see a doctor if you cannot.

Instead of antiperspirant or deodorant, use a nappy-rash powder with zinc in it.
Zinc is brilliant for killing smell-making bacteria.

Next comes internal hygiene.
Two patients had appalling stink and didn't know it, and their whole problem was constipation.
You might need to reduce your intake of gluey foods - bread, cakes, biscuits - and drastically increase the vegetables, salads and fibre in your diet. Porridge or muesli for breakfast and apples and carrots for snack is a great way to start. Aim to pass a large, soft motion twice a day.

Foods.
Excessive alcohol causes the skin to exude a stinky vinegar.
If you are having more than one drink every day, you may have a problem.
Smoking makes some people smell more than others, you might need to consider this possibility.

Remember the vinegar and zinc I mentioned?
Get some good cider-vinegar, mix about a tablespoon of that with a tablespoon of honey, top it up with hot or cold water or mineral-water, and you have a delicious drink which will deodorize your insides.
Also have live yogurt once or twice a week.
A few zinc tablets keep the bugs down too, and are also good for a man in other ways.

Obviously this is affecting you emotionally, and this job is not a place where you feel comfortable with the people around you. I wish you well, because this strain between co-workers can be pretty tough to deal with.

If none of this helps see a doctor and ask him/her if you smell bad.
If he/she says yes, get checked for medical problems, particularly constipation, diverticulitis and diabetes.

Good luck.

Don't let it get to you. Somebody did that to me once. I found out later that that person had a grudge. So, if that's the case with you, go to HR, like another poster said.

Some very good suggesions here - stop using bleach immediatey - it is not good for your skin, your just going to smell like bleach. Get the best deodorant you can find and see a Dr. Tell your boss what you are doing to try to control the body odor - don't be shy in this case because you have nothing to loose. Question - can you tell yourself you have this problem, does your wife say you have a problem - ask her to be honest with you. Someone might have it in for you. I feel bad for you - let us know how it goes.

your diet can affect how you smell.Avoid: garlic, onions, spicy foods, chillis.etc these can give you stonger than normal body odour when you sweat.

also use an anti-bacterical soap, such as coal-tar soap. shower instead of bathing.
using antipersperant(24hr) before you go to bed then washing in the morning is a good way of controlling persperation

reply to post by nobodysavedme


Hey man, I really do feel for you, but you have to keep your head up! If, as you said, it is an issue that could threaten your job than you need to make sure you do what is necessary, ie. don't skip days of bathing. But don't let this get you depressed, F### whoever is hating on you, they obviously have issues of their own if they couldn't address you face to face. Anyways, I go to school with many people who have obviously not showered in days and smell bad, but I still treat them as I would treat anyone. If it was so bad I could not consentrate on my work I still wouldn't say anything disrespectful to them because I would know that it is my problem, not theirs. And remember, we all are lonely creatures, just some of us are better at hiding it!

ps. Please stop bathing with bleach! That is terrible and makes me sad... Focus on your job, not what others think of you.

Peace brother.

I worked with a guy once who tended to smell more than normal. He was Italian and ate garlic in everything! Consiquently, he smelled just like garlic. It was tolerable, but at the same time very noticable. So I suppose as others have stated, it could just be your diet.

reply to post by CaptSplatter


Thats just wrong and not even funny. A guy where i work has bad body odor ( he has the same pants or shirts on day after day and only showers once a week and don't use deodorant) he is just nasty he picks his scabs and nose then he keeps working without washing his hands.

One day the boss made him put one of them car fresheners (the tree) on his belt. (It didn't help much)
But this guy is just lazy he don't care unlike the person in this thread who cares how he smells and doing this would only have others making fun of him.


BTW nobodysavedme : After you go see your Dr. and get his/her advice.Use deodorant at night just before bed it sinks into the pores and use some AXE body spray.

reply to post by nobodysavedme


Go to your doctor and have your blood work retaken and focus on your kidney and liver condition. Just to rule out a an organ a diseased organ unable to purify toxins or rid the body of toxins.

If people can smell you that badly I am sure its a medical condition related to what I just stated. The build up of toxins will seep through the pores giving off a smell unpleasant to others and gets worse over time.

Good luck !!

Causes & Development

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Anaerobic bacteria, which flourish when your body doesn't have enough oxygen, may well be the cause of your body odor. As the body's metabolism goes to work, it gives off odors which is the body's way of ridding itself of waste products. Any imbalances in metabolism will result in stronger odors.

Waste products can also be the result of toxins that accumulate in our bodies. In today's world we are bombarded with toxins in our homes, food, and air that accumulate in the body when the organs of elimination cannot dispose of them. The liver and intestines may be clogged up, causing odors to emanate from the body. In this case, a thorough detoxification program that cleanses the liver, kidneys and colon may be useful.

Dietary imbalances, resulting in constipation or a deficiency of magnesium or zinc may be other causes of body odor. Because of different body chemistries, some people who eat large quantities of meat or who are vegetarians have a very distinctive body odor which can be quite offensive. Some individuals cannot metabolize foods containing large amounts of choline, such as eggs, fish, liver and legumes. The result is a "fishy" smell. If you are one of these people, cut out these products and see if this is the cause of your odor. Certain foods and drinks, such as onions, garlic, curry, certain spicy foods, coffee and alcohol, are also prime causes. Fried and baked goods may contain rancid fats and oils that lead to body odor.

Sweat glands (apocrine glands) under the arms and in the groin secrete a substance that is the major non-food/drink related cause of body odor. This substance, which contains protein, carbohydrates and lipids, is often secreted by a surge in sex hormones caused by tense moments or emotional stress. It is then quickly attacked by bacteria, causing odor.

Some other possible cause of body odor:
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Fungal infections
Refined sugar (feeds bacteria and fungus on the skin)
Treatment & Prevention

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Folk Remedies:
Alcohol/witch hazel. Wipe your armpits with alcohol, white vinegar or witch hazel instead of deodorant.
Alum. Try using a crystal rock made from the mineral salt potassium alum instead of a deodorant. It won't keep you dry as an antiperspirant will, but antiperspirants clog your sweat glands and contain aluminum chlorohydrate, which may lead to future health problems.
Apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar eliminates under arm body odor when used in place of deodorant because it reduces the pH of the skin. Bacteria can't live in areas with low pH.
Baby powder. Use baby powder or talc in areas of heavy perspiration.
Baking soda. Baking soda, the odor-eating standby, can be used instead of deodorant. Just apply the powder to your dry armpits. It will kill bacteria and help absorb perspiration. Cornstarch can also be used instead or mixed with the baking soda.
Parsley/alfalfa. Chewing parsley, alfalfa and other leafy greens will help neutralize body odor, probably because of the deodorizing effect of the chlorophyll.
Radishes. Juice about two dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerine, and put in a squirt or spray-top bottle. Use as an underarm deodorant or to reduce foot odor.
Rosemary is an antibacterial herb. Put 8 to 10 drops of the essential oil in 1 ounce of water and appy it where needed.
Sage. Herbalists suggest drinking a cup of sage tea daily to reduce sweat gland activity. This is especially true for those who perspire excessively due to tension. Use 11/2 teaspoonsful of dried sage or two tea bags in one cup of water; steep for ten minutes; drink in small doses throughout the day. Fresh sage leaves blended with tomato juice has been found to be very effective.
Tea tree is an antibacterial herb. Make a deodorant by putting 2 drops of the essential oil into 1 ounce of water and apply where needed.
Towelettes (baby wipes). Useful when a tense moment surges the sex hormones which produce fluid under the arms and around the genital areas that, when combined with bacteria, causes odor.
Turnip juice. Turnip juice will reduce underarm odor for up to 10 hours. Grate a turnip, squeeze the juice through cheesecloth, so that you have two teaspoonsful. Wash your armpits first, and vigorously rub one teaspoonful on each one.
Wheat grass. Take 500mg of wheat grass daily on an empty stomach and wash down with a glass of water. The chlorophyll will dramatically reduce body odor.
Homeopathic
Silicea Homeopaths recommend dissolving three 6X tablets of the tissue salt Silicea under the tongue each morning and evening to knock out odor.

www.diagnose-me.com...

My ex used to have strong BO, at least thats what the guys at his work said, I thought he smelled sexy, so who knows, maybe your just sending out more testosterone than the othrs and subconsciously they are jealous. Either way, relax and start looking for other work where the people will accept you for you. This could be existence just telling you there is something more important you can and should be doing.

I would watch certain foods that can act as a culprit to bad body oder such as garlic,onion,curry powder,etc. A big problem could also be a magnesium deficiency. Try to take in 600 mg a day. Split doses of 200 throughout the day. That should help clear it up. Also make sure you are drinking 10 glasses of water a day and try to cut down on the caffeine intake if you drink caffeine. Buy some tea tree oil and when you do laundry add about 10 drops to the wash. Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar will help in your bath , also can add a drop or 2 of tea tree oil to you bath. Do not use lots of anti-perspirant as that can be harmful. Just like bleach.

reply to post by nobodysavedme


I see you have visited a doctor, but I would suggest visiting a nutritionist. Body odor is largely affected by diet.

Everyone's body chemistry is unique of course, but In general, fresh vegetables and fruit promote a more pleasant smell while meat and processed foods i.e. enriched flours, sugars and such, promote a less attractive odor.

Red meat is supposedly the strongest promoter of foul body odor. If you do not already, you could try eating a mostly vegetarian diet for a few weeks and see what happens.

I did find a study done on this subject... The sample was rather small.

Results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the odor of donors when on the nonmeat diet was judged as significantly more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense. This suggests that red meat consumption has a negative impact on perceived body odor hedonicity.

The effect of meat consumption on body odor attractiveness

I know Natural News is not considered a good source to many on these forums, but this article may be of interest:
www.naturalnews.com... - naturalnews.com

Keep in mind that this sort of change in body chemistry takes time. So if you decide to try a change in diet, which can be as simple as cutting out a food you think may be contributing to the problem, stick with it for at least a month.

Good luck

Stop using antiperspirant.

Find a deodorant.

Sweat has little odor. It's the bacteria in the sweat that cause an odor. If the deodorant you're using doesn't work, get another one.

Outside of all the obvious solutions that have been mentioned above, I would like to ask a couple questions. Did the person give a idea of just What the odor smelled like? That could be one clue. For example, something not mentioned yet, do you have cats? I know of a friend of mine no matter how clean She was, the odor of her cat boxes followed her.

You may have just reached a point of "Nervous" odor now too. People are known to create a different odor when they are scared or nervous which isnt very pleasant either.

The bleach just cant be good and may be adding more to the problem then helping it. Perhaps just a nice shower and no chemicals added like the colognes and anti perspraint sprays. You may be having a reaction to them as well.

And last point... yes, see your human resource person if you have that option. See if you can get to the bottom of it from another direction

Quit bathing in bleach. One obviously the B.O. can't be that bad your wife hasn't left you, not that she should leave you but seriously if you were smelling funky she'd be the one that would let you know. If and this is a big if you are producing some aromas at work, and it isn't somebody just out to get you. It is most likely what you are eating causing the issue. I have worked with all kinds of people and some of them have produced aromas that you wouldn't find in a garbage can filled with sweaty feet wrapped in bacon that had been left out in the July sun, just because of what they were eating.

The other thing to look at is your clothes, have you updated your wardrobe in awhile? Your a man and we seldom do pay attention to such things but after you have sweated in your clothes for a few years even with diligent and constant washing and care eventually the smell becomes permanent. so if you haven't bought some new ones in a while id suggest retiring your older pieces.

After lunch stop in a bathroom and freshen yourself up a bit, no shame in it and you'll probably feel better for it anyway. The next thing I would suggest is talking to your doctor which you already have, there are certain conditions that can cause you to stink. I can smell diabetics fairly easy, and also some skin conditions can cause odor.

Given what you have said I really do think it is someone screwing with you, and the next time the boss has you in the office over this I would ask him to tell you if he smells anything because you have done everything you can think of to correct the issue and if he can't smell it why does he keep dragging you into his office.

first off, everyone stinks
second, do not use antipersperants
third, dont sweat it(pun intended) everyone stinks, people are sweaty meat bags it is life.

I use to have a problem with body oder. Than I went to fragrance free soap, fragrance free deodorant. Problem solved. My wife has made the change, we have told others about this, and they too have made BO go away. The fragrance in most soaps and deodorants do not agree with many people.

Originally posted by juniperberry
See your doctor. It might be a symptom of something very wrong.

Personally, I can smell those with diabetes and it's kind of disgustingly sweet and not in a good way.

Yes, strong body odour is a definite sign of diabetes (heavy sweating) amongst other medical problems.

I'd visit a doctor as soon as possible. I'd be more worried about health problems than workplace complaints.