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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Elderly Lady. Pungent, Musty Odour From Pores. Hygiene At Par. Any Ideas?

My elderly mother seems to have an unexplained odor, and I have been trying to figure it out. Hygiene seems to be at par, but I think I just discovered the issue. She was in hospital a couple of weeks ago and was discharged two different times during that span. Everytime she came back the odor was gone. The odor actually stayed gone until yesterday, and it is now very pungent.What happened different yesterday? She ate some salmon, I think it is the salmon, and now in retrospect, I think I have a similar problem.It's an unexplainable, almost musty odor that comes through the pores.Any ideas? Do you think I am on the right track?
Sat, 1 Jun 2013
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Dermatologist,  's  Response
Hi,
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to HCM.

It appears from your query that your mother is suffering from the condition medically called as "bromhidrosis".

Our body contains innumerable bacterias allover the body known as "normal flora". On the skin especially these bacterias breakdown the compounds present in the sweat. Because of these bacterias a typical body odor is produced in everybody.
Now in certain persons the eating habit and diet plays a vital role in body odor. If any body is eating lot of garlic, onions or related food then it is quite common that the chemicals in these are secreted in sweat. So there is different pungent smell of the sweat coming out of pores.

For the betterment, stop all kinds of food enumerated above or have least of these kind of food. Maintain good body hygiene by bathing two times. Antiperspirant powders can be used frequently. Stay away from hot and humid climate. wear cotton clothes changed two times daily.

Hope these informations will help.

"With good health wishes"
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology)
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Elderly Lady. Pungent, Musty Odour From Pores. Hygiene At Par. Any Ideas?

Hi, Welcome and thanks for posting your query to HCM. It appears from your query that your mother is suffering from the condition medically called as bromhidrosis . Our body contains innumerable bacterias allover the body known as normal flora . On the skin especially these bacterias breakdown the compounds present in the sweat. Because of these bacterias a typical body odor is produced in everybody. Now in certain persons the eating habit and diet plays a vital role in body odor. If any body is eating lot of garlic, onions or related food then it is quite common that the chemicals in these are secreted in sweat. So there is different pungent smell of the sweat coming out of pores. For the betterment, stop all kinds of food enumerated above or have least of these kind of food. Maintain good body hygiene by bathing two times. Antiperspirant powders can be used frequently. Stay away from hot and humid climate. wear cotton clothes changed two times daily. Hope these informations will help. With good health wishes Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia MD (Dermatology)