By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

READER'S "SMELLY EARS" HELP TO ATTRACT OPPOSITE SEX

Question: All my life, behind my ears have been smelly. Even my earring holes occasionally have this same almost cheese-like offensive smell. What causes this, and how can I get rid of it?

Answer: In the Unites States we have a general social aversion to those who have a strong "human" odor. This is in contrast to those who live in other cultures, particularly those in developing portions of the world where we visitors find the joys of the new landscape and a different culture are mixed with new stimulation to our olfactory sense. That is, we humans in our unscrubbed and unperfumed state have a distinctive smell that isn't always registered as being a pleasant one.
The cheese-like unpleasant smell you have occasionally noted is your "human" scent as opposed to the scent of the deodorant, shampoo, bath soap and other toiletries you use. This human scent is sufficiently unique that trained dogs can follow your distinct scent trail even hours after you have walked through the grass and on into the woods. This is the scent bloodhounds follow and the scent you notice when you gather it up from behind your ears.
These human scents are somewhat volatile compounds associated with fats called sebum. They are, therefore, most prominent in oily areas of the skin like the face, behind the ears, under the arms, around the nipples and at the groin. I'm sure you have had your neighbor's ill-mannered dog greet you by sticking his nose directly into your crotch. He is just getting a clearer olfactory sense (or scent) of who you are.
Most of us pay little attention to our sense of smell. Yet, in an experiment most people could tell by smell alone if a t-shirt was worn by a man or by a woman. Furthermore, most can then determine if they find the scent acceptable or offensive. Interestingly, those whose scents you are likely to find offensive tend to have similar immune system characteristics. Those whose smell is acceptable are more likely to immunologically different. It is postulated that this preference results in a greater probability of producing healthy, immunologically competent children by virtue of hybrid vigor.
Almost all of this olfactory preferencing occurs at the subconscious level. We just know someone who is otherwise "interesting" suddenly becomes less so when we become close enough to him or her to get a good "sniff" without really registering the role our sense of smell plays in the reaction. We also rarely recognize that we are surrounding ourselves with our loved one's scent when we nuzzle his or her neck or kiss them -- but we are.
So, the scent from behind your ears is the characteristic aroma your body chemistry creates. You can't make it go away. You can bathe frequently to diminish it and cover your body with other fragrances if you wish, but your scent will be beneath it all. Even though you find it unpleasant, your loved ones don't. In fact, he or she may even find it to be exciting -- but that involves another story about the role our sense of smell has in procreation.

"Family Medicine" is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701. Past columns are available online at http://www.FamilyMedicineNews.org.