Heckmann et al used the smell of a T-shirt worn by a person as a measure of body odor. This can be used for initial assessment or to monitor the response to interventions. The authors are from Ludwig-Maximilian and Christian-Albrecht Universities in Germany.
Methodology:
(1) A new (clean probably acceptable) white cotton T-shirt was washed at 90°C for 1 hour in water without detergent or bleach.
(2) The T-shirt was worn for 24 hours (from noon to noon).
(3) The person was not allowed to wear deodorants or perfume.
(4) Intimate contact with partners was not allowed during the period (in the study this was not permitted for the 2 days prior as well).
(5) Other restrictions might apply depending on the purpose of the evaluation (overall body smell, impact of diet, baseline odor) – exercise, dietary intake of odorific foods (asparagus, onions, garlic), overly warm rooms, bathing, smoking.
(6) For the study the axillary areas of the T-shirt were cut out and stored in a glass jar which were then submitted for evaluation at a later time. Directly smelling the shirt would be more economical (but might be subject to bias).
Parameters:
(1) intensity of odor, using a 7-point Likert scale
(2) pleasantness of the odor, using a 7-point balanced scale centered on 0
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
intensity of odor |
no odor |
0 |
|
|
barely detectable odor |
1 |
|
|
mild odor |
2 |
|
|
mild-moderate odor |
3 |
|
|
moderate odor |
4 |
|
|
intense odor |
5 |
|
|
most intense odor (extreme) |
6 |
|
pleasantness of odor |
most unpleasant |
-3 |
|
|
moderately unpleasant |
-2 |
|
|
slightly unpleasant |
-1 |
|
|
neither pleasant nor unpleasant |
0 |
|
|
slightly pleasant |
1 |
|
|
moderately pleasant |
2 |
|
|
most pleasant |
3 |
Interpretation:
• minimum odor intensity: 0
• maximum odor intensity: 6
• minimum pleasantness: -3
• maximal pleasantness: +3
• An effective intervention would reduce the odor intensity towards 0 and increase the pleasantness to neutral or positive.
Specialty: Dermatology
