While we’re just beginning to hear nonenal discussed in the west, it’s not news in the east. “The Japanese have an open and healthy attitude towards aging odor, which they refer to as kareisyu,” says Koko Hayashi, founder of skin care brand Mirai Clinical. The Sapporo, Japan-based company claims to dissolve nonenal with naturally antiseptic persimmon extract (a tannin) and antioxidant green tea, in products ranging from deodorizing soap to purifying body washes, serums and spritzers. According to Hayashi, the Japanese have long used persimmon for its deodorant properties.
“I don’t know if using persimmon products will make a difference over other deodorizers, but I don’t object to giving it a try,” says New York dermatologist, Doris Day, MD, who adds that other changes in maturing skin may also contribute to the smell of seniority. “As we age, cells may not shed the way they should, and the thicker skin can give off a smell of keratin,” she says, of the sulphurous odour many of us have encountered at its worst while accidentally burning hair with a blow-dryer.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to combat elderly odour. Day recommends wearing cotton clothing, bathing often, exfoliating skin regularly, and using rich moisturisers to retain more water in cells. Nonenal may stick to shirt collars and pillowcases, so keep clothes and linens fresh. Smelling like an old person doesn’t have to be your fate, even if you have an affinity for chintz and crystal candy dishes.
www.livinghealthy.com/articles/do-you-smell-old
