Personal Scent

[Kirsten]

I have heard a lot about how your senses change post hrt. But I have a more specific question. My own smell is very different. Almost to the point some days that it’s hard to ignore. Other people don’t really smell it except to say that I smell like a girl. But for real it’s overpowering some days. I wonder if I’ll get used to it, or maybe it’s just because it’s so new.  Idk. Anyone else notice this? And how long did it last? Or does it still smell weird? 

Its so strong today that I can taste it! It’s not bad. It’s sweet and feminine. And like I said nobody mentions it except to say I smell good but I didn’t smell my stink when I was male. So why now? Idk. I’d love to hear what everyone else thinks. 

[Raven1981]

I know @Kirsten that my Endo told me that our body odor tends to change smells from the pungent male order to a more sweet feminine order.  I was also told that as we change our senses do get more heighten then before when we were male.  I dont know if it's true or not, I am just going off what my Endo told me.

 

I have noticed for myself on my experience that I dont smell anymore and right now I dont smell anything order from me other than my urine.  I dont know if it's just from myself eating alot more healthier or from the hormones, but I have noticed that my urine when I pee, that it is not as strong of an order anymore where it is a gagging smell but more of a light smell.

 

I am just going off my experience and what I was told.

[Jani]

My experience is that I no longer have a body odor as I once did.  I can't say its sweeter as I cannot tell.  My ability to sweat with a strong smell is gone though.  As Amy notes, my urine has also changed.  Just part of the experience! 

Jani

[Kirsten]

Yeah this is different. It’s just my basic smell. No sweat. No bodily fluids or any of that. That’s all new and different too, but not like this. Literally the smell of myself, soap doesn’t change it and yes I’m clean lol, is almost overpowering to the point that I taste it. It’s just weird. And I couldn’t find much online about it other than either way mtf/ftm, you smell different. 

[VickySGV]

Both sense of smell and personal body odor do change on HRT.  Our reactions to other people's odors can also be affected.  The subject of pheromones (which in other mammals and species are related to attraction of mates) in Trans people is under study and they do change with our HRT. 

[Kirsten]

I was thinking pheromones maybe. Do trans women tend to mirror their partners cycles? Can we have our own cycle of sorts? Maybe this week I just have excess pheromones or something. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed this. And it does only happen for short spans and then kind of subsides. 

 

Or maybe im just weird and/or crazy. Lmao. ??‍♀️

[VickySGV]

Just now, Kirsten said:

Can we have our own cycle of sorts? 

 

For the first few years I was on HRT I had friends who said they could set a 28 day calendar by me as far as moods and behavior went and other Trans friends on E also do see cycles to their behavior patterns.  It is more marked in those on oral meds, and girls on injectable meds who have a cycle between injections that can be wild for them and the folks around them.  Mine was grumpiness for a day or two at a two week mark, and two weeks after that I would have a really mean / crying day or so, repeated over the next 28 days.  One doctor had me keep a diary of my moods because they did not think it was related to the hormones, but threw up their hands when it was constant for three months. 

 

There is evidence from Lesbian couples that they synchronize with each other, and even cis women (mother & daughters) all come together.  Why not Trans with cis women in their families?

[Kirsten]

I am starting to lean that way myself. Maybe the smell thing is more a mild nausea. I’ve never really been nauseous other than with like a stomach flu. But like I said it is really overpowering. I have been very sensitive the last few days too. And my eating has been off as well. I usually crave fruit and salad but this week it’s grease and breads. 

 

Thats a very interesting idea. I’m gonna start tracking it and see. Thanks Vicky.  

[Charlize]

I only smell like a rose now!

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Cyndee]

It's like you run into the neighbors walking their Doberman's and the dogs want to stick their nose up my skirt when I greet them ?, that never happened before, like what changed ?

 

 

[Kirsten]

I just smell like girl. Lots and lots of girl. With a side of girl. I’d take rose. Not vanilla tho. I had a roommate who used to burn vanilla candles incessantly to cover the smell of his feet. So now all I smell is sweaty vanilla socks. ?. I still tell him now 15 years later that he ruined vanilla for me forever. Lol. 

[Michelle F]

I've noticed that shift in body odors as well. It's definitely weird... And like you said @Kirsten, sometimes it's overwhelming and totally girl!

And I mean totally girl! 

[Willa]

 Thanks for the interesting thread!

At a little over three months into HTR I can’t say that I have noticed anything much about my own personal sent. Having said that  I have noticed that certain sentence seems stronger to me and aftershave and cologne that I have used since I was 16 years old now smells way too strong to the point of dislike and I always thought that they were pleasant cents. Has this happened to anyone else? 

 

 I have been blind for a little over 10 years now and one of the things that happens when you lose your side is do you begin to pay more attention to the other senses things like smell so it could possibly be that my sense of smell has sharpened being on HTR that I’m not noticing the difference because of the  habitual awareness that comes with the territory.

By the way are there other vision impaired folks here?

 

As I said an interesting thread it’ll be fun to see where it goes!

 

Take care!

WillaYes correction: please insert HRT for HTR don’t know where my mind was there! LOL!