Skipping showers before a date? What's behind 'pheromone maxxing' trend
For most people, preparing for a date means taking a shower and using deodorant or perfume. However, some people are doing the opposite by avoiding showers and scented products because they believe keeping their natural body odor can make them more attractive. This practice, known as “pheromone maxxing,” has recently gained attention on social media, especially among young men.
The trend is based on the idea of pheromones, which are chemical signals released by an individual that can cause specific responses in other members of the same species. Pheromones are well established in animals and can influence mating behavior. For example, female silkworm moths release bombykol to attract males, while mice use chemical signals in urine and other secretions to identify information about other animals.
Scientists have studied whether humans have similar chemical signals that can influence attraction. A well-known 1995 study had male students wear T-shirts for two nights, which female students later smelled and rated. Researchers also examined the men’s MHC genes, which are important to the immune system. Women tended to prefer the body odors of men whose MHC genes were different from their own, leading researchers to suggest that such genes might influence human mate choice.
A 2024 study also found that fathers could recognize their own children’s body odor at rates higher than chance and generally preferred their own child’s smell. This preference became weaker as children grew older, particularly as daughters entered more advanced stages of puberty. Researchers said the finding supported the possibility that smell could help prevent inappropriate relationships between parents and children.
However, these findings do not prove that humans have sex pheromones like those found in some animals. Researchers say no human chemical has yet met the scientific requirements needed to be classified as a pheromone. Although body odor can influence how people perceive one another and smell clearly plays a role in attraction and social relationships, there is no scientific evidence that avoiding showers can “maximize” a human sex pheromone.
Edited using generative AI tools.
Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20261007/skipping-showers-before-a-date-whats-behind-pheromone-maxxing-trend |
