
The Science of Smelling Old - ryan_j_naughton
http://priceonomics.com/the-science-of-smelling-older/
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zzleeper
This article fell a bit short of an explanation, as I still don't know how
2-Nonenal got there on the first place..

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Terr_
If you click the "2001 study" link, there's more detail, including:

> Furthermore, analysis of skin surface lipids revealed that w7 unsaturated
> fatty acids and lipid peroxides also increased with aging and that there
> were positive correlations between the amount of 2-nonenal in body odor and
> the amount of w7 unsaturated fatty acids or lipid peroxides in skin surface
> lipids.

> 2-Nonenal was generated only when w7 unsaturated fatty acids were degraded
> by degradation tests in which some main components of skin surface lipids
> were oxidatively decomposed using lipid peroxides as initiator of an
> oxidative chain reaction. The results indicate that 2-nonenal is generated
> by the oxidative degradation of w7 unsaturated fatty acids, and suggest that
> 2-nonenal may be involved in the age-related change of body odor.

Is there an a organic-chemistry dermatologist in the house?

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watmough
It would seem reasonable to think that age-related slackening of the skin may
have something to do with this.

~~~
Terr_
Assuming their hypothesis is correct, I'd like to know where/when the W7
molecules are breaking down. If it occurs gradually at the surface, then it
may be something you can treat topically with soaps or creams.

