Issues with a coworker ....

[CathrynRose]

Have you ever been around someone obese who has, um, how can I say it delicately, lots of fat rolls?? When someone who has them, and has them bad, doesn't bathe, it's quite a different scent than a skinny person with B.O. When gunk and whatnot doesn't get washed out of those places, it can get REALLY bad.
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Wow.

No matter what, fat-folks are stinkier. <shrug> Okey Doke.

 

[ducklite]

who bathes regularly won't smell any more than anyone else. The issue is bathing, not weight.

Actually there is a condition called Bromhidrosis that is associated with obesity (among other conditions) that causes excessive body odor.

Additionally, those with a large pannicula often have issues with constant moisture under the fold, which becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast infections which cause odors to eminate from the area.

So indeed from a medical standpoint, an obese person may have issues with excessive body odor regardless of their personal hygiene.

Anne

 

[PrincessKitty1]

And would it be acceptable if the OP had said "I work with an Indian person who always smells like curry and I find it offensive. What can I do?" Or how about "I work with a European perosn who doesn't bathe regularly and it offends me. What can I do?"

My point being, any person, large or small, who does not bathe regularly, will smell. A large person with "fat rolls" as you all so "delicately" put it who bathes regularly won't smell any more than anyone else. The issue is bathing, not weight.

I think it's realistic to explain why you think a person smells--indeed, what a person eats (curry) can greatly affect their body odor. And people who only bathe once a week are going to smell bad to most Americans. A local newspaper columnist wrote about living in Africa (can't remember which country) and being pulled aside by his work supervisor because folks were complaining about his smell--he smelled like Lifebuoy soap!

I live in a very hot,humid climate and have had numerous morbidly obese patients with extensive fungal infections in their skin folds. The smell is indescribable, and bathing doesn't help a bit. People who are very large also need to be extra scrupulous about hygiene if they can't reach all areas of their bodies to wash.So I do think the OPs description was relevant (so,as you so delicately put it, put on your BIG girl panties and deal with it).

 

[snickerharley]

Stating that the perosn is large was not to offend anyone, it was mentioned in order to relay facts. When a person is morbidly obese and smells there maybe a medical disorder associated with the smell, I don't know but thought maybe one of you would? Also the size issue was mentioned because our profession includes a lot of physical labor, and the person is incapable of doing this. I feel as though they lied on thier application stating that they could do the labor the job requires. I just cannot stand it anymore, I am frustrated and a job that I love is quickly becoming one I want to not go to due to this person. It is not fair to my co-workers or clients, and to make matters worse we work in a small are 600 sq feet (it a guess).

 

[Jeanny]

go into the office and walk around sniffing and saying "eeeuu, do you smell that? What is that smell? Oh, man, it's really taking my breath away!!!"

 

[Cool-Beans]

Why not just say, "You know, it stinks in here. For the good of everyone, you need to take a bath. We can't have you stinking up the place. It is unhealthy and a little gross, so you have to take a bath. OK?"

Once you do this, it gets a lot easier!

 

[Cool-Beans]

Actually there is a condition called Bromhidrosis that is associated with obesity (among other conditions) that causes excessive body odor.

Additionally, those with a large pannicula often have issues with constant moisture under the fold, which becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast infections which cause odors to eminate from the area.

So indeed from a medical standpoint, an obese person may have issues with excessive body odor regardless of their personal hygiene.

Anne

Do you mean a panniculus or panniculitis or what? Gotta admit I'm clueless.




About the only time I notice a difference in stink of people who are fat is when they get so fat that they have trouble wiping their butt and do an "iffy" job. Other than that (and that isn't a typical BO stink), anyone who hasn't been washed is stinky, regardless of weight.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I think it's realistic to explain why you think a person smells--indeed, what a person eats (curry) can greatly affect their body odor. And people who only bathe once a week are going to smell bad to most Americans. A local newspaper columnist wrote about living in Africa (can't remember which country) and being pulled aside by his work supervisor because folks were complaining about his smell--he smelled like Lifebuoy soap!

I live in a very hot,humid climate and have had numerous morbidly obese patients with extensive fungal infections in their skin folds. The smell is indescribable, and bathing doesn't help a bit. People who are very large also need to be extra scrupulous about hygiene if they can't reach all areas of their bodies to wash.So I do think the OPs description was relevant (so,as you so delicately put it, put on your BIG girl panties and deal with it).

I agree.

Folks, I'm not flaming overweight folks. I am overweight myself. I was just posting a possibility as to why the person's weight may have been mentioned. In my experience, when overweight folks do not practice common hygeine, it can be a different kind of B.O. than simply not bathing.

The OP has since clarified why the weight was mentioned. I don't think she deserved to be flamed. Nor did I.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I haven't read the whole thread and apologize is this has been suggested before, but here goes.

If she's been spoken to and hasn't done a thing to correct the situation, I would get a can of air freshener--Glade, Lysol, Oust, whatever you like--and spray it around her frequently.

I'm not saying that it will cover up her odor, but it's a way of letting her know just how offensive the air around her becomes. In fact, I would even say, "wow! It's sure does stink in here!" as I was spraying.

To be honest, though, it probably won't work. She sounds like one of those people who just doesn't care about offending others.

 

[Marseeya]

I agree.

Folks, I'm not flaming overweight folks. I am overweight myself. I was just posting a possibility as to why the person's weight may have been mentioned. In my experience, when overweight folks do not practice common hygeine, it can be a different kind of B.O. than simply not bathing.

The OP has since clarified why the weight was mentioned. I don't think she deserved to be flamed. Nor did I.

I'm a whole helluva lot more overweight than you are and I totally agree with what you've said. I've been around stinky skinny people and I've been around stinky fat people (I don't stink, tyvm ) and there's a definite difference between the two. When skinny people stink, it's more of a dirty armpit, unwashed clothes, sometimes pee smell, sometimes butt smell. When fat people stink, it's something off and foul. Yeasty like. And they get the butt smell too, only bigger and worse.

Again, I'm obese myself, but I'm not offended by the OP's description of a large person.

Sometimes people just need to be told, and bluntly, no matter how awkward or embarrassing it is. I once went to school with a woman (sorry, but she was obese) and the career assistance department told her that she needed to work on her hygiene, otherwise she wouldn't get a decent job. They were pretty vague about it and didn't really tell her what she needed to know. I was pretty young and insecure at the time, otherwise I wish I would have told her step by step what she needed to do. Sometimes people just don't know because they haven't been taught any differently.

 

[rparmfamily]

I'd probably just wear a mask to work one day and spray Lysol every 10 mins. Plus some formal (written) complaints up the HR foodchain.

 

[Christine]

On Monday, Oprah had a show on people who had lost a lot of weight. They had a guy on there who had lost several hundred pounds and then had to have surgery to remove the excess skin. They said right there on Oprah that large people frequently have odor problems due to the excessive folds in the skin. It creates a type of fungal infection and smells awful. I think it is also very painful for the person who has it.

 

[musclecar_72]

Fat people, take feeling off sleeve! Overweight people stink differently than skinny people stink so get over it. Bunch of drama queens posting this morning!

 

[ducklite]

Again, I'm obese myself, but I'm not offended by the OP's description of a large person.

I've met Marseeya, don't let her kid you. She describes herself as if she's Jabba the Hut or something--that's quite far from the truth!

Anne

 

[ducklite]

I'd probably just wear a mask to work one day and spray Lysol every 10 mins. Plus some formal (written) complaints up the HR foodchain.

Please don't go spraying things unless you know for sure that no one you work with has allergies or asthma and have checked with them to be sure. Thanks!

Anne

 

[Hedy]

I'd contact HR. If it's health/disability related, it could get ugly if you confront her.
FWIW, I used to work in a men's prison, which stank to the high heavens (I called it "eau de dude"). I found that using a light perfume helped the stink.

 

[Marseeya]

I've met Marseeya, don't let her kid you. She describes herself as if she's Jabba the Hut or something--that's quite far from the truth!

Anne

I luvvvv you, Anne!

Maybe not Jabba, but Fiona as ogre is probably closer to it.

 

[ducklite]

I luvvvv you, Anne!

Maybe not Jabba, but Fiona as ogre is probably closer to it.

Um, no, I don't think that quite works either. Stop beating yourself up girl!

Anne