Fear of body odour (bromidrosiphobia)

Bromidrosiphobia is a fear of body odour, usually your own, though some people fear the smell of others. It may lead to showering many times a day, carrying deodorant everywhere or avoiding close contact. If you notice a real change in how you smell, check it with a GP, as some health conditions can affect body odour.

About this phobia

The word is built on bromhidrosis, the medical term for strong body odour, from the Greek bromos, meaning stench, and hidros, meaning sweat. It is uncommon as a phobia and is sometimes written bromidrophobia. It overlaps with olfactory reference syndrome, a recognised condition where someone is convinced they smell when others notice nothing.

What it feels like

• Sniffing yourself or your clothes many times a day
• Reading meaning into people moving away or opening a window
• Avoiding lifts, meetings or hugs in case you smell

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

What if I am sure I smell but nobody else notices?

This is more common than people think, and it can cause a great deal of worry and avoidance. A GP can check for any physical cause and, if there is none, talk through support for the anxiety itself.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

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