Some Gen Z Men Are 'Pheromone-Maxxing.' Here's What That Means

Some young men on TikTok are trying a strange new trend to seem more attractive. They are skipping showers, ditching deodorant, and stopping hair-washing — all on purpose. They call it "pheromone-maxxing," and they believe it helps them smell more naturally appealing. But doctors and scientists say the science behind this idea doesn't really support what these men are claiming.

The trend comes from an online community focused on "looksmaxxing," which means trying different methods to become more physically attractive. Some ideas from this community are harmless, but others are dangerous. For example, some people promoted "bonesmashing" — breaking bones on purpose so they heal back looking stronger. That idea has been proven false and is unsafe. Pheromone-maxxing is a newer idea to come out of this same online world.

So what are pheromones in the first place? Pheromones are chemical signals that living things release from their bodies. In many animals, these chemicals can affect how others behave or feel. For example, some insects use pheromones to find mates. Humans also release chemicals through body odor that carry information about our health, age, and emotions — but scientists say human pheromones don't work the same way as they do in animals.

Pamela Dalton is a psychologist and smell scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center. She says that human chemical communication does not strongly control behavior the way animal pheromones do. In other words, just because you smell a certain way doesn't mean someone will automatically be attracted to you. The connection between human body odor and romantic attraction has not been proven by science.

Being attracted to how someone smells is a real thing, but it works differently than most people think. When you like how a partner smells, it's often because you've spent time with them and connected their scent to good memories. It's not really about pheromones at all. Still, social media is full of ads for "pheromone perfumes" that claim to make you more attractive, and those videos have millions of views.

Dr. Shereen Teymour is a skin doctor, also called a dermatologist, in New York. She says pheromone-maxxing takes a small truth — that humans produce unique chemical smells — and stretches it way too far. She put it plainly: "Not showering isn't pheromone-maxxing. For the most part, it's bacteria-maxxing." Skipping showers mostly just grows more bacteria on your skin, not attractive scents.

So what should you actually do to stay clean and healthy? Dr. Teymour recommends using a gentle soap, especially in spots where sweat and bacteria build up, like your underarms and feet. Avoid very hot water or harsh soaps that can dry out or irritate your skin. Antiperspirant helps reduce how much you sweat, while deodorant helps control odor.

You don't need to go to the other extreme and scrub away every bit of your natural scent either. For most people, showering regularly and after exercise is the right balance. As Dr. Teymour says, good hygiene means "keeping the skin clean, comfortable and healthy" — not smelling like bacteria, and not drowning yourself in cologne.