Tips for Anatomy Odors?

[dantt]

Girls and guys, any tips for combating the sickening smells? Deodorant only or does cologne/perfume help? Scented lotion on hands afterwards?

Recommended scents particularly good for neutralizing the smell?

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[spicedmanna]

Honestly, I couldn't find anything that really helped. It's a pretty powerful scent. You end up spending so much time at the lab, though, that you basically just get immune to the offensive scent over time. Eventually, you will forget that you are all stinky (except when you get into fresh air and you smell your clothing intentionally; then you remember that you were in the lab for hours). I have a tankmate that once put eucalyptus oil underneath her nose and that seemed to help her out when we first started out.

When I get home, I toss all of my exposed clothing into the wash and run it promptly. I recall that we sometimes used scented fabric softener. I try to wash up promptly, too, especially if I've spent a particularly long day in the lab. I typically use a sport-type scented shower gel. This pretty much solves the problem. Occasionally, I'm too busy to change or wash up, or I never make it home until late. In those instances, I know that I smell bad, but I've learned to live with it and try not to expose others to it, if I can help it.

 

[Coconut45]

Cinnamon soap. The brand is Method (available at Target.) Not too girly, not too musky.

 

[notdeadyet]

Girls and guys, any tips for combating the sickening smells? Deodorant only or does cologne/perfume help? Scented lotion on hands afterwards?

Don't do the cologne/perfume thing. Then you smell like a well-scented cadaver. I just go with strong soap and prompt washing of lab scrubs.

 

[Nikki2002]

Don't do the cologne/perfume thing. Then you smell like a well-scented cadaver. I just go with strong soap and prompt washing of lab scrubs.

yeah i used to just change my clothes after lab and spray on some perfume. until one of my friends (not a med student) saw me in the library and was like "were you in the anatomy lab? because you smell like a mix of dead people and nice perfume"

i found that the smell got in my hair--that was the worst.

 

[StritchMD2011]

People just about to start anatomy overplay the entire smell thing. It's not a huge deal. There have been tens of thousands of medical students who've already done this. 99.9% adapted and figured out how to deal with it. You likely will to.

That said, there are a few things you can do to lessen the problem.

Wear nitrile gloves. Makes a huge difference when the smell isn't on your hands - especially when eating.

Change into scrubs or old clothes before starting lab and change out of them after lab. I also got a cheap pair of clogs to wear during lab so that I didn't get a good pair of shoes all messy.

That's really all you can do smell-wise. You'll get used to it.

 

[SomeDoc]

What happens to that .01%? I wonder if they flunk out of anatomy lab...

Seriously though, the smell isn't bad when get used to it.

 

[njbmd]

Formalin is both volatile and able to penetrate tissues well. This is why it is used as an embalming agent in the preservation of anatomical specimens. This being said, it is unlikely that any cologne, lotion, perfume, soap or other agent is going to get rid of the smell of formalin once it has penetrated your skin. In short, you get used to the smell and you wear clothing that you can change out of when in the gross anatomy lab.

You can minimize the penetration by wearing protective gloves but you cannot prevent formalin from penetrating your nose, clothing and hands. You get used to the smell but it is not great for women who are pregnant to have too much exposure to the fumes. The best anatomy labs have ventilated tanks and hoods to minimize inhaling the fumes but still, there is significant exposure over the course of a semester.

Follow the directions given to you by Anatomy Department faculty in terms of minimizing your exposure and wear protective (barrier) devices properly. Other than this, there is little that you are going to be able to do, that will erase the smell except for minimizing your exposure time. In short, study efficiently during gross anatomy season.

 

[howelljolly]

ok Anatomy Fans!

LEMON

if you really want to smell less like dead people, bring a lemon with you. after lab, slice it up, and rub it all over your hands, arms, face, wherever (probably not hair, as it may lighten the color). Use any leftover lemon for your whiskey.

thats an old pathologist trick i learned.

 

[notdeadyet]

Formalin is both volatile and able to penetrate tissues well. This is why it is used as an embalming agent in the preservation of anatomical specimens. This being said, it is unlikely that any cologne, lotion, perfume, soap or other agent is going to get rid of the smell of formalin once it has penetrated your skin. In short, you get used to the smell and you wear clothing that you can change out of when in the gross anatomy lab.

Yeah, good point about formalin.

Coming from a vocal and knowledgeable observer (read: wife), it's not the smell of formalin folks notice as much as the smell of latex. Wear long nitrile's under optional latex gloves and you're fine once you wash your scrubs.

howelljolly has a good tip with the lemons, though I've never tried it. Many generations of teen used this same trick to get the smell of cigarettes off their fingers.

 

[spicedmanna]

+1 on the nitrile gloves.

 

[Abilene85]

ok Anatomy Fans!

LEMON

Lemon didn't work for me. My hands smelled like citrus and lab. I also forgot I had a cut on my hand - ouch.

Things that have worked for me:
1) Showering with regular soap and shampoo worked fine to get the smell off my body and out of my hair. I've heard swimmer's shampoo is better at getting smells out of your hair, if you notice a lingering scent with regular shampoo.
2) Liquid dishsoap completely removed the smell from my hands. I discovered this by accident when I had a bunch of pots and pans to scrub one day after lab. I think the key was soaking my hands in the water as I scrubbed.
3) Change gloves during lab. I know that gloves are ranked for penetration time by different chemicals. I tend to put on a pair and not change them until I go home or one rips, so I could be wearing the same pair of gloves for 4 hours straight. I found that changing about every hour kept the smell from getting too intense on my fingers - keeps a fresh barrier between the chemicals and your skin.

You will get used to the smell. It only bothered me for the first 2 weeks when I tried to eat after lab. Now I can hang out all day smelling like lab, eat immediately afterwards...I guess getting body juice splashed in your mouth helps you get over all that.

 

[spicedmanna]

3) Change gloves during lab. I know that gloves are ranked for penetration time by different chemicals. I tend to put on a pair and not change them until I go home or one rips, so I could be wearing the same pair of gloves for 4 hours straight. I found that changing about every hour kept the smell from getting too intense on my fingers - keeps a fresh barrier between the chemicals and your skin.

Absolutely. This is a habit I obtained through EMS, but, definitely change your gloves. I usually, by habit, take at least one extra and keep it in my pockets.

 

[howelljolly]

Absolutely. This is a habit I obtained through EMS, but, definitely change your gloves. I usually, by habit, take at least one extra and keep it in my pockets.

I didnt wear gloves for EMS.

 

[spicedmanna]

I didnt wear gloves for EMS.

No? Well, perhaps it was just my habit then. I was drilled on proper BSI until my eyes rolled. Besides that, I definitely wanted at least a layer between me and some of the more...interesting...phenomenon... Yeah, I'll just leave it at that.

 

[howelljolly]

No? Well, perhaps it was just my habit then. I was drilled on proper BSI until my eyes rolled. Besides that, I definitely wanted a few layers between me and some of the more...interesting...phenomenon... Yeah, I'll just leave it at that.

Don't listen to 'em, Hepatitis put hair on your chest. Gloves are for wimps.

 

[dizzle69]

People just about to start anatomy overplay the entire smell thing. It's not a huge deal. There have been tens of thousands of medical students who've already done this. 99.9% adapted and figured out how to deal with it. You likely will to.

That said, there are a few things you can do to lessen the problem.

Wear nitrile gloves. Makes a huge difference when the smell isn't on your hands - especially when eating.

Change into scrubs or old clothes before starting lab and change out of them after lab. I also got a cheap pair of clogs to wear during lab so that I didn't get a good pair of shoes all messy.

That's really all you can do smell-wise. You'll get used to it.

I totally agree. I actually didn't smell too badly. Shower once you get out of the lab and use soap. Before eating, wash your hands once more with soap. You'll be fine. The stench is over-rated.

 

[howelljolly]

I totally agree. I actually didn't smell too badly. Shower once you get out of the lab and use soap. Before eating, wash your hands once more with soap. You'll be fine. The stench is over-rated.

Thats what you think.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I used the swimmer's shampoo and it worked well. The regular soap just didnt cut it.

I also used nitrile gloves which worked pretty well.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

Maybe it's because I spent the least amount of time in anatomy lab possible and didn't actually do much dissecting (note: not going into surgery ), but I didn't really have a problem with smelling like lab. My husband noticed it a bit the first day (when I got spattered with goo during the laminectomy....ugh..) but after that, he never noticed. I usually wore crappy clothes and changed out of them when I got home, but unless I had gotten some fluid on my clothes or skin, I didn't shower immediately after lab. I just used regular shower gel, shampoo, etc -- I can see how the smell might stay in your hair after a long time in lab, but I would think shampooing twice would do the trick. Wearing a different pair of shoes for lab is a good idea -- the floors can get pretty disgusting.

And please please please, do wear gloves in lab. Some of our profs didn't wear gloves, and it really grossed me out. But seriously..it's for your own safety to prevent absorption of chemicals, provide some layer of protection from a scalpel blade, and possibly to prevent transmission of prions. And I shouldn't have to tell you not to eat in lab, and also to wash your hands before eating. Yuck.

 

[coffeebythelake]

What happens to that .01%? I wonder if they flunk out of anatomy lab...

Seriously though, the smell isn't bad when get used to it.

The bodies I worked with were relatively odorless. The obese cadavars had a strong smell though.

 

[g3pro]

I like the smell.

 

[Slide]

Embrace the smell and "wear" it as a rite of passage. I feel all that time and effort into trying to get that smell off everyday outside of wearing nitrile gloves and a lab coat/scrubs you don't value isn't worth it in the end, and is better off doing something else.

 

[Cancer Man]

Soap Salts and Lava Soap. Nitrile gloves help a lot.

 

[dizzle69]

Thats what you think.

This coming from someone who DIDN'T wear gloves as an EMS ... moving on.

 

[howelljolly]

Maybe it's because I spent the least amount of time in anatomy lab possible and didn't actually do much dissecting (note: not going into surgery ), but I didn't really have a problem with smelling like lab. My husband noticed it a bit the first day (when I got spattered with goo during the laminectomy....ugh..) but after that, he never noticed. I usually wore crappy clothes and changed out of them when I got home, but unless I had gotten some fluid on my clothes or skin, I didn't shower immediately after lab. I just used regular shower gel, shampoo, etc -- I can see how the smell might stay in your hair after a long time in lab, but I would think shampooing twice would do the trick. Wearing a different pair of shoes for lab is a good idea -- the floors can get pretty disgusting.

And please please please, do wear gloves in lab. Some of our profs didn't wear gloves, and it really grossed me out. But seriously..it's for your own safety to prevent absorption of chemicals, provide some layer of protection from a scalpel blade, and possibly to prevent transmission of prions. And I shouldn't have to tell you not to eat in lab, and also to wash your hands before eating. Yuck.

I (seriously) thought that I was the only one that had a crazy prof who didnt wear gloves in anatomy lab.

 

[notdeadyet]

I (seriously) thought that I was the only one that had a crazy prof who didnt wear gloves in anatomy lab.

For all those ladies thinking of going gloveless (in anatomy lab, mind you), please talk to older female anatomists. Apparently, the chemicals are death on your hands. One of my profs used to complain that she had the hands of someone 30 years older from it.

EDIT: My post may read sexist. The above also applies or the males out there who care about supple skin on their hands. You know who you are.

 

[seraph524]

But seriously..it's for your own safety to prevent absorption of chemicals, provide some layer of protection from a scalpel blade, and possibly to prevent transmission of prions. And I shouldn't have to tell you not to eat in lab, and also to wash your hands before eating. Yuck.

Awesome, only a MD/PhD student would even consider the possibility of prion transmission

By the way, theres a new theory out there (not that new..like about a year) that prion transmission is through the guts of the intestine after ingestion of infected foods, and it migrates to the brain through axonal transport...pretty interesting stuff.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

Yeah, I'm a nerd.

Actually, I didn't come up with that on my own. One of our profs (one who actually wore gloves) said that is a big reason why they stress the gloves now. It used to be they thought the cadaver was pretty much sterilized -- viruses and bacteria would be inactivated by the chemicals they use. But, as you know, the trouble with prions is that they are very stable and (at least as far as I know) can only be inactivated by incineration at very very hot temperatures or special enzymatic degradation. It is foreseeable that if you were using your bare hands with brain or spinal cord tissue, you could accidentally ingest some prions if you didn't wash your hands thoroughly before eating. Maybe a little far fetched, but I wouldn't take my chances.

 

[TMP-SMX]

The problem with prions is that when everyone is cracking open that skull with the saw and dust is flying around I would assume it is much more likely that it could be transmitted. So whether you use your hands or not is probably irrelevant since you all have it and are going to die now anyway.

Other than that I don't know how well they perfuse these cadavers sometimes with formalin. When the brains are liquid it makes you wonder sometimes.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

The problem with prions is that when everyone is cracking open that skull with the saw and dust is flying around I would assume it is much more likely that it could be transmitted. So whether you use your hands or not is probably irrelevant since you all have it and are going to die now anyway.

Yeah, that bugged me too. Prions or no prions, it can't be good to be inhaling bone dust. I kind of hoped that other schools made the students wear masks or something, but I guess this probably isn't the case.

 

[dizzle69]

I stepped out of the lab when they were getting ready to do it. I so no use in it since I wasn't going to be sawing the bones, anyway. However, we all die at some point in our lives, it may occur the next time you cross the street.

 

[Headred27]

The part about anatomy lab that always bothers me the most is the scent it leaves on my fingertips. Something that REALLY works is this: before you put your gloves on, scrape your fingernails on a bar of soap. It makes it so your fingers don't smell so much after lab! I do this every lab and it helps tremendously!

 

[chicklett1]

When I'm in lab I always wear two pairs of gloves and keep an extra pair in my pocket. After an hour or so, I peel off the outermost gloves and replace them. If you look at most commercial bottles of formalin, it actually recommends that you double glove with nitrile gloves.

When you're doing dissections that require any kind of sawing of bone, wear a surgical face mask. You may look silly if no one else does it, but you can be smug in the knowledge that you will be the only one not inhaling some dead guy's powdered bone into your lungs.

 

[Trisomy 8]

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