Men’s, Women’s Hands Give Off Different ‘Scent Profiles’

Do you know that the palm scents of men and women are different? Many human hand odor studies reveal that it’s possible to predict an individual’s sex just from the scent compounds of their palms! Moreover, the studies on this subject prove that this type of sex determination has a 97% accuracy rate. 

In general, we can never say how men and women smell. However, studies have made clear that they smell differently because of different chemicals in their bodies. In this blog, let’s discuss how men’s and women’s hands give off different scent profiles and how this difference can be used in gender identification.

Intriguing Research on Men and Women’s Hand Scents

Scientists have been researching human scents for years. A lot of research is being carried out on the scents from human breath and armpits. Human hand odor studies are also not a new area of research. And, hands have always been a focal point of investigation for many years. For instance, we always use our hands to touch objects and surfaces. When we do this, we deposit traceable amounts of evidence on those objects/surfaces. 

You might have heard how a dog’s sense of smell is used in criminal investigations to track down perpetrators. Similarly, the scent profile of a person’s palm can be used to determine their gender, which is highly helpful in identifying the culprit. This is one of the fascinating facts about hand scents.

How Are the Scent Profiles Used in Investigations?

The scent compounds from a person’s hands, especially the palms, can act as crucial forensic evidence when there is a lack of discriminatory evidence like fingerprints or DNA.   

Criminals generally use their hands to commit assaults, robberies, and murders. The scent compounds from a perpetrator’s hands can be used to deduct not only their sex but also their age and racial/ethnic group. Thus, they help in bringing the perpetrator to justice. The scent compounds are more popularly known as Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs. Genetics, body secretions, and the environment play a significant role in the production of these compounds, which differ from one person to another.

Male and Female Hand Scent Profiles

Human scent has the ability to linger on for many days, and it holds true for both men’s and women’s palm scent profiles. They can even be stored for years and then matched to the respective individuals. This is yet another fact that helps us in understanding the science of hand scents. In addition to these, scientists have also discovered something called “odor barcodes,” which are unique to a particular individual. And, these barcodes can also be utilized to differentiate between males and females.“Human hand odor studies” is a vast area of research where new and surprising things are being discovered every day. As scientists dig deeper, more useful information gets unearthed. At times, the evidence from the palm scent of a male or female might be too minute to solve a crime. However, it will still be helpful in tracing a criminal’s gender, which can be crucial in many cases.