Researchers from the University of Burgundy in France reported that when under psychological stress, women’s skin emits distinctive volatile organic compounds, including alcohols, esters, alkanes, nitrogen compounds, and ketones. The findings appeared in Scientific Reports, a peer reviewed journal known for its broad scientific scope.
The study involved 35 non smoking women aged 24 to 40 who participated under controlled conditions. Scientists used sensors built from organosilicon polymers to analyze which VOCs are produced on the forehead skin as women transition from calm to stressed states. VOCs are compounds that shape the olfactory signature of the skin. They originate from several sweat and oil producing glands, including eccrine glands distributed across the body and apocrine glands located in hair bearing areas of the skin.
During stress, approximately 198 VOCs were observed on the surface of the skin, including alcohols, saturated hydrocarbons known as alkanes, esters, nitrogen containing compounds, and ketones. The researchers also found a notable rise in sebum production, increasing by about 37 percent under psychological stress.
The investigators suggest that these discoveries could serve as a foundation for future studies on how VOCs influence human communication and social interaction. In addition, VOC patterns may act as biomarkers for a range of health conditions, offering potential non invasive pathways for early detection and monitoring.
Earlier work in related fields has seen the development of a skin patch designed for rapid tuberculosis detection, illustrating the broader potential of skin sourced biomarkers in health diagnostics.