Howard Stern, David Letterman and Male Genital Odors (MGO)

Who Better Than Stern and Letterman to Mention the Taboo Subject of MGO

What in the world? What would prompt shock jock Howard Stern and talk show host David Letterman to have a conversation about male genital odors (MGO) - and on national TV nonetheless? The conversation took place when Stern recently appeared on Letterman's Late Show to promote Sirius Satellite Radio. As he talked about his move to Sirius, he commented that free mediums such as Sirius tend to attract unconventional sponsors. With that, he handed Letterman a box of medicated cream to remove male genital odors. The MGO cream is a new over-the-counter product of Synerfied Healthcare and called none other than "NodorO."

For the most part, MGO has been a taboo subject. But when Stern and Letterman brought it into the open, albeit just briefly, I began to wonder about it. Just what is MGO? What causes it? Is it something new, or are men just now becoming willing to talk about? Or do you even care? For those who do, read on.

MGO is not a laughing matter for those who have it. In a telephone interview, I asked urologist Laura Huxley about MGO. Dr. Huxley explained that at the base of the glans penis are several sebaceous glands that secrete a material called smegma. The smegma has what she termed a peculiar odor. Because of the location of the sebaceous glands and the moistness of the area, particularly in uncircumcised men, the smegma can build up, along with cellular debris. When this occurs, a very unpleasant, even rancid, odor can result. Irritation and infection can also occur. Generally, she said, good personal hygiene on a daily basis is sufficient to prevent MGO. But in some adolescents and adult men, the problem can be more persistent and quite embarrassing.