WellSmell smell training

People who have lost all or part of their sense of smell can rehabilitate it through regular smell training. We offer a ready-to-use product package for smell rehabilitation.

Limited availability

We currently ship smell training products to customers in Finland and Sweden, and hope to serve the rest of the EU in the near future. Contact customer services at info@wellsmell.fi to ask about schedules.

Smell training

Our smell training product is not medicine, but rather a medical device that will guide your rehabilitation. With smell training, you can speed up and promote the recovery of your sense of smell.

Our products are aimed at people who have partial or total loss of sense of smell due to olfactory dysfunction. Scientific studies have shown that smell training has a positive effect on the development of a person’s sense of smell.


Three-phase training

The training includes three phases, and each phase lasts three months. The training starts with the starter kit, from which you move on to the following training phases.

Our products are carefully selected, pure, natural, high-quality oils with no synthetic ingredients. Our essential oils are made from the flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, and resin of plants containing aromatic substances.

In our online store, you can order the WellSmell small training kits.

Start on time


We recommend starting your smell training as soon as possible after the loss of smell, as studies have shown that starting promptly after the loss of smell improves and speeds up the recovery of the sense of smell in some patients. Smell training should be started within one year of the loss of smell, but even after more than a year, it can be beneficial.

Hajuharjoittelu olisi hyvä aloittaa vuoden sisällä hajukyvyn menetyksestä, mutta jopa yli vuoden kuluttua aloitettu harjoittelu saattaa olla hyödyllistä.

Sense of smell may develop for a long time


Go through all the phases, as the process of improving your smell takes a long time and requires persistent training. Sense of smell can still improve 2 to 3 years after it has been lost.

Each of our smell training products contains four carefully selected scents. These scents form a group of odours that stimulate the olfactory part of the brain. An odour group is also called an odour prism.

How should I train?

Allow enough time for training. The best results are achieved when you are mentally relaxed and focused on your training. Perform the exercise twice a day, in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before going to bed.

Place the jar in front of your face near your nose. Smell each scent for 10 seconds, pause for 10 seconds and then move on to the next scent. After you have smelled all four scents, repeat the exercise one more time. You can find more detailed training instructions in the product kits.

Product guide video

What causes loss of smell?


Total or partial loss of smell can be due to a variety of reasons. Some people lose their sense of smell due to injuries such as falls, others due to a viral upper respiratory tract infection (e.g., Covid-19 coronavirus infection), and others due to other, less common or even unexplained causes. The deterioration or loss of smell can also be caused by nasal polyps or ageing.

Scientific studies on smell training


In 2009, Professor Thomas Hummel from the University of Dresden started a study to find out whether daily, strong scents of different odours have a positive effect on a person’s sense of smell. The study lasted 12 weeks and was carried out in a group of people with anosmia, “smell blindness”. These people had all lost their sense of smell due to head injuries, severe upper respiratory tract infections, or other, unexplained causes.  

They were divided into two groups. One group smelled four different scents (rose, eucalyptus, lemon, and clove) every morning and evening for 12 weeks. The second group did not participate in the smell training. Both groups had their sense of smell tested at the beginning and end of the study with Sniffin’ Stick scent pens.  The study found that the olfactory function of the smell trainees increased, which was observed in the scent pen tests and in the threshold values of the odours used in the training process. In contrast, olfactory function did not change in people who did not perform the smell training. The results showed that even structured short-term training with selected scents can increase olfactory sensitivity.

In addition to Dr Hummel, there are several other studies on the effects of smell training, which show that twice-daily training has a positive effect on the development of a person’s sense of smell. The effect is noticeable with olfactory training after 6 to 7 months. However, the effect of smell training is highly dependent on each individual’s condition. The training is not a cure, but rather a way to speed up and promote recovery.

Studies

Thomas Hummel’s 2009 study on the effects of smell training in patients with olfactory impairment.

Effects of olfactory training in patients with olfactory loss – PubMed (nih.gov)

Other related studies:

Modified olfactory training in patients with postinfectious olfactory loss – PubMed (nih.gov)

Olfactory training is helpful in postinfectious olfactory loss: a randomized, controlled, multicenter study – PubMed (nih.gov)

Use of olfactory training in post-traumatic and postinfectious olfactory dysfunction – PubMed (nih.gov)

The effect of olfactory training on odor identification in patients with traumatic anosmia – PubMed (nih.gov)

Olfactory training in patients with Parkinson’s disease – PubMed (nih.gov)

Parosmia is Associated with Relevant Olfactory Recovery After Olfactory Training – PubMed (nih.gov)

Olfactory Training for Postviral Olfactory Dysfunction: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – PubMed (nih.gov)