Rose McGowan lost her sense of smell following a freak accident.
Rose McGowan
The 'Charmed' star was hit on the head with a car door five years ago and it left her unable to detect scents - though she does have "super" taste buds.
Speaking on the 'Off Menu' podcast, she said: "I did a series of tests at Harvard because I lost my sense of smell in a freak accident. They were studying me because I could still taste which is normally interrelated.
"I got hit in the head with a car door in a freak valet accident in Los Angeles."
The 45-year-old actress admitted losing her sense of smell has put her in some dangerous situations.
She said: "Not being able to smell, I've had to get gas monitors for my house and things like that because I accidentally left the gas on one night and didn't know because I couldn't smell it.
"There are some inherent dangers that come with not smelling. I can only use bath products I have always used."
And Rose - who is dating Rain Dove - admitted her "extraordinary" sense of taste can be overpowering.
She said: "I'm what they call a super taster, I have extraordinary taste buds.
"Afterwards, everything became like a taste explosion and too much. That's why they were studying me at Harvard Medical School.
"I would go once every couple of months. I was in New York so would just go down to Boston which is a couple of states away.
"They would have strips on my tongue seeing the acid levels and trying to get me to smell things - but I couldn't."
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