You are washing too much
Yes! I know I just told you that not washing often can lead to smelly hair, well the opposite is true as well.
If you use shampoo too often stripping your hair of all its natural oils* and moisture your oil or sebaceous glands can go into overdrive and produce more sebum to combat the dryness that will ensue.
This does not happen to everyone but can happen none the less leading to excessive sebum buildup and a bit of an odor. These days we have options, you can shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo*, and we can co-wash to ensure that we remove build up and avoid bad odors.
If you have an oily scalp you can opt for an every 3 day wash regimen or even an every week wash regimen.
Scalp fungus or infection
Scalp issues can be evident based on smell, itchiness, buildup and flakes. If you find that you have a scalp problem we often recommend that you see a dermatologist first before trying to treat the issue yourself.
A dermatologist or a licensed trichologist can diagnose exactly what is going on with your scalp to cause infection or fungus.
If you do have an infection and you and your doctor have a treatment plan then the smell should go away once your scalp is healthy again.
You do not wash often enough
Like my friend sometimes life gets in the way of doing what you need to do for yourself. She has tight, 4C natural hair and to really give it what it needs takes time and commitment that sometimes she just did not have.
Not to mention if you are constantly adding product to your dirty hair to tame it for your day to day schedule, the build up will certainly lead to a smell eventually!
Somehow you have to find the time to care for your hair and scalp to keep it healthy and odor free. There is no point getting your daily schedule accomplished and allowing your hair hygiene to fall to the wayside. Eventually you will have to deal with it head on.
Using stinky products
Personally I have never used Sulfur* 8, but word on the street is that is smells like sulfur* and sorry boo, but that’s just not sexy.
I am very particular about hair products that smell funky because I know that the smell will linger in my hair like perfume on your neck or wrist.
Part of reviewing and choosing products is the smell especially if you have a perfectly healthy scalp and you are not tied to any one product.
When you choose hair products make the smell be a part of the ‘purchase test’. Some women love smelling like cake, others prefer fruit and coconut*, some like products to be fragrance free.
What we are happy about is that we all have a ton of choices now that we can use to combat smells that can be rather embarrassing. Kudos to my friend’s fiance though, he really was a trooper.
Do you know anyone that has smelly hair, did you tell them?
Marcia Dickson says
Wash it!!!!!
Pamela Smith says
I mean, how hard was THAT question??? It wasn’t quantum physics!!!!
Toyia McWilliams says
Definitely put some shampoo to that scalp… Make sure you clean brushes & combs when you wash your hair. Otherwise you only add the dirty stuff right back
Latoya Aaliyah Small says
I never had smelly hair or scalp and I have a lot of hair and work out daily. I’d assume a good wash would help plus keep your brushes and combs cleaned out. I wash mine with shampoo at least once a week but clean the hair out if them every use
Mya McClendon-Eubanks says
Dude, wash your hair with shampoo! Not that co-wash madness, real freakin’ shampoo.
Terri Poindexter Patterson says
Just wash your damn hair!
Andrea Tre says
Did an onion treatment once, smelt like a pickle the whole week. I just saved my friends and coworkers the trouble of telling them upfront..”don’t get too close!”
Caroline Treasure says
He he!!!!
Nicole Mack says
HEAT at too high of a temperature will definitely make your hair smell even if you’ve just washed it with the best smelling products on the market.
Nicole Mack says
HEAT at too high of a temperature will definitely make your hair smell even if you’ve just washed it with the best smelling products on the market.
jbwphoto1 says
“smelling like a steel manufacturer” Being from the south, I’m not familiar with that smell, but I’ll take your word for it. lol