Smelly Scalp
Solving the Smelly Scalp Syndrome
A smelly scalp can be an embarrassing and annoying problem and many people dealing with this trouble feel very self-conscious and alone. The problem seems to be non-discriminating in that children, men and women can be afflicted by it and there is no indication that hair length or any such detail makes any difference. It seems most often to be associated with those having oily hair. Those who struggle with smelly scalp find that despite regular washing and conditioning, their scalp tends to start emitting an unpleasant odor a few hours after the wash. In some extreme cases, the foul smell kicks in right after the hair is dried.
It is completely understandable that this causes people to feel uncomfortable and diffident in public. Whether at school or at work, those who suffer from the problem are extremely self-conscious about being in physical proximity to others. This can lead to making choices that appear unfriendly or socially inappropriate. So, it is important to deal with the smelly scalp issue for physical, social and emotional reasons.
Experts working on the issue of what produces the smell say that microbial growth is the culprit. The human scalp, much like the rest of the body is a hot-bed of bacterial activity and much of this is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. However, not all microbes are desirable and some of them which tend to thrive in oily scalp seem to be the cause of the moldy and pungent smell associated with a smelly scalp.
There is some debate as to whether smelly scalp is the result of a compromised immune system. There are those who believe that an improper balance in the body’s immune capabilities leads to many health difficulties and smelly scalp is said to be the result of such a problem.
There is also the hypothesis that smelly scalp may be the result of a dietary problem. Inadequate nutrition is known to cause hormone fluctuations and this can lead to bad body odor and such problem but there is no concrete evidence yet of this being a cause of foul smelling scalp.
While there are a couple of different theories about the source of the trouble, patients dealing with the issue will be glad to know that it is not a hygiene issue. Typically, most people who suffer from this problem are not lazy about washing and cleansing their hair and scalp.
Those who have had experience with the problem have varying degrees of success with various cures. Some of the most effective have been the use of sulfur shampoos and soaps. The use of anti-microbial shampoos also seems to do the trick. In both these cases there are active ingredients in the cleansers that tackle the bacteria or fungal growth and so the root of the problem is addressed. The combination of sulfur and salicyclic acid seems particularly effective. The website dedicated to the problem, smellyscalp.com, talks about specific recommendations.
There are others who swear by green tea, mint and lavender based shampoos. These seem to be more hit or miss and patients may need to experiment to figure out which one works for them. While sulfur shampoos may be hard to come by these are not. However, sulfur shampoos can be requested at your health store or pharmacy and so do not feel daunted by this fact.
If these over the counter treatments prove ineffective visit a dermatologist and they will be able to suggest prescription creams or hair washes that will help tackle the problem.
While treating the smelly scalp, do not forget the basics of switching towels and pillowcases on a regular basis. Also make it a point to cleanse your comb or brush often and muck building up in these can help microbial growth.