The occasional bad hair day—we all go through it. But what about smelly hair days? After a sweaty night out, or a long run on a hot and humid day, it’s quite normal to find that your hair gets a bit stinky. However, it’s nothing that a proper shampoo and rinse can’t solve. Some people say they wash their hair every week; with braids, every month; and with weaves, they can even go up to two months or more. However, when the oils and heat mix up, a horrific odour may eventually emanate from the hair and scalp. Experts explain how best to maintain clean and healthy hair: Nadia Uwase, a hair specialist and the owner of Inshungu Hair Salon in Gisementi, says avoiding bad hair odour depends on how often one washes their hair. Some people wash their hair every two days, yet others do it once a week, depending, sometimes, on the hairstyle. For instance, some women with artificial extensions take three weeks to a month, but washing hair often helps it to grow—when the hair is clean, the scalp helps the pores to open up and new hair grows. “Not washing your hair often first of all makes people around you feel uncomfortable because of the smell that is caused by the mixture of heat, oils, hair sprays and the dirt or dandruff. It also leaves the scalp dry and itchy and can lead to breakage,” Uwase explains. How to wash hair clean Uwase says while washing the hair, to be extremely clean, it’s advisable to use a shampoo three times before applying conditioner and then wash until the hair looks smooth and glossy. She notes that washing the hair shouldn’t be daily, use clean and lukewarm water, use gentle pressure to massage the scalp and the roots of your hair, choose a shampoo that suits your hair type, leave the conditioner in for five to seven minutes. Then towel your hair to dry. Once it’s dry, use a protectant. What causes the hair and scalp to smell? Dermatologists explain that the issue behind the smell is the skin on your scalp as it is similar to the skin on your body—it produces sweat and has oil glands, so any build-up of sebum and sweat creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Doctors say that there are two genetic, inflammatory skin conditions which are dandruff and psoriasis, that can cause a flaky build-up that sits on the scalp and starts to smell over time if there isn’t a proper balance of washing with dandruff shampoo and letting the protective oils percolate on your head. According to Annick Umutibagirana, a skincare and hair expert in Remera, the scalp can stink in days or weeks due to dry shampoo, hair mists, and deep conditioners that are still sticky to one’s hair. She says that on many occasions, remains from shampoos and conditioners can actually stay in the scalp and make it smell. Though sometimes a person may not notice that their hair or scalp smells, SkinKraft states recommends that you run your fingers along your scalp a few times and then smell your fingertips. If you notice any unusual, bad, or pungent smell, you have a smelly scalp and hair. “Sweat is a common cause of smelly hair, the pollutants in the air can get deposited on your scalp and cause bad odour. They mix up with the oils and sebum on your scalp to emit pungent smells. The skin on your scalp too reacts to foods containing strong odours. Foods like onion and garlic contain oils that can be excreted via the skin on your scalp, hair masks containing ingredients like onions or eggs can leave a bad odour even after washing the hair. Hot water strips off the natural oils from your hair and disturbs the oil balance. Once the oil is removed, it signals the skin to make more oil. And more oil means smelly scalp,” SkinKraft states. Umutibagirana also says that smelly hair could be due to bad and unhealthy hair habits, such as not washing your hair enough, prolonged use of scarfs or caps made of a material that traps sweat on your scalp, or washing your hair using hot water or even an improper diet. How to get rid of smelly hair Umutibagirana says that naturally, you can use essential lemon juice, garlic oil, apple cider vinegar, tomato juice, baking soda, and avoid using conditioner on the scalp. She adds that you can mix a few drops of essential oil like tea tree oil with a carrier oil like almond or jojoba oil and apply on your scalp and hair. You can then leave it on for 30 minutes and wash with a gentle shampoo. Tea tree oil is an antimicrobial and leaves a lovely smell on your scalp.
