Hair Care: Here's how you can combat hair odour and get rid of the smell

Body odour is something all of us care about. Be it applying talcum powder after taking a shower or applying a mist, we always keep the body odour in our mind, but what we often tend to ignore is the rancid smell that comes from our hair at times. We think it's because of sweat and leave the odour the way it is. When we speak about the smelly scalp, there can be multiple reasons for it. For example, people with oily skin have oily scalp. While scalps that produce too much oil don’t necessarily always smell bad, they do give off a definite smell.

Bad odour is a result of bacterial activities up there. Bacteria are almost always present on your scalp, whether your scalp is oily or not. Excess oil provides these bacteria with the nutrition they require to thrive and proliferate, which in return can give a foul odour. If you are facing this issue, then read below to find out how you can combat it.

Multiple factors can make your scalp extra oily, some of them are:

Not maintaining your hair:

Not washing your hair timely or poor hygiene adds up to excess of oil in your scalp. 

Excessive sweating:

If you are someone who sweats profusely, then you are likely to add a smelly scalp. Sweating more adds excess oil on your scalp and makes it rancid and itchy.  

Medical conditions:

Conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff or allergic contact dermatitis also contribute to the smelly scalp. 

Pollution:

Too much pollution can not damage and break our hair, but it also contributes to a hair odour.

Here's how you can get rid of the smelly scalp at home. 

Apple cider vinegar:

This works because of the antibacterial nature of apple cider vinegar that helps combat the bacteria growing on your scalp. In a bowl, take 1/2 cup of cider vinegar and 2 cups of water. Mix them and after washing your hair with a mild cleanser and use the mixture for a final rinse. Rinse your hair thoroughly with water after this. You should do this twice a week for better results. 

Tomato juice:

Just like the fruit, it's pulp contains antibacterial properties that help in getting free of the odour-causing bacteria on your scalp. In a bowl, squeeze the pulp of a medium-sized tomato. Post that, apply the pulp directly to the scalp. Let it sit for 25 minutes and then rinse it off with normal water. You should do this at least once a week. 

Avoid conditioner on your scalp:

Conditioners are meant only for your hair and not for your scalp. Application of the conditioner to the scalp makes it more oily and gives it a chance for the odour-causing bacteria on your scalp to multiply.

Garlic oil:

The antifungal activities of the sulfur compounds in garlic help to fight the bacteria that cause your scalp to smell bad. In a bowl, crush 4-5 garlic cloves and add 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Heat the mixture for a few minutes. Then strain the mixture to extract the oil out of it. Apply the mixture to your scalp and let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing it off with a mild cleanser and water. Do this twice a week for better results. 

Baking soda:

The antibacterial nature of baking soda help to get rid of the odour-causing bacteria on your scalp. Take a bowl, and add 1tbsp of baking soda in half a cup of water. Mix it well, after washing your hair with a mild shampoo, rinse it with the baking soda solution. You should do this once a week.