Why Your Scalp Smells Even After Washing

Your hair looks clean, yet a few hours after washing, your scalp, pillowcase or hairbrush smells stale. Scalp odor is common, and because you rarely smell your own head, it often goes unnoticed until you catch it on a pillow or someone mentions it.

Why the scalp smells

The scalp is one of the oiliest areas of skin on the body, and like all skin it is home to its own microbes. When oil and sweat build up, those microbes have more to break down, and some of the by-products smell. A study of 140 women's scalps by Saxena and colleagues found that the balance of yeasts such as Malassezia and bacteria differed between healthy and dandruff-prone scalps, a reminder that the scalp is a living ecosystem.

Common causes

Washing the hair and missing the scalp

Many people lather the lengths and barely touch the skin underneath. The American Academy of Dermatology advises concentrating shampoo on the scalp. The lather that rinses through is enough to clean the lengths.

Washing less often than your scalp needs

How often to wash depends on how oily your scalp is. The AAD notes that people with an oily scalp may need to shampoo daily, while drier hair can go longer between washes.

Damp hair, pillowcases, hats and brushes can put odor straight back.

Conditioner on the scalp

Conditioner is made for the lengths and ends, which is where the AAD suggests applying it. On the scalp, it can leave residue behind.

Going to bed with damp hair

Hair that stays damp for hours, wrapped in a towel or pressed into a pillow, keeps the scalp warm and moist. Dry your roots before bed.

Pillowcases, hats and brushes

Oil transfers to everything your head touches. Change pillowcases at least weekly, and more often if your scalp is oily. Wash hats and headbands regularly, and clean brushes and combs.

The hairline and the nape

The back of the neck has dense oil and sweat glands, which is why researchers studying age-related odor compounds sampled there. It is also where shampoo and body wash tend to meet, so it often gets skipped by both. Lather along the hairline, behind the ears and down the nape.

Seborrheic dermatitis

If the odor comes with flaking, greasy scale, redness or itching, it may be seborrheic dermatitis. The AAD describes it as a common condition that causes a scaly rash on oily areas such as the scalp. It is especially common after 50, and it is not contagious. A dermatologist can recommend the right approach for you.

A simple routine for a fresher scalp

1. Wet your hair and scalp thoroughly with warm water.
2. Massage shampoo into the scalp with your fingertips, gently, including the hairline, behind the ears and the nape.
3. Rinse well and let the lather run through the lengths.
4. If your scalp is oily, a second short lather can help.
5. Apply conditioner to the lengths and ends only, then rinse thoroughly.
6. Dry your roots fully, especially before bed.
7. Wash the neck, shoulders and upper back with your body soap after shampooing, so any residue rinses away.

If you want a shampoo that matches the rest of your routine, we also make a Persimmon Shampoo.

No soap or shampoo is clinically proven to stop scalp odor, including ours. For the neck, nape and shoulders, the Persimmon Body Bar is a cosmetic soap made to wash sweat and skin oils away, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.