Hello, I've never written before so I hope this topic hasn't been discussed. I've looked all over the site and haven't seen it, so here goes. With all this sweating that's going on, has anyone noticed a sort of "sweaty hair" smell coming from their hair? It's sort of a "dirty, sweaty little boy" smell. I wash my hair every day but I can't get rid of that smell entirely. I've changed shampoos, rinsed with vinegar, rinsed with lemon juice, even put deodorant on my hair! I've asked my mom and best friend to smell my hair and they say it's not really noticable but they could detect the odor when I told them what to look for. I've had it for months now and it just about makes me sick when I smell it! I'm sure it's from all these night sweats and hot flashes. Does anyone else have this problem or know what to do to get rid of it?

Hi Clo,

And welcome to Power-Surge! Sorry no one has responded until now - think with the Easter weekend, we've all been preoccupied!

I haven't had that hair-smell, but can imagine it being an issue what with the night-sweats, etc. Also, some people are prone to oiliness more than others. Have you talked with your hairdresser about it? It sure sounds like you're trying the right things with vinegar, lemon juice, etc.

Have you tried a baking-soda rinse? This can neutralize odors (which is why we put it in our fridges). Maybe if you mixed like 1/4 cup of baking soda in a quart of water?

Good luck with this. I'm hoping someone else can advise you.

I LOVE the smell of "dirty, sweaty little boys," so it wouldn't bother me at all!


Jacquie

Hi Clo, welcome to PS. Can't really say it's my hair that smells but I have develop some kind of funky smell, mostly my underarms! Really bad after a night sweat, sometime even a shower doesn't get rid of it. But my husband says he doesn't smell anything, so maybe it's in my head! ~C

Hi Cleo, and welcome!
I'm with Snowmoon...I think I am just more sensitive now.
Sweetie says I don't smell any differently, but I'm smelling me and HIM too!
(I have also recommended he up his vitamins cause when he gets that aroma, he is usually coming down with something! )

(He just snuck up on me, read my post and claims that he has been exercising more, with the great weather and is sweating out the toxins he has built up over the winter...works for me!)

Nevertheless, I think my nose is becoming more sensitive and I am not really stinkier, I am just taking it more personally!
If you have to actually make people stick their nose in your scalp and then tell them what they should be smelling, maybe it's not that bad, just your perception has changed.

Try this as a Mantra:
I know that I am clean.
I have done everything I can possibly do to smell nice
I WILL GET THROUGH THIS!
I AM NOT ALONE!!!!
I will take a nice bubble bath with wine, candles and a cheesy novel whenever I feel like it because I AM WORTH IT!
SO THERE!

Clo, you are just becoming more sensitive to the "aromas" that were always there. Things change day-to-day these days and we just don't know what's around the corner.

Don't sweat the small stuff, we're ALL sweating enough already!
Hugs, honey!

I know what you mean. I thought for a while my hair smelled like sheep but it's lanolin isn't it? I had to wash my hair every day. It's settled now, so I'm back to alternate days.

I struggle too when I colour my hair as I can't stand the smell when I get warm. I have to shampoo my hair three times after colouring, all the while keeping my fingers crossed that my hair won't go green. Don't tell me off Jules!

Have you tried wiping round your hairline with eau de cologne?

Hey Alice,
When colouring your hair, have you noticed a difference in how it takes?
Last time I did my auburn tresses, they came out decidedly pink!!!!

Thank you all for replying to my question. I was just so happy to see that anyone had taken the time to write back even though not everyone has problems with "stinky hair" like me. Chefmarr, it really made sense to me when you said maybe my nose is just more sensitive. And Alice you made me laugh when you said you thought your hair smelled like sheep. That is so funny. You also gave me hope when you said it's settled down now. It makes me feel so good to know there's somewhere I can go with all my meno questions, even if they sound crazy. Thanks again--guess I'll go wash my hair now.

Clo

Are you on any medications? Some meds gave me SUPER NOSE - it was very annoying and frightening at times. I could smell everything X 10. The neurologist checked me out and showed me a brain chart, which devided the brain into areas ie. sense of smell, hearing, emotions, headaches etc.

I also felt that I had a strange smell - but not just my hair...... No one else that I was comfortable enough to talk to about it could smell the smell.

My biggest problem smells were metalic smell and even taste. The brass fixture in the bathrooms were a terrible sources of smell and taste problems.

I could smell brass, copper, iron everywhere. I could sniff out blood like a bloodhound. My 8 year old grandson had cut his foot while outside playing with this brothers and friends. He took care of it himself - Elmo bandaid - thought his mom and I would never know. I kept telling my daughter "I smell Blood". Long story short - I went home and that night she called me and told me about what had happened and that he had a sock full of blood.

This super nose thing went on for months and months..... and I stopped 1 med for my Fibromyalgia (topamax for blocking pain receptors in the brain) and Super Nose went away.

However, I am still off that med and I get Super nose every now and then.

I think it is a brain thing more that a smell thing. By the way I also have Super Ears. I can hear a dog bark or a crickett chirp for 5 miles.

Don't wash so much that you hair falls out.

Donna

Nonna, that Super Nose thing was fascinating! Who knew such a thing was possible? I'm not on any medications but I do have a super nose although not as Super as yours was! It drives me crazy as it is. I don't think I could stand to have it any more sensitive. I also have Super Ears. Hubby is often amazed that I can tell what he's doing in the kitchen when I'm way off in the bedroom. It's not always a good thing though because it causes a lot of hassle over the volume of the TV. Oh well, such is life.

I also have the Super Nose thing. I think it's kind of like when you were pregnant. Remember that? I can smell my daughters' hair really bad even after I have just washed it. I can smell people's chewing gum, laundry detergent, etc. I can smell metal like you do Donna, but worst of all is mildew. I know when it's present even if no one else can find it. My family thinks I'm just crazy because smells bother me so badly. It's actually quite annoying because so many smells make me feel nauseous. As far as the personal body odor and hair odor, I think we do change our scent as we are doing all of this sweating, but I don't think anyone else is noticing it. We're just more aware because of our sensitive hormonal noses.

I also have that super nose thing but I've always had it. I smell things long before any one else. I liked the story about smelling the blood. After things like that people start to take you seriously. The last time I visited my daughter's house and told her I thought her cat or dog had had an accident she believed me because I have been right so many other times about smells. At least they take me seriously about something. Everything else I do seems to be stupid. Uh oh getting down on myself--- I'll quit now.

Hi--I can relate also. I wash my hair every day, but after I go to the gym and use the treadmill (and SWEAT), my hair stinks and I have to put up with it the rest of the day. Next morning, I can lather it up twice, but still notice the odor that day. It takes until Day Two to get rid of it, and then I go to the gym again. I figure this is the price to pay for getting exercise, but I don't like it.

I don't like to shower at the gym since I already shower every morning, but maybe this would solve it.

I've noticed with some women that they have a mildewy smell sometimes. They pass me in the store and I get this after-whiff of skin mildew, which is what I call it. I thought maybe this happens because of hot flashes. Maybe some kind of chemical change in you with all the sweating brings on this odor. My husband has noticed it in women, too. I've asked him to tell me if he smells it on me, but so far he says no.

If it's any consolation, women have a MUCH stronger sense of smell than men, and this lasts all of our lives and does not abate with age. I can smell something in the house and my husband can't smell it. Hmmm...hope I don't stink and he says he can't smell it because he's a man.

Yep--stinky head. Smells like the inside of a baby's hand when they've had their hand clenched for hours and hours--a very unusual, distinct odor. Sometimes I don't notice it until I'm washing my hair and then I just wonder who I've offended!

This problem comes and goes and I'm not having it right now but I considered using some kind of deodorant soap on my head for a while. Didn't figure out what to use but if it happens again I might research it.

I agree with the previous posts in that sweat is a vehicle for the body to rid itself of toxins and unwanted byproducts so it makes sense that our sweat is going to be rather loaded right now!

Hope you find a solution or it just goes away!

Hi, I just had to write again to say that I figured out how to get rid of that stinky hair smell. At different times, I've tried vinegar, lemon juice, witch hazel....I've even put deodorant on my hair! That actually worked but left my hair kinda sticky and dull. It's a wonder I have any hair left after all the stuff I've tried. Anyway, what finally worked is baking soda. I rub it into my scalp with damp fingers and put it mostly around the crown where I get that "smell" the most. I leave it on while I take my shower and then wash my hair and rinse it well. This has worked great for taking away that smell. I'm so happy about it that I just had to share it with you all. Happy showering!

Hi Clo,

I'm a newbie. I have the sweaty head smell. I have developed anxiety and OCD over this issue. My husband and all my family members think I am crazy and it's all in my head. I'm so glad someone else has had this experience. I know it must be from the night sweats.

[quote name='chefmarr' date='Mar 28 2005, 10:47 PM' post='83269']
Hey Alice,
When colouring your hair, have you noticed a difference in how it takes?
Last time I did my auburn tresses, they came out decidedly pink!!!!


You had best change hairdresser's! WOW, pink hair. I have my hair colored every 4-6 weeks and it comes out perfect each time. I too go for the "red family" of colors. I don't think your problem with "pink hair" is from menopause. TRUST ME!

whoamitoday

[quote name='chefmarr' date='Mar 28 2005, 10:47 PM' post='83269']
Hey Alice,
When colouring your hair, have you noticed a difference in how it takes?
Last time I did my auburn tresses, they came out decidedly pink!!!!


You had best change hairdresser's! WOW, pink hair. I have my hair colored every 4-6 weeks and it comes out perfect each time. I too go for the "red family" of colors. I don't think your problem with "pink hair" is from menopause. TRUST ME!

whoamitoday

Hi all...like to share if I could. I'm just now coming into the first menopause phase, and I've been getting that *funky* smell for awhile now, and I don't think it's my hair...no, it's just me. Lol! ...but it actually started before the my first bout of night sweats came on. I believe it's just another hormone imbalance that must cause it. Great!

I know exactly what smell you mean -- I actually have it in my PJs as well. Even after laundering them I can still smell that "smell". My hair never smells clean anymore.

Sometimes, a musty smell can come from the head when there's too much yeast in the system. I had that and my chiro recommended a yeast/fungal oral cleanse. That took the smell away. I do the cleanse now every few months to keep it at bay.

Ok I thought I was nutty and hadn't said a word to anyone about head smell but mine has changed too. It's so annoying, it's never "fresh" smelling any more and I have certainly changed shampoo's and double washed and everything else I can think of. *sigh*