Scalp odor (persistent)
Hello Dr. C
For the past several years I have been suffering from scalp odor. It started out of nowhere. Antibiotics have helped but became ineffective once stopped. Spironolactone did not help. I shower daily and have good hygiene.
Switching shampoos helped for a while but no longer has an effect. I’ve tried everything - tea tree oil, lemon juice, vinegar, ketaconazole, etc.
I have seen several dermatologists and no one knows how to help. Please give me advice. I am desperate.
1 Answers
Hi ZN, thanks for sharing your story. It seems that you have an altered microbiome on the scalp that leads to more malodor. The scalp is rich in sebaceous glands, and thus rich in lipids. Most probably, a series of lipophilic & malodorous bacteria have dominated the scalp.
A common problem on scalp is dandruff, in which fungi and some bacteria thrive on the lipids being secreted on the scalp. It is usually treated with antibacterial/antifungal shampoo, of which there are many available on the market. Your body went in overdrive of sebum secretion, so another thing you might try out eating differently and washing the scalp less (try without shampoo). The first week will be though, but after a while it should settle again. This last thing is experimental though. Best of luck and let me know how it goes. Best, Chris
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