The rumors aren’t true. Dreadlocks aren’t dirty, unkempt or odorous.
However, like other types of hair you can have a smell or absorb
odors from our environment so to be on the safe side, here are a few
reasons why your locs may smell and some tips to help too.
1. MOLD –
I put this at number one not because it is common but because it
happens and it is very important that you can identify it and take care
of it immediately if it does. Mold in your locs is usually caused from
hair that isn’t dried properly over a couple of days. It has a
distinct, almost chemical like smell that your nose will pick up on.
This doesn’t mean you have to spend hours under a dryer, it just means
that whenever you wash your hair or it gets wet you should ensure it
gets dried completely. Also stay away from styling wet hair. This is
the number one cause of moldy/mildew locs. Locs must be dried properly
before they are styled.
How To Get Rid Of It: Mix 1 part apple cider
vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle or sink. Completely
saturate your hair, make it soaking wet or soak your locs in the mixture
for at least 5-10 minutes. Rinse the solution from your hair and
shampoo it thoroughly 1-3 times or as needed. Once completed you can do
another spray/saturation of the vinegar solution and then just rinse
and dry, no shampoo necessary. You can also do the same with 1 tsp of
tea tree oil to one cup of water. After drying your hair should be
completely free of any mold smell. Repeat if necessary.
2. SWEAT
– If you have a sweaty scalp through genetics or exercise then more
than likely your dreads will have a sweaty sour smell. Shampooing your
locs is one way of getting rid of that sweaty smell but washing your
hair everyday just won’t do. Unfortunately you can’t just get rid of
sweaty scalp but you can clean your scalp between washes using diluted
apple cider vinegar, diluted baking soda, Lockology Scalp Cleanser or
Whitch-hazel. Just use the item of choice with a wash rag to wipe
between your partitions as needed. Be careful not to do it too often
and wipe away your natural oils.
3. ENVIRONMENTAL ODORS – From
smoke and chemicals to food, hair is known to easily absorb odors from
your environment. Whether from work or home we can often be exposed to
odors we have no control over and keeping your locs odor free may be a
challenge. Keeping your hair covered is one way to lessen the
absorption. It may not completely remove the odor but it makes a huge
difference. In situations like this you just have to wash your hair.
If the odor remains after washing try doing an ACV soak (see above)
before to help eliminate the odor.
4/5. DIET & GENETICS –
Yes, I said your diet! We are indeed what we eat. Our body odor is
determined by our genetic make-up, bacteria and our diet. According to
Dr. Debra Jaliman “The fermentation of your perspiration by naturally
occurring bacteria on your skin produces the distinctive scent we less
generously call body odor. We each have a distinct combination of
bacteria — about 1,000 types live in human sweat glands — and therefore,
our own unique smell.” This combined with our diet and hair products
that we use can sometimes give off a pungent odor. We can’t fight
genetics and most food odors disappear from the body within 8 hours.
Keeping your hair and scalp clean is essential to fighting odors caused
by bacteria and sweat. If odors are high and consistent I would
recommend consulting with a physician so they can rule out any scalp
infections or other illness.
For products to care for your locs, check out www.productsfordreadlocks.com
