Chicken bald back

[soapdragon]

No, not mine but ES's - age very nearly 9! He has thick, short hair but it always smells quite 'sour' and 'unwashed' even just after washing ! I have tried several different shampoos and conditioners but none make any difference nor does how often I wash it. It never looks or feels greasy and I don't want to over wash it so that it dries it out. His scalp is 'clear'; tho he did have very bad cradle cap when younger there is no evidence of it now.

 

I am beginning to wonder if there is a medical reason and perhaps I should take him to the Dr but it seems a bit lame !! No-one else in the family has this problem so I don't know where to go from here...its getting to the stage where I am embarrassed and expecting comments from school etc. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[CatieB]

Sorry to give an odd reply, but is it definitely his hair? I say this as DS has ear problems and I often notice a waft from his head / hair area but I put it down to his ears given his problems. The waft obviously travels some distance for me to notice....so just a thought.

[soapdragon]

will try smelling his ears in the morning but pretty sure that it is his hair!

[CatieB]

will try smelling his ears in the morning but pretty sure that it is his hair!

 

If he's anything like my nearly 9 year old (it's in 11 days mum not that we are on a count down) then you may be best to smell whilst he's asleep

[soapdragon]

CatieB....don't think I'd DARE venture into his room in the dark........its in such a state I'd probably trip and break my neck AND he claims he tidied it today

[Alis girls]

Either that and you'll startle him and he'll scream - normally happens to me when putting washing away - YS wakes and yells making us both jump I was thinking it could be fungal but if scalp is clean then not sure. Probably a dr visit - is he aware of it? They start to get very conscious at this age so tread carefully, mind you not so tactful when mum is menopausal are they??

[soapdragon]

Apparently boys have a testosterone surge around 8/9 years....this, combined with me @ 48 (tho nothing majorly pointing at the big MP - yet) we may be on a collision course anyway!!!

[The Dogmother]

Apparently boys have a testosterone surge around 8/9 years....this, combined with me @ 48 (tho nothing majorly pointing at the big MP - yet) we may be on a collision course anyway!!!

 

You want to try sharing your house with a grumpy, hormonal teen-aged girl well, actually we're not sharing a house at the moment; I took this week off to spend time with her and she's got the hump and gone to live with her dad.. am surprised she's lasted this long TBH as his place is even more of a dump than her room

[soapdragon]

[Alis girls]

Yes they do get a surge and I have known 9 yr olds who use deodorant because they whiff not for vanity - caught a whiff of YS 12's armpits today - "dont forget your deodorant" i said - " are you saying I smell" says he crossly - better it be me than an oik at school.

[LolaLayla]

They seem to go through a whiffy stage although I found it to be around the 13 year old mark. At that age if YS had a group of friends in it was often a toss up as to where the smell was coming from...the friends or the hamster I used to dread if they had been to play rugby before turning up here

[Alis girls]

BO or HO - not sure which I'd prefer

[PurpleTree]

Apparently boys have a testosterone surge around 8/9 years....this, combined with me @ 48 (tho nothing majorly pointing at the big MP - yet) we may be on a collision course anyway!!!

 

That would explain a lot about my eldests behaviour lately, very stroppy & bad tempered. I was putting it down to his ginger hair

[soapdragon]

Frequent washing not really working - just makes the smell a bit fainter! Can anyone recommend a strong smelling shampoo (pref NOT one that smells like a florists- ES wouldn't appreciate that!!)

[bluekarin]

Vosene is a medicated one which is a good shampoo. Have you tried it?

[soapdragon]

Not one that I had come across so will give it a try...thanks!

[soapdragon]

Couldn't find Vosene - but did get some coconut shampoo and same spray leave in conditioner so perhaps that will help....if not the its the Drs!

[bluekarin]

I think something medicated would be best. Vosene is in an odd green tear drop shaped bottle. I was thinking about this today and wondered does he actually shampoo his hair, or does he do what my YD did until I found out, just use conditioner I think using a coconut shampoo, although a lovely smell, won't really do anything to help with the smelly hair.

[soapdragon]

Boots in Henley didn't have Vosene hence the coconut stuff....we usually wash hair (OH or I) but will continue to look for the Vosene!

 

Poor chap is beginning to get a complex!

[The Dogmother]

If you can't find any, then try Tea Tree Shampoo; that's naturally medicated and anti-fungal too.

[CatieB]

I was thinking about Vosene recently. I'm not sure they make it anymore. Ive not seen it for years. Has anyone????

 

Oops how wrong can you be

 

Here you go http://www.superdrug.com/vosene/vosene-shampoo-original-250ml/invt/475548

 

Oh and holland and Barrett sell treatment type shampoos, so tea tree for example. Have a look in there. I agree the coconut will only mask any issue if it does anything.

[soapdragon]

Thanks, both....will follow up! To perhaps I will just use Tea Tree oil worked through the hair prior to washing!

[bluekarin]

Yup, still can buy it as I bought some recently from Boots. Our local Sainsburys doesn't sell it any more though Tea tree is another excellent one. Sometimes £Land type shops sell it, sometimes as headlice prevention, but just remembered Alberto Balsam do a tea tree shampoo and conditioner too which is really good, and a great price!

[UKMARCH]

If you can't make it to the shops Beautynaturals.com do natural products with free delivery they have tee tree shampoos etc if you're concerned about using chemicals on your children.

[soapdragon]

Thanks - will try the online.....living in a rural area has its drawbacks so thank goodness for the good old interweb!