Help - my kid stinks

[NCgoingdry]

DD 11 is going through puberty at what seems to be a rapid rate. She looks like a young woman which is terrifying.

But she smells of BO no matter how much washing. Predominantly her hair and armpits.

I feel dreadful saying this - but even though I'm instructing her to wash her hair at least 3x a week, even when it is freshly washed I can still smell a horrible greasy BO smell coming off her head.

Straight out of the shower she still has this musty cloud.

I know the obvious answer is that she isn't washing properly - but she is. I've gone over it time and time again, and observed how she does it so I know she's doing it properly. She uses the same products as us so nothing particularly gentle.

I clean the hair brushes, change her pillow cases every couple of days, clean towels, always clean clothes daily. She wears deodorant.

Is there a super strong shampoo that won't break the bank that will be really tough on her hair?! Although it's such good condition I don't want to strip it.

What can I do?! I don't want her to be the smelly kid at school.

I think starting with a hair dryer might be the way to go. It really may be that simple.

I would try
Hibiscrub as a one off, used all over. it's incredibly drying but you can use it for hair too, and shampoo twice. Really scrub scalp well
Dove/sure max (you apply it at night, I buy it cheaper in bulk on Amazon)
Blow dry hair

If you do that once and there's still a smell then something isn't right because that would strip anything!

@ShimmeringShirts weirdly she did say the other day that her hands were really sweaty and she didn't know why as she wasn't hot. What could that mean?

Her diet is generally very good - lots of fruit and veg and a decent variety of stuff, the odd treat but I don't really buy anything processed (ie I'll make my own nuggets) she doesn't eat a huge amount of red meat, more chicken and fish.

@Fiddlerdragon I don't know why I didn't think of tea tree oil. And I love the smell - I'll be getting some today thank you!

@CitizenofMoronia I know what you mean but it's not a fishy smell at all, it's a musty BO smell, like greasy hair and sweat.

@LadyJ2023 So frustrating isn't it!! I hope you manage to find the answer too!

@HangingOver no cysts but thanks for the idea! Yours sounds like one for sporner corner!!

@100daystogo I've never asked anyone to sniff her! Her gran did say - I can't smell anything? When I mentioned it to her.

@theemmadilemma I really hope it's that simple!

Ok so the plan is - I've got a clarifying shampoo being delivered that I'll personally scrub and rinse myself, I've got soap bars for her to wash her body with a new scrub mitt and cerave face wash that I'll make sure so behind her ears and everything else. I'll blow dry her hair and she can use her dads deodorant. Also going to pop out to see if I can find anything with tea tree in it today.

Thank you SO MUCH for all of your advice - I really really do appreciate it. Hopefully we are stink free very soon! If that doesn't work then we will be going to the GP.

Just wanted to drop in and say thank you everyone for your suggestions.

Turns out that seeing her with wet hair does not mean she's washing it properly.

I've been in with her a few times to realllllllly show her how it's done properly, with the recommended products and hair drying it's made such a massive difference.

She's just a pre teen lazy sod doing a half assed job but now she's fresh and looking good. Clean hair (still needing a daily wash) but the spots in her hairline have cleared right up, her hair is looking gorgeous and so more stink.

I'm so relieved. Thanks for your help!!

Good to hear your update op! And that the issue has been resolved!

I had a feeling she wasn’t washing her hair properly! It’s so easily done with thick hair.

Glad you’ve figured it out and she knows how to properly wash that scalp now 😄

Ah brill - I was thinking about you last as I was washing my 10 year old soap-dodger's hair!

I wash my hair every day and it isn’t ‘stripped’ I tried to ‘train it’ during lockdown but it just looked terrible. I get compliments on how shiny my hair is so as long as the shampoo is right it won’t damage your hair.

I get a horrible sweaty smell just before my period, hormone surge obviously. I use dettol soap (Amazon) in the shower to kill bacteria and once I dry under my I rub in hand sanitiser before anti perspirant. Sounds mad but it really works.

Oh also a capful of zoflora in the washing machine helps any clothes smell.

Hi what did you use in the end x