REALLY bad hair day

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Specializes in med/surg, ob/gyn, CM.

A woman visiting a patient of mine last week had the strangest thing going on with her hair. The front was cut very short but looked kind of normal. The back, however, was past her shoulder and appeared to be formed into a loaf shape, was matted, looked like it was mixed with grease, pieces of flesh, and dirt. The smell took my breath! Even with the door closed, people walking down the hall would comment on the smell. I wondered if there was a tumor or something underneath all that mess, but could not get a good enough look. I have smelled many foul things, but this was the worst by far. The woman looked clean enough, though. Everyone on staff that saw it said the same thing...."what the heck is that???". Any ideas? Have any of you seen and smelled anything like this?

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I know this is a serious question (and probably very unpleasant), but it still made me giggle. :clown:

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Specializes in med/surg, ob/gyn, CM.

Yeah, I also would have been laughing if I had not been smelling it!:barf02:

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Sure sounds like dreadlocks...aka "dreads" When I had to work in Ashland Oregon, I ran across a patient in a doctor's office. This man had the longest dreads I have ever seen and they had such an accumulation of gunk in his hair, plus I do not believe he was one that used deodorant or bathed often.....needless to say, the combo was repugnant!

Just my guess as to the source of the odor :-) :idea:

A woman visiting a patient of mine last week had the strangest thing going on with her hair. The front was cut very short but looked kind of normal. The back, however, was past her shoulder and appeared to be formed into a loaf shape, was matted, looked like it was mixed with grease, pieces of flesh, and dirt. The smell took my breath! Even with the door closed, people walking down the hall would comment on the smell. I wondered if there was a tumor or something underneath all that mess, but could not get a good enough look. I have smelled many foul things, but this was the worst by far. The woman looked clean enough, though. Everyone on staff that saw it said the same thing...."what the heck is that???". Any ideas? Have any of you seen and smelled anything like this?
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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Yeah but the majority of people with dreads keep them clean. . . I've never heard of one big loaf shaped dread with bits of flesh in it with normal hair in front, no. It could be a large cyst as those can get pretty foul or a benign tumor. . .sometimes people with psych issues do odd things like that. Hope someone can tell us!

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Is it wrong that I kind of want to see pictures of it?

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Specializes in med/surg, ob/gyn, CM.

If it is dreadlocks, I would say it is one large dreadlock. Would this be intentional? Do you think she can't smell it? So maybe, one day she woke up with a tangle, didn't brush it out, let it go, and over the next days it got worse and worse...so, what? She just never washes it or cuts it or anything? I just don't get it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Your description reminds me of pictures I've seen on peopleofwalmart.com. Kind of like a formed mullet.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I met a woman years ago who used to get up, and back-comb her hair so it all fluffed up, then put tons of hair spray on it (like the 60's hair styles). She didn't like to wash it too often. Some women used to put foam under their hair to 'boof' it up, then style it with hair spray. Maybe she had some sort of genetic deformity she was trying to hide? But I could almost smell the smell you described. Bits of flesh hanging out? Sounds like she may need a psych consult - gross!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatric, Hospice.

This is the strangest thing. Maybe it's a GIANT sebaceous cyst that's continually oozing and leaking combined with matted hair to form a giant dreadlock? And for whatever reason, the person doesn't have the hygiene sense to know it is wrong?

:uhoh3:

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Specializes in med/surg, ob/gyn, CM.

The formed mullet was a good description of how it actually looked. I have searched the internet for something that looks like it but could not find anything. Going to check out peopleofwalmart. I really wanted one of our docs to see it, and I desperately wanted to use some shears!

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

It may be the same woman. I saw a photo like this on peopleofwalmart. If you have not visited this site, do so. It is good for a few laughs and some MAJOR Glamour don'ts.

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