Abstract: In a headrest (1) for a vehicle seat, having a carrier (5), at least one upper and lower linkage (11, 15) linked to the carrier (5), which can be pivoted around horizontal axles (7, 17), a impact element (13) linked to the linkages (11, 15) which forms at least one four-bar linkage (19) with the linkages (11, 15) and the carrier (5), and an energy storage device (25), the energy storage device (25) driving the four-bar linkage (19) in the event of a crash, so that the impact element (13) comes out forward from an original position into a crash position that is locked against a backward movement by a crash lock, the upper linkage (11) and the lower linkage (15) are unparallel with respect to one another.