Choosing an antiperspirant has become trickier in recent years with many people convinced that its active ingredient, aluminum, causes harmful complications. We reveal the answers to the most common concerns.
Antiperspirant vs. deodorant
Many people are confused about the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant. Deodorants kill bacteria that cause body odors, but they don’t prevent sweat. According to the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), antiperspirants are drugs that contain aluminum to block sweat glands, preventing both sweat and smell.
What is aluminum? Is it dangerous?
Aluminum is a metal found in large amounts in the Earth and in smaller amounts in animals and plants. Because we’re exposed to aluminum daily, the metal is considered harmless at normal levels. Many doctors believe that the amount contained in the products is so small that it has no impact on our bodies.
However, others are concerned. In his book,Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine, Elson Haas, M.D., notes that a number of everyday items now contain aluminum, including: antiperspirants, food additives, cans, pots and pans, and some medications such as antacids and children’s aspirin.
According to the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), an organization that studies kidney function and disease, the amount of aluminum from antiperspirants is minimal and has “no documented health effects.”
Does the aluminum in antiperspirants prevent us from sweating out dangerous toxins?
“Sweat is not a significant route for eliminating toxins from the body,” according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Instead, the organization notes that the kidneys and liver are mainly responsible for removing the majority of cancer-causing substances, eliminating the body’s toxins through urine or feces.
Dr. Haas believes that applying aluminum to prevent sweat “may contribute to the clogging of underarm lymphatics and then to such breast problems as cystic disease.” However, the ACS
states that while lymph nodes located under the arms aid in cleaning toxins from the body, they aren’t connected to your sweat glands.
I heard that applying antiperspirants after shaving increases my chances of getting breast cancer. Is it true?
According to the ACS, while applying antiperspirants after shaving can cause some irritation to nicked skin, “it is unlikely that this is a major source of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) that ever reach the breast cells.”
Kris McGrath, M.D., an immunologist and Northwestern University instructor, completed a study examining the link between breast cancer and how frequently women applied antiperspirants after shaving. He found that women who often used antiperspirants after shaving were diagnosed with breast cancer earlier than women who did not. Though he doesn’t think that all cases of breast cancer are linked to antiperspirants and shaving, Dr. McGrath believes his findings warrant large-scale studies. Keep in mind that this study shows no evidence that applying antiperspirant after shaving causes cancer.
Does the aluminum in antiperspirants increase my chance of getting breast cancer?
The ACS states that it is “not aware of any conclusive evidence” linking the use of antiperspirants to breast cancer. The FDA and other well-respected organizations such as the Mayo Clinic also agree.
In general, there’s little research to substantiate this claim. In a 2005 interview, the FDA told CBS news that there were unfortunately “many publications that discuss the issue [of the dangers of antiperspirants], but very few studies in which data has been collected and analyzed.”
Also, according to the UK’s Cosmetic, Toiletries and Perfume Association, “A number of leading cancer research organisations have stated there is no plausible biological mechanism by which antiperspirants could cause breast cancer.”
The bottom line
As a whole, there’s no evidence to suggest that antiperspirant causes breast cancer. However, if you’d like to avoid using antiperspirant, you can choose natural deodorants. For example, tea tree oil, a fungal and bacteria-fighting oil, can prevent body odor naturally. However, while natural deodorants are largely effective, they’re usually not as strong as chemical deodorants.
Other options include:
If smell is your main concern, Dr. Hass believes that changing your diet and lifestyle can help with body odor and sweat. Instead of trying to mask body odors, he recommends you “reduce stress, balance weight and eat a wholesome diet” to alter an unpleasant odor.
See also:
Reviving Broken Beauty Bottles
Simple Steps to a Bronzed Complexion
How Sweat Helps Your Skin
Eyebrow and Eyelash Tinting: Dangerous Dyes?
Coming Clean: 5 Skincare Myths