Here Are The Deodorant Myths And Truths You Should Know!

Last Updated on January 14, 2021

There are five essential things you have to do before leaving your house for the day: brushing your teeth, picking up your smartphone, house keys, and wallet in your pockets, and… applying deodorant.

Be it roll-ons or sprays, few people risk leaving the house without putting on deodorant. There are some fortunate ones who don’t need it at all, but those are extremely rare cases. Deodorants are a highly praised invention and an essential personal hygiene product.

Everybody agrees on that. In fact, alum was the first product to be used as a deodorant, way before the first modern commercial deodorant became available in 1888 – it was called Mum and was developed in the United States. But, over the past few years, there has been a generalized growing concern over the potentially harmful side effects of deodorant.

What exactly a deodorant does to your body and how does it harm you? That is what you are about to find out.

In its most ordinary form, deodorant is a product designed to prevent or mask the body odor that results from perspiration in the armpits (and other regions of the body, but for the purpose of this article we will focus on the underarm region). This result can be achieved in different ways, so it is important to stress what are the differences between traditional deodorants and antiperspirant deodorants.

-Deodorants: deodorants don’t eliminate sweat. Why would they? The sweat itself is almost odorless. In turn, when you apply these typically alcohol-based products, your armpit skin becomes acidic, thus much less attractive to bacteria. That’s the trick. That horrendous smell that emerges from your armpits after a workout session only happens when the bacteria on your skin starts breaking down the protein present in sweat. To make them even more effective, some deodorants contain antibacterial agents and fragrances.

-Antiperspirant deodorants: although they achieve the same result, antiperspirant deodorants are a completely different product. They contain aluminum-based compounds that block sweat pores temporarily and metal salts that prevent sweat from reaching the surface of the skin. In the United States, antiperspirants are classified as drugs by the Food and Drug Administration which makes all these products subject to rigorous testing and regulations (traditional deodorants are classified as cosmetics, and although they also have to follow specific rules and guidelines, they are simply not as strict).

But the question is: what are the dangers of using deodorant?
There are some strong rumors that antiperspirant deodorants might be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The concern is that the aluminum-based compounds may affect the estrogen receptors of breast cells when they are absorbed by the skin, thus contributing to the development of cancer cells.

However, according to the American Cancer Society, there is absolutely no reason for alarm. Several studies made by different entities concluded that there is no conclusive evidence linking the use of deodorants and antiperspirants in the armpit and the development of breast cancer.

Besides, breast cancer tissue doesn’t appear to have more aluminum than regular breast tissue, and only about 0.001 percent of the aluminum present in antiperspirants is absorbed by the skin (so there is no point in worrying about deodorants causing bone disease or Alzheimer’s disease – both usually related to excessive amounts of aluminum in the body).

Deodorants can only be dangerous for people who suffer from allergies and kidney problems. And that’s exactly why the Food and Drug Administration requires manufacturers to warn consumers about those specific dangers.

-Kidney problems: although it is highly unlikely, there is a chance that the aluminum compounds present in deodorants can affect people with diagnosed kidney problems. That may happen because unhealthy kidneys sometimes aren’t able to properly filter aluminum fast enough.

-Allergies: deodorants contain some compounds that can trigger allergic reactions in some people. Glycol, essential oils, parabens, and lanolin are common allergens, so make sure you read the label before using a new deodorant.

-Deodorants: deodorants don’t eliminate sweat. Why would they? The sweat itself is almost odorless. In turn, when you apply these typically alcohol-based products, your armpit skin becomes acidic, thus much less attractive to bacteria. That’s the trick. That horrendous smell that emerges from your armpits after a workout session only happens when the bacteria on your skin starts breaking down the protein present in sweat. To make them even more effective, some deodorants contain antibacterial agents and fragrances.

-Antiperspirant deodorants: although they achieve the same result, antiperspirant deodorants are a completely different product. They contain aluminum-based compounds that block sweat pores temporarily and metal salts that prevent sweat from reaching the surface of the skin. In the United States, antiperspirants are classified as drugs by the Food and Drug Administration which makes all these products subject to rigorous testing and regulations (traditional deodorants are classified as cosmetics, and although they also have to follow specific rules and guidelines, they are simply not as strict).