Antiperspirants often contain some form of aluminum, which essentially “plugs” armpit pores to stop the flow of sweat. Deodorants, on the other hand, neutralize the smells caused by odor-causing bacteria instead of trying to stem the flow of perspiration.
Antiperspirants and deodorants can contain carcinogens or hormone disrupters (such as parabens), which have been linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, but the presence of aluminum in antiperspirants makes it more potent and potentially harmful. Deodorants and antiperspirants are designed to stay on the body for hours, increasing the likelihood that they will be absorbed through the skin. Chemicals absorbed through the skin go directly into your bloodstream as opposed to other methods of absorption, which usually direct foreign substances to the toxin-removing liver.
The use both antiperspirants and deodorants has environmental effects as well. Mining the aluminum needed for antiperspirants is environmentally disruptive. Every time we wash ourselves, chemicals from deodorants and antiperspirants wash into our water systems. Antiperspirants and deodorants are usually packaged in plastic containers, which not only consume precious fossil fuels to produce, but also take up space in landfills while the leftover deodorant and antiperspirant in the containers run off into the surrounding environment.
Take Action / Next Steps
Next time you’re buying deodorant, look out for these chemicals on the ingredients label
Did you know that the San Luis Obispo City Library System in California has banned body odor from its public libraries?
In order to look out for the best interests of their patrons, the San Luis Obispo City Library System authorized
the removal of anyone with disruptively offensive body odor from their libraries. Let’s hope the residents stay away from
antiperspirants, though.
Did you know that one pea-sized bead of sweat can cool nearly 1 liter of blood 1 degree Fahrenheit?
Sweating is the body’s natural way of expelling toxins from the body and regulating body temperature.
Antiperspirants prevent you from experiencing the downsides of sweating (body odor, pit stains, etc.) but you also lose out
on the advantages that the natural coolant has to offer.
Did you know that plastic accounts for about 12% of the space in landfills?
Plastic is one of the most commonly used materials in cosmetic packaging and one of the most difficult to fully
dispose of because of its durability.
SOURCES :
1. National Cancer Institute. [14 November 2007] Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer. Available from: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet [16 June 2008]
