Is Antiperspirant Really Bad For You?

The fact is, we’re not sure.

When selling my natural deodorants, people often expect me to lecture them on how bad antiperspirant is for you. I can tell I disappoint them when I don’t launch into claims about how commercially made antiperspirant causes breast cancer and the Aluminum Zirconium causes Alzheimer’s Disease. I don’t do this because whether antiperspirants definitely cause disease isn’t clear cut. Nevertheless, I argue against using antiperspirants if you can handle some wetness. There are definitely solutions that might work better for you at dealing with body odor that are also more natural. You will need to experiment with brands and how to apply.

We know for a Fact that Antiperspirants Stop Perspiration

And we know that perspiring is good for you but that doesn’t mean preventing sweat coming from you arms is bad for you. In fact most articles I’ve read convey the belief that our bodies find a way to release toxins and cool off without needing to do it under the arms. There is also little evidence that the aluminum compounds in antiperspirants cause either breast cancer, Alzheimer’s or other diseases except granuloma in some people which I discuss more below.

National Cancer Institute: Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer

Can Cause Granuloma

There is one condition caused by commercially sold antiperspirants that is proven,   Granuloma, characterized by rashing and bumping under the arm.  According to Wikipedia, Granulomas form when the immune system attempts to wall off substances that it perceives as foreign but is unable to eliminate. This is consistent with the way antiperspirants work. Antiperspirants all contain some form of aluminium.  According to the website Discovery Fit and Health, aluminum ions  enter cells under your arm and swell when you sweat, blocking further sweat from escaping.

 When the aluminum ions are drawn into the cells, water passes in with them. As more water flows in, the cells begin to swell, squeezing the ducts closed so that sweat can’t get out.

So, it makes sense that some bodies see these aluminum ions as foreign entities and develop a permanent sensitivity to them.  A study at Walter Reed Institute of Research confirms that it is possible to develop an acute hypersensitivity reaction to an aluminum zirconium complex.

Why Use Antiperspirant?

What I ask customers is why would they choose to use antiperspirant when there is something that is more effective, more natural and has simpler ingredients?

The answer for me is clear, I use my own deodorant.  It works better for me and I don’t rash from it. Furthermore, I personally:

• don’t trust that big corporations are putting only healthy things into our products. (read more here)
• think it is wise  to keep body care products as chemically free as possible, read my Safe and Simple article here.

Most Important, Don’t be too Afraid

Remember though that fear and stress is also unhealthy so I don’t agree with anyone who sells products based on fear because:

• our fear about things  is already too great.
• breeding fear is rarely in anyone’s best interest.
• can be deadly and debilitating
• already making good people do bad things.

I am not comfortable in selling anything to anyone by instilling fear or generating negative energy. I want people to come to healthy living easily and openly because it is a natural progression of their life. I know some people are convinced that antiperspirant deodorants filled with all their crap can cause some very specific serious illness and I suspect there is some truth to that.

More Reading

Here are some links to others opinions on the subject of how bad antiperspirant is;

The  Healthy Economist “10 Reasons Why Store Deodorants Stink“

From Wisegeek  What are the Dangers of  Aluminium Zirconium