Deodorants are a life essential. Why? Because sweat happens. It’s just a fact of life. Whether you only suffer mild perspiration on particularly scorching summer days, or you regularly sport clammy underarms at the slightly sign of stress – we all experience sweat.
And while we’ve heard on the grapevine that hand sanitiser can make an excellent stand-in for those days you forget to apply (we probably wouldn’t recommend it, though), a great deodorant is an essential part of every personal care regime.
“The medical term for smelly armpits is Aprocrine Bromhidrosis. Our sweat is actually secreted odourless but it’s the bacteria of the skin that turns it into an odour. Deodorants, anti-perspirants and moisture-wicking fabrics can help and benzoyl peroxide can be used to get rid of the bacteria that is creating the odour.” says Dermatologist Dr. Shah otherwise known as @dermdoctor.
If you feel insure about the smell coming out of your pits, or the way they look, you’re not alone. In fact, new research from Dove has also found that eight in ten women experience issues with their underarm skin, such as irritation, redness, dark marks and rashes, leading to 62% feeling insecure about the appearance of their armpits.
Clearly the ‘perfect pits’ don’t exist, but the products you put in them matter, and can not only make your personal hygiene better as well as improve your general wellbeing and self esteem. So, it goes without saying that many of us might not be getting everything we need out of our roll-ons. Here, we answer all your questions about body odour, sweat, antiperspirants and deodorants…
What’s the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant?
Firstly, it’s worth noting that deodorant and antiperspirants are actually two different things. The former helps quell smell, the latter helps reduce sweat. Dermatologist Dr. Beau DiCiccio, MD put it in very simple terms: “A deodorant is going to do what it says, it’s going to de-odour you. An anti-perspirant is going to – shocker – anti-perspire you, and keep you from sweeting.” he says.
So, if you’re in need of a solution that does both, make sure you pick up an “antiperspirant deodorant”. And, if you’re applying straight out of the shower, you could be doing it all wrong. Antiperspirants adhere best to dry skin, so make sure you mop away any excess moisture first.
What are the key ingredients in a deodorant?
This very much depends on the formula. A typical drugstore deodorant will rely on a couple of different ingredients to combat sweating, these include but not exclusive to aluminium salts, anti-bacterial agents, fragrances and pH adjusters. There are of course some that are more natural, others with no aluminium etc.
Why should we avoid anti-perspirants with aluminium?
Unlike antiperspirants, deodorants don’t contain aluminium. While there’s no definitive link between aluminium-based antiperspirants and breast cancer, a 2017 study “showed an earlier age of disease onset in breast cancer patients that had used aluminium-containing antiperspirants combined with underarm shaving.”
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