Is using antiperspirant harmful to your health? The experts speak

The function of sweat is to regulate your body temperature. Therefore sweat glands, found throughout the body, are activated as a counter-response to high temperatures. Sweat glands are located under the skin and are connected to the outer surface by a small tube called a sweat duct.

However, heat is not the only cause. We also start sweating when we are nervous.

Sweat itself is odorless, but the bacteria on the skin create that pungent odor that we try to mask with different products. Recently, antiperspirant has been described as harmful to health and this is because of aluminum, the active ingredient in it.

But how true is this claim?

Is it true that deodorant is safer than antiperspirant?

The difference between antiperspirant and deodorant

Although the terms antiperspirant and deodorant are often used interchangeably, they are two different products. Antiperspirant blocks the sweat ducts with a compound called aluminum chlorohydrate and prevents the secretion of sweat.

On the other hand, deodorant is not designed to block the secretion of sweat, but to inhibit the bacteria that cause bad breath. Deodorant is usually alcohol-based, which makes the skin's pH more acidic, making it less attractive to bacteria. Both antiperspirants and deodorants are usually infused with fragrance to mask unpleasant odors.

Is aluminum harmful to antiperspirant?

Research so far suggests it's not toxic, but researchers don't know for sure yet. However, the two main concerns associated with aluminum are: breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Aluminum and breast cancer

Dyshimet rreth lidhjes midis aluminit dhe kancerit të gjirit buruan nga fakti se tumoret shpesh gjenden në zonën e gjirit, pranë sqetullës. Për më tepër, disa biopsi zbuluan se indet malinje të gjirit përmbanin depozita alumini.

Por hulumtimet kanë treguar se indet e kancerit të gjirit nuk duket të kenë më shumë alumin sesa indet normale. Megjithë atë dyshimet qëndrojnë në faktin se për shkak se trupi juaj nuk mund t’i nxjerrë toksinat me anë të djersës. Këto substanca qëndrojnë të bllokuara duke grumbulluar toksinat që shkaktojnë kancer.

But your body filters toxins through your kidneys and liver, not your sweat glands. Also when you use antiperspirant, your shame only absorbs a very small amount of aluminum. And this amount is less than the amount of aluminum you get every day from food. The bottom line is that researchers have failed to prove this connection.

Aluminum and Alzheimer's

Although the plaques that form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients are made of aluminum, there is no evidence that using antiperspirant affects your brain. Even if aluminum plays a role in their formation, the amount that enters your body through antiperspirant is so negligible that it is unlikely to cause any harm./AgroWeb.org