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Putting on deodorant has become a completely mindless act you do every single morning. You’ve probably been buying the same brand for years because it works well and that’s all you ever needed to know. Except now there’s more and more information about the harmful impacts of deodorant. It turns out that this simple morning routine step isn’t as safe as you thought. For the sake of your health, click to find out why deodorant could be bad for you.
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One major problem is deodorants may kill off beneficial armpit bacteria. Yes, you actually want your body to be susceptible to certain bacteria. According to Dr. Mercola, researchers revealed that habitual use of deodorants and antiperspirants has a significant effect on armpit bacterial density and variation. People who used deodorants long-term had armpit communities dominated by Staphylococcaceae, which can be harmful. However, those people who didn’t use deodorant had communities dominated by Corynebacterium, which causes body odor, but is positive bacteria that protects against pathogens. Deodorants interfere with your body’s natural bacterial communities, which in turn can be dangerous for your health.
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Another problem with deodorants is they may increase odor-producing bacteria in your armpits. Dr. Mercola says, “The reason your sweat smells is because the bacteria living in your armpits break down lipids and amino acids found in your sweat into substances that have a distinct odor.” Many deodorants contain aluminum to fight bad odor. However, research revealed that antiperspirants affect the bacterial balance in your armpits, leading to an even more foul-smelling sweat problem. Basically, deodorant can be counter-productive and it might be better to quit antiperspirants altogether to mellow out the smell.
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Lastly, there’s a lot of talk about the link between deodorant and cancer, specifically breast cancer. Many antiperspirants contain parabens and aluminum, which can be absorbed through the skin and have estrogen-like effects. That raises concern because estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells. However, there is no solid evidence that backs up these theories. Now, that you know the downsides of using deodorant I suggest investing in natural deodorants that aren’t made with harmful chemicals. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
[Photo: Shutterstock]
