Simplifying the choice between deodorant and antiperspirant: comparison of effects. Which is better: deodorant or antiperspirant? What is an antiperspirant deodorant

When the question arises of buying another sweat remedy, many do not even read its composition, believing that any of these remedies work the same way.

And if instead of a deodorant they buy an antiperspirant, then they don’t see much difference in this. But it turns out that these are different things, and each of them has its own purpose.

The name of the deodorant speaks for itself. That is, it has a deodorizing effect on the skin.. If a person sweats a lot, then the remedy only interrupts the smell of sweat, preventing the growth of bacteria, but does not get rid of it.

Deodorant can be used if the smell of sweat is negligible. But if a person sweats a lot and smells, then the sweat, mixed with deodorant, will cause a backlash. No wonder it is advised to apply deodorant to clean and dry skin. What to do in this case?

Then an antiperspirant comes to the rescue.

An antiperspirant differs from a deodorant in that it blocks the action of the sweat glands, thereby reducing sweating. But for the same reason, they cannot be used uncontrollably. If the deodorant can be used several times a day, then the antiperspirant is recommended to be applied to clean and dry skin of the armpits once a day. Since it contains aluminum salts, which in large quantities can be harmful.

Moreover, any high-quality antiperspirant acts throughout the day. But it is recommended to apply it under the arms not in the morning, but in the evening, when the skin is completely dry after taking a shower.

There are rumors that antiperspirants are harmful to health due to the blockage of sweat glands, but these conclusions are not confirmed by anything. The only thing that can affect health is an individual intolerance to any component in the composition. But any drug can have such an effect on the body.

Antiperspirants and deodorants are produced in the form of sprays, gels, they are roll-on. Therefore, everyone should choose for themselves the remedy that suits their skin type.

If the skin is oily, you can buy an alcohol-based deodorant, which will dry it out at the same time. But this is not suitable for dry skin.

In this case, you need to use gel or roll-on deodorants and antiperspirants, and they should be practically odorless.

Therefore, before buying a deodorant or antiperspirant, you need to decide for what purpose the purchase is made: to scent the body or to reduce perspiration and unpleasant odor of sweat. If the second option is relevant, then first reduce sweating with an antiperspirant, and then you can use deodorant to defeat the smell.

On sale there are deodorants, which include antiperspirant. In this case, the skin has a double effect - blocking the sweat glands and deodorizing the body. Such antiperspirant deodorants are recommended for those who are worried about profuse sweating, accompanied by an unpleasant and strong odor.

Video recipe for the occasion:

Summing up, we can say the following:

• Deodorant hides the smell of sweat, prevents the bacteria that cause this smell from multiplying. An antiperspirant reduces sweating by blocking the sweat glands.
• Deodorant lasts only a few hours, while antiperspirant provides protection for 24 hours.
• Deodorant can be used 2-3 times a day, and antiperspirant is applied only once a day.
• Deodorant is applied to various parts of the body, and antiperspirant is applied only to the armpits.
• Antiperspirant contains aluminum ions that help fight sweat. Some deodorants contain an antiperspirant. Therefore, such deodorants are more effective in combating sweat.

But no matter what kind of protection against sweat and smell is chosen, one should not forget about the basic rules of personal hygiene.

In ancient times, according to the ancient Roman inhabitants, the one who had profuse sweating had excellent health. Yes, it is, because sweating protects the body from overheating.

Nevertheless, the release of sweat with a pungent odor and stains on clothes create discomfort for a modern person. Therefore, in the fight against sweating, people systematically find new cosmetic products. With the help of deodorants and antiperspirants, they cope with sweating. These funds with different purposes are often confused. How to distinguish them?

Deodorant

This cosmetic product prevents the occurrence of a heavy sweaty odor and does not block the flow of sweating. It is saturated with aromatic oils and bactericidal agents such as farnesol and triclosan. Since they prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms, the pungent odor of sweat is neutralized.

With such an unpleasant smell, a deodorant based on triclosan does an excellent job. But it negatively affects its own microflora. There is also another type of deodorant based on farnesol, it is advised to use it for people with sensitive and fair skin. This product should be used on clean skin. The deodorizing action lasts up to 12 hours. Dry off in the morning after showering and apply deodorant. It will help protect against the smell of sweat until the evening, but will not save you from whitish stains that appear on clothes.

Important: The most common mistake is applying the product to sweaty underarm skin.

Kinds

Deodorants come in the form of sprays, gels, sticks, powders, and creams.

People prone to profuse sweating are advised to use sprays. They hide the smell well, but are not suitable for people with sensitive skin. Roll-on deodorants and sticks are primarily suitable for those who are often on the road (travelers, employees on business trips, etc.): due to their compact size, they are convenient to carry with you. Deo-gels and deo-creams differ in longer action. But unlike sprays, roll-on deodorants and sticks, they are more expensive.

"Scented" deodorants

They contain a lot of perfumes. They have a large amount of alcohol, but are not rich in bactericidal and antiperspirant ingredients. Therefore, such "smelling" deodorants are suitable for people who sweat moderately. When using deodorant, keep in mind that it should have the same smell as perfume so that you do not smell like a perfume store.

Antiperspirant

An antiperspirant is a cosmetic product that helps not only to prevent sweaty odor, but also to block it. The content of aluminum oxide and denatured alcohol in this product reduces the production of sweat due to blockage of the sweat glands. In this connection, it is not recommended for continuous use.

The duration of action of an antiperspirant depends on the amount of aluminum contained in it. This process usually takes 24-48 hours. With antiperspirants, be prudent and do not abuse their use. Also popular are antiperspirants-deodorants that have a dual effect: they destroy germs and reduce sweat.

What tool to use?

The safest cosmetic product is deodorant, since it does not contain substances that are hazardous to health. It can be used on all parts of the body, such as underarms, legs and other areas that have unpleasant odors.

Many people prefer to use antiperspirants because deodorants do not prevent sweat stains on clothes. But - antiperspirants contain aluminum and zinc salts, and you need to be careful with them. You need to use antiperspirants once a day and no more, so as not to irritate the areas of the sweat glands or get serious diseases that aluminum and zinc salts can cause.

To maintain the body's heat balance, do not use antiperspirant on the legs or other areas of the body. It is used only for the axillary region.

Do not use antiperspirant before exercise, bath, because swelling of the armpit may occur.

Choose hygiene products depending on the characteristics of the body. If the sweating is light, with a not very strong smell of sweat, use deodorant. If you sweat profusely, choose an antiperspirant (of course, excluding the moments of going to the gym and during other physical activities).

Apply hygienic cosmetics to dry, clean skin.
Regularly remove hair from the underarm area, as they are a favorable breeding ground for microbes. Hence the unpleasant smell of sweat.
At the end of the day, take a shower to wash off any deodorant or antiperspirant residue as your skin needs to rest and breathe.
Prolonged use of antiperspirants and deodorants that contain alcohol can cause inflammation and irritation in the underarm area. In this case, use baby powder.
If the sweaty smell is more unpleasant than usual, microbes are to blame, so it is better to use deodorants with a bacteriostatic effect.
If these funds did not help to cope with the pungent odor and profuse sweating, consult a specialist, because it may be hyperhidrosis - a disease associated with endocrine and nervous disorders in the body.
Vitamin B10, which is part of some antiperspirants, under the influence of sunlight can disrupt. and other antibacterial supplements can have the same effect. Therefore, before going to the beach, do not use such products.
Be sure to look at the expiration date of funds. If they contain a small amount of preservatives, then the shelf life is shorter, but they are safer. Storehouses of hazardous components, as a rule, are various sticks and deo-creams, and sprays contain the least harmful substances.
When choosing deodorants, pay attention to their release. They can be in the form of pencils, sprays, gels, sticks, roll-on deodorants. People with sensitive skin should not use sprays as the alcohol found in high amounts in this form of deodorant will irritate the skin. For owners of sensitive skin, perfumed powder is the best remedy. Moisturizing hygiene products are suitable for people with dry skin.

Differences between deodorant and antiperspirant

The growth of germs that cause bad smell is blocked by deodorant, and the sweat glands are blocked by antiperspirant.
The deodorant protection time is provided for several hours, and the antiperspirant protection time is more than a day.
Deodorant is used for all areas of increased sweating, and antiperspirant is used only for the underarm area.

Alternative

Safer remedies for sweat and odor problems are aluminum-free natural deodorants. These include deodorant crystal or mineral alunite. This remedy is natural and does not cause allergic reactions, since it does not contain alcohol. Since the crystal has no smell, it can be consumed. This product does not contain oils, so it does not leave any marks on clothes. This natural deodorant with antifungal action, protects against sweat, heals skin wounds, and prevents the growth of negative flora.

Make the right choice and use products that do not affect your health in a negative way. According to doctors, too frequent use of antiperspirants leads to cancer in women. Before using cosmetic hygiene products, consult with doctors - cosmetologists, dermatologists.

Deodorant and antiperspirant

Good afternoon, dear readers! What do we know about our deodorant companions, is there a difference between deodorant and antiperspirant applied to the skin? Often we buy these products by smell or state of aggregation, since some are available in the form of gels or sprays, others in the form of a cream or ball.

Using antiperspirants-deodorants every day, most people do not even think about what they are doing, considering applying to the skin as just an ordinary part of our morning exercise.

So can regular application of chemicals to the skin make it healthy, and if not, is there an alternative? This article will explain what causes body odor, explore the health effects of deodorant and antiperspirant use, and explore alternatives for controlling body odor.

What causes bad breath

Experts say that people intuitively choose each other by smell. All people sweat, and the belief that body odor is the smell of sweat is wrong. Sweat in a healthy person, in itself, has the form of a clear liquid without a characteristic odor.

Nearly 2.5 million sweat glands are involved in human thermoregulation, through which cell decay products, harmful substances, and partially drugs are excreted from the body. And if a person is sick or takes a lot of pills, sweat immediately changes in smell. Becomes characteristic and unpleasant. The smell of sweat also changes from the food we eat.

The smell is added by bacteria living on the skin, which are able to metabolize sweat. Under the arms, as a rule, the most favorable environment for the development of bacteria, it is warm and humid there and creates ideal conditions for their growth. Bacteria break down the sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands, and when sweat and fatty acids interact, an unpleasant odor appears.

Curiously, washing your armpits with soap makes the natural pH of the skin more neutral, allowing bacteria to grow and multiply more actively. All these factors make the armpits an ideal place for the existence of pathogenic bacteria, which, in the course of their life, are born, die and decompose, giving a certain smell.

A bit of history

With the smell of body and sweat, people have been fighting since time immemorial. What people just didn’t come up with ... They used aromatic oils for the armpits, for this purpose perfume was invented to somehow mask the unpleasant smell.

In France, sponges moistened with perfume were fastened under the clothes, or bags filled with herbs were tied under the arms. And in the late 19th century, scientists invented deodorants and antiperspirants that used zinc oxide. This component is still part of some cosmetics to this day.

The first dangerous antiperspirant containing aluminum salts (aluminum chloride) was created in 1903. It forms a kind of plugs that block the secretion of sweat glands. Later, roll-on deodorants appeared, resembling a ballpoint pen, even later gels and sticks, aerosols ...

Today, almost 90% of the population from adolescence to 60 years and older use deodorants and antiperspirants. A huge number of them have been created, with different fragrances for men and women, and without fragrances.

What are antiperspirants and deodorants?

Although these terms are interchangeable, but in fact they are different products, the question arises, what is the difference? They are divided into 3 groups:

• group of deodorants;
• a group of antiperspirants, which includes gels and sticks, creams, rollers;
• a group of pharmacological agents based on formaldehyde, which completely blocks the sweat glands. It is used to treat hyperhidrosis.

Antiperspirants prevent the production of sweat, which stops bacteria from multiplying and growing. The most common way to prevent sweat is to use aluminum based compounds such as aluminum chloride and aluminum chlorohydrate. They form a gel, which, like a cork, clogs the pores of the skin and blocks the exit of sweat.

Deodorants simply mask bad breath with a stronger, more pleasant scent. The best of them, in addition to the aromatic smell, contain antibacterial, bactericidal and disinfectant elements that destroy bacteria and microorganisms.

The table shows that there is a difference between deodorants and antiperspirants and it lies in the dangerous content of aluminum salts.

The table gives a clear idea of ​​how deodorant differs from antiperspirant.

Scientific research on antiperspirants confirming their dangers

>Harmful effects of aluminum salts

The main problem is that aluminum-based compounds can penetrate into the sweat gland and through the skin and interact with cells. In the early 2000s, a number of clinical studies showed an increase in cancers in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, i.e. near the armpit where antiperspirants are sprayed.

Studies have been made regarding the interaction of aluminum in the body and it has been proven that aluminum is finally absorbed by the skin, where it changes the microenvironment in the surrounding tissue. Aluminum is known to be genotoxic and cause genetic damage consistent with mutations associated with breast cancer.

There is evidence that aluminum chloride and hydrochloride alter estrogen receptors in the breast, thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer.

One can argue about the amount that is absorbed by the skin and the safe dose, but there is no doubt that aluminum is absorbed by the skin and causes genetic damage.

Aluminum salts, which are the active ingredients in antiperspirants, cause anemia, bone disease, and even dementia in people with reduced kidney function. (A.C. Alfrey, Drug Monit. 1993, 593–597). This metal increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's.

This was published in the American Medical Journal by the scientist Guillard, who spoke about his research on the use of antiperspirants on female volunteers.

When measuring the level of aluminum in the blood, it was noted to increase to 4 microns, with a norm of 0.3 microns. Moreover, these salts are removed from the body very slowly, only 4 years later, after applying the antiperspirant, the blood and urine levels returned to normal.

After this report, French scientists conducted an additional study on the absorption of substances contained in antiperspirants by skin cells. Three antiperspirants have been investigated:

• aerosol containing 38.5% aluminum hydrochloride,
• roller with emulsion containing 14.5% aluminum hydrochloride,
• stick containing 21.2% aluminum hydrochloride.

Studies have shown that the safest of the presented antiperspirants was the roller, which showed the adsorption of aluminum on the skin -2.69 µg/sq. see. The stick had a large adsorption - 6.14 μg / per sq. cm.

And tests showed higher levels of aluminum in the blood after using the stick, compared to the other two antispirants.

The conclusion made by scientists: These studies have shown what is best in the antiperspirant line.

• Sticks are the most dangerous, despite the fact that they contain less aluminum chloride than aerosols.
• The danger of antiperspirant exposure to the skin depends on its state of aggregation.
• The safest of the three presented roll-on deodorant antiperspirant (roller).

Chemical group of phthalates

Of concern about health effects is a chemical group called phthalates, especially diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate, which are used to dissolve in perfume compounds.

Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system, are absorbed through the skin and are found in the urine. Phthalates may also increase the risk of breast cancer, but data are much more limited compared to aluminum.

Paraben

A third compound of concern is parabens, a group of antibacterial agents. Animal studies have shown that such compounds are non-toxic but are absorbed by the skin.
Their feature is the ability to mimic the action of estrogen in the body. It is known that increased activity of estrogens in the breast leads to an increase in the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Although a causal relationship between parabens and breast cancer has not yet been established, their absorption into the skin and mimicking the effects of estrogen suggests that this may contribute to an increased risk to breast health.

How to use deodorants and antiperspirants

• They must be applied to clean and dry skin.
• Be sure to wash off in the evening, do not leave them overnight.
• Do not apply products immediately after shaving, as there may be wounds and cracks on the skin, damage to the skin, which will increase the absorption of harmful substances into the blood.
• Try to use deodorants, and use antiperspirants only when absolutely necessary.
• Do not use antiperspirants before and during sports, during any physical activity. During exercise, a person sweats a lot, anti-sweat agents disrupt this physiological process of thermoregulation.
• Do not use products that promise long-term sweat protection (24 hour or 48 hour action). These products contain more harmful substances that are hazardous to health.

And I answer the question: Is it possible to use antiperspirant while breastfeeding a baby. Definitely - no. In addition, they can not be used during pregnancy. Just remember that aluminum salts are not excreted from the body for almost 4 years.

The harmful effects of antiperspirants are of concern to all people and the scientific world is struggling with the problem of creating safe antibacterial sweat protection products.

What can replace antiperspirant

Scientists continue to investigate, with the aim of inventing a safer alternative. So in Iran, the effect of sage extract on two bacteria responsible for the formation of odor was experimentally tested. The experiment involved 45 volunteers who confirmed that its action is enough for 8 hours, at a low concentration.

This suggests that natural herbal extracts and natural oils can successfully replace dangerous chemical components in cosmetics.
Watch a video on how to choose a deodorant:

You can experiment with antiseptic essential oils such as fir, lavender and tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint… Don't forget to pay attention to the expiration date.

homemade antiperspirant recipe

Homemade antiperspirants do not last long, if stored in the refrigerator, their shelf life is only 2-3 months. But they are safe for health.

Cooking: In a glass or porcelain container, mix starch, soda and vitamin E. Melt cocoa butter and shea butter in a water bath, add them to the prepared mixture. Pour in the glycerin and a few drops of essential oil.

Mix the mixture well and pour it into an empty antiperspirant bottle. Store your homemade stick in the refrigerator.

What are the benefits of homemade deodorant/antiperspirant?

• It does not contain hazardous components for health (aluminum salts and parabens) and this is the most important thing.
• Does not cause allergic reactions.

Disadvantages of homemade antiperspirant:

• Valid for about 8 hours.
• Can stain clothes, unlike those that do not leave a mark.

Now you know if there is a difference between deodorant and antiperspirant applied to the skin. Of course, it is difficult for a person who is daily in the company of work colleagues to do without a factory-made antiperspirant or deodorant. Stress at work, emotional shaking cause profuse sweating and you don’t want to smell unpleasant odors.

But the constant use of antiperspirants has another secondary hazard to the body. As you already understood, these funds clog the sweat glands, but physiological processes continue to operate. Blocked sweat glands begin to work in a dual mode, they do not like being blocked.

And one day you will notice that a 48-hour antiperspirant for excessive sweating, which worked flawlessly, suddenly does not cope with its tasks and lasts only a few hours. Now you understand why. It's not about him, but about the sweat glands.

Therefore, if possible, give your glands a rest, at least for a short time. For a while, the sweat glands will work in an enhanced mode, expecting that they will now be blocked again and your armpits will be wet, but after that they will enter their usual rhythm of work.

Choose the essential oil that suits your taste. By the way, essential oils are used by many people and they help. High-quality oils do not leave marks on clothes, because they quickly evaporate. If the smell of the oil seems too strong to you, dilute it with alcohol.

I heard on a health program that some people just use baking soda to powder their armpits.

Use herbal extracts, as our ancestors used them successfully for flavoring and deodorizing.

And once again I want to remind you. Switching to home remedies may not be pleasant, especially for those who have used long-acting antiperspirants. After using store-bought antiperspirants, it takes time for the body (sweat glands) to readjust.

I wish you the right choice!

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Until deodorants and antiperspirants were invented, people tried to cope with sweating and remove unpleasant odors in various ways. For example, in the East, alunite crystal was used. In Russia, wine vinegar and lemon juice served for these purposes. But the refreshing effect did not last long.

For many years, special cosmetic preparations for sweating have been used everywhere. They are an indispensable element of hygiene, starting from the moment of puberty. We also constantly encounter many myths regarding the safety of their use.

In this article, I would like to clarify the following questions:

• What is their mechanism of action?
• What is the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant?
• Are they really that effective?
• Do they negatively affect our health?

Let's start with physiology - where does sweat come from?

Sweat glands are located throughout the body. The amount of liquid they secrete depends on age, gender, body condition, as well as on external factors, mainly temperature and humidity. Sweat glands are appendages of the skin. They were first identified and described in the 1920s.

Then it was established that they are eccrine and apocrine:

• eccrine - found throughout the body. A person has about 2-5 million of them, and there are about 200 of them per 1 sq. cm of skin. Most of all on the palms, feet and in the armpits. The main function of these glands is to maintain a constant body temperature and prevent the body from overheating. In addition, sweat is an integral part of the water-lipid layer and is responsible for maintaining the acid-base balance on the surface of the skin. This ensures protection against infection by microbes and a balanced keratinization process;
• apocrine - concentrated only in certain places, in particular in the axillary zones. They are larger than eccrine. They are present from the moment of birth, but begin to function only during puberty. Apocrine glands do not take part in thermoregulation. In all likelihood, it is they who secrete pheromones - substances that determine the individual body odor. The role of these glands is not fully understood.

Why does sweat smell so bad?

The answer to this question is very important in understanding the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant. The secret of both eccrine and apocrine glands is odorless.

It appears already as a result of processes occurring on the skin:

• The constituent components of sweat are various organic compounds that serve as an excellent nutrient medium for microorganisms located on the surface of the skin. As a result of their activity, some components of sweat are decomposed with the release of substances with a strong unpleasant odor;
• the smell also depends on androgens, which are present in the secretion of the sweat glands. It determines the microconcentrations of androsterone and androstenol. These are very small amounts, but quite sufficient for the human sense of smell.

Eccrine sweat is a dilute hypotonic solution, primarily of inorganic salts and ammonia. It plays a small role in the emergence of a specific aroma.

However, on the other hand, it helps indirectly:

• promotes the spread of apocrine secretion through the skin, which has a more viscous consistency;
• maintains a moist environment in the armpits, which favors the development of microorganisms.

Decongestants - antiperspirants and deodorants

These two types of products, despite the fact that they are essentially different, often mislead buyers. This is partly due to the fact that the concept of “antiperspirant deodorant” or “deodorant that inhibits perspiration” that existed back in the 80s was replaced by the term “antiperspirant”.

Watch from 1:18 minutes:

In the classical sense, there is a difference between a component or product deodorant (deodorant) and antiperspirant (antiperspirant).

The difference between deodorant and antiperspirant is not clear on the Internet, in particular on cosmetic forums and blogs.

Producers, following modern trends, often customize their product to the buyer. You can find products that say "deodorant-antiperspirant" on the label. This indicates a multidirectional effect of the drug and may explain the higher cost.

However, for buyers, this may not be entirely clear.

What is the principle of antiperspirants

These are products that inhibit (but only partially!) the release of sweat. They reduce its secretion in the area where they are applied.

The active substance of preparations of this type are aluminum salts or aluminum-zirconium complexes. After application of such an agent to the skin, polymerization of aluminum compounds occurs under the influence of physiological pH and body temperature. A gel is formed that superficially clogs the mouths of the sweat glands.

Such "stubs" as a result limit their secretion.

That's the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant - the former never block the sweat glands.

However, this blockade is temporary and disappears for the following reasons:

• as the stratum corneum of the epidermis sloughs off;
• during the adoption of water procedures with soap;
• and even with heavy sweating.

When choosing an antiperspirant, pay attention to its additional properties. Some, in addition to performing their main function, have anti-inflammatory properties, soften and moisturize the skin, and promote its regeneration after shaving.

Let's stop on the composition - you should know this

The main active component (and practically the only effective one) are aluminum compounds and aluminum-zirconium complexes. They have been used for over 100 years (aluminum chloride was the first). Even despite large-scale scientific research in recent years, no alternative has been found for them.

Obviously, the progress of science and technology has led to an improvement in the technology for the production of antiperspirants. Thanks to this, their effectiveness has increased, the formula has become softer in relation to the skin, new types of packages have appeared - balls, pins, sprays, etc.

However, the essence remained the same - aluminum. We can say with full confidence that there is not a single effective antiperspirant that is not based on aluminum or its compounds. A claim like "no aluminum" is a promise without evidence.

All cosmetics manufacturers involved in the production of antiperspirants, whether they are an international concern or a small family business, have access to the same active substances. And they all contain aluminum.

This, of course, does not mean at all that all products in a qualitative comparison are the same. The differences can be:

• in packaging that defines ease of use;
• the concentration of active components, and, accordingly, the effectiveness of the drug;
• the presence of other substances that affect the properties of the product - uniformity of application, quick drying, prevention of stains on clothes, stickiness, etc.

So, aluminum hydrochloride is most often used. It is the basic component for all aerosols. Most roller and pin preparations contain aluminum-zirconium complexes.

As for other connections:

• chloride can be found. But this applies more to the segment of pharmacy products used for hyperhidrosis;
• aluminum-potassium sulfate (alum) - come in the form of crystals, powder or spray.

Modern antiperspirants also contain many other components:

• deodorizing - perfume compositions, essential oils;
• bacteriostatics, inhibitors of bacterial exoenzymes;
• softening;
• moisturizers, etc.

A very important component that levels the effect of white spots on clothes.

Therefore, the specific composition depends on the concept of the product and formulation.

Is it safe to use antiperspirants?

There is speculation that cosmetics used in the armpits cause breast cancer. Moreover, the group of antiperspirants in this sense is the most unlucky, if we take into account how many myths and prejudices revolve around them.

On many blogs and websites, you can read about the increased risk of breast tumors, Alzheimer's disease, "accumulation of toxins" in the lymph nodes, etc. Such reasoning leads readers to the unequivocal conclusion "antiperspirant - no, deodorant - yes."

In the light of modern medicine, such statements are groundless. In all likelihood, they arise due to a sharp simplification in the interpretation and selective interpretation of the results of scientific research, or even their complete disregard.

The absence of a relationship with malignant neoplasms of the breast was confirmed by American and European scientists.

What is deodorant and how does it work

It is a product that provides a pleasant aroma, freshness and body care. Its main active ingredient are various perfumed fragrances. Of course, it also contains alcohol, which has antiseptic properties.

Deodorant is a product that prevents the unpleasant odor of sweat that has already been released.

The mechanism of action may be different:

• odor masking with aromatic substances;
• preventing the decomposition of sweat components by microorganisms;
• inhibition of oxidative processes leading to the appearance of unpleasantly smelling substances.

The effect of the use of deodorant lasts for a relatively short time and is limited to only a few hours.

Such funds are suitable for people whose sweating is at a normal level. If it rises, for example, in cases of stress, strong emotions, physical activity or high ambient temperature, it is better to use an antiperspirant.

Thus, the main difference between antiperspirant and deodorant is as follows: the first acts on the cause, and the second on the effect.

More about the composition of deodorants

As mentioned above, the fight against the unpleasant odor of sweat occurs in several ways.

The method of action of the agent depends on the components included in the composition:

• odor masking- provided by various aromatic compositions or essential oils. A more modern solution is not disguise, but neutralization. Substances that have such capabilities include copper and silver sulfates, zinc and magnesium hydroxides;
• limiting the activity of microorganisms and slowing down their reproduction- because it is they who metabolize the substances contained in sweat with the formation of volatile compounds with a sharp specific aroma.

Substances with antimicrobial activity and used in cosmetic products include:

• triclosan;
• four-row ammonium salts (cetrimonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride);
• metals - zinc, copper, silver;
• alcohols - ethyl (ethanol), isopropyl (isopropanol);
• glycols - pentylene and caprylyl glycols;
• plant extracts;
• slowing down the formation of compounds with an unpleasant odor without affecting microbes. This is achieved by lowering the pH of the skin with substances such as citric or lactic acid.

A more complex option is an alternative "nutrition" for bacteria. Due to this, microorganisms will not metabolize the natural components of sweat and, accordingly, the smell will not appear.

Substances with such action include:

• triethyl citrate;
• ethyl adipate;
• chitosan;
• esters of citric acid.

It is also worth noting such a component as ethyl lactate. As a result of its processing by bacteria, lactic acid is released. It lowers the pH of the skin, as a result of which the reproduction of microbes slows down.

Opinions of doctors on this issue

Krasnoselsky V.I.

For most people, antiperspirant and deodorant are the same thing.

I don’t know why, but, indeed, many do not even realize that these are completely different means. It is probably for this reason that not everyone has a successful fight against sweating.

Each of these products performs its function, and they cannot replace each other. I think that 2 in 1 tools are not very convenient at all. It is more logical to apply antiperspirant in the evening, and in the morning, if desired, deodorant. Then the protection will be most effective.

Try not to use antiperspirants 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Let your skin rest.

Buchatskaya Yu.Yu.

Find the best protection option for you

Understanding the significant differences in the principle of action of deodorant and antiperspirant, it is not difficult to choose a combination that would suit you specifically.

For some, deodorant alone is enough. In case of excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), it is better to use both products. Moreover, the antiperspirant should be medical, containing much more aluminum than ordinary store-bought ones. Remember to use it at night before bed. Only under this condition will it block most of the sweat glands.

I would also like to draw your attention to the quality of antiperspirants. Carefully study the composition, buy products from reliable, well-established manufacturers.