Antiperspirants aren't the most green item to have in your medicine cabinet or gym bag because they contain aluminum compounds, the key ingredients that block your sweat glands and prevent moisture. As you might know, aluminum mining is destructive, resource-intensive and polluting. Environmental damage aside, perhaps the most controversial aspect of antiperspirant use is its rumored link to breast cancer and other diseases. Even though hearsay about the correlation between the two continue to swirl, the National Cancer Institute claims that evidence linking breast cancer and the neurotoxins found in antiperspirants is inconclusive. However, the Food and Drug Administration has made it mandatory for antiperspirants to carry a warning label recommending that consumers with existing kidney disease consult with a doctor before using the product. To be clear, it hasn't been proven that aluminum is directly responsible for health issues like breast cancer and kidney disease. Yet, because of the scary but indeterminate health risks and the proven environmental hazards of aluminum-based antiperspirants, many folks opt not to use it. So do these folks use natural antiperspirant? Unfortunately, there isn't an aluminum-free, natural antiperspirant. Deodorant, however, (unless combined with antiperspirant) is always aluminum-free and can be found in natural varieties. That means that these products don't enlist chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde and triclosan to help combat underarm bacteria. You may be familiar with crystal rock deodorants that rely exclusively on the stink-busting power of natural mineral crystals. If sweat, not the stink, is your primary concern, give natural deodorant a shot. First, check out the amazing Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to see how different brands stack up and see if that helps at all. If deodorant doesn't do the trick and your sweating remains an issue, drink lots of water, maintain a healthy diet, buy a jumbo-sized bucket of OxiClean for stains and see an MD.
Body Odor
Recently Answered
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Wesley Medical Center answeredMost people wear deodorant or antiperspirant to help manage body odor, but that may not be enough for some people. If your deodorant isn’t working for you, you can try different kinds of deodorant because it could just be the composition of a certain brand that isn’t right for your body. There are some medications that can help people who have problems with too much sweat as well, but there are side effects. Bottom line: Wash frequently enough, but not too much, and use different kinds of deodorants or antiperspirants until you find one that works best for you.
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Dr. David C. Fiore, MD , Family Medicine, answered on behalf of Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family MedicineSee All 2 AnswersTo control your foot odor you must start by maintaining good foot hygiene, like regularly washing your feet and cleaning your footwear and clothing.
Foot odor can be related to a number of things. If the problem persists, it can be a sign of a fungal or other infection.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredThere is no evidence that a heavier application of deodorant works better.
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Parkland Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersBody odor is caused by bacteria and yeast that live on the skin. As the bacteria and yeast break down the proteins in your sweat, an odor is produced. Some simple skincare and hygiene steps, such as washing once or twice daily with water and mild soap, can help remove the bacteria that are causing the smell. Washing clothing often, using antiperspirant, and shaving armpits can also help. Sometimes, though, body odor does not go away with these steps. Persistent body odor may be caused by excessive sweating or other medical conditions that require treatment, so talk to your doctor if you're concerned.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredYou actually have two types of sweat glands that produce stuff that looks and feels like sweat. Most of this secreted fluid serves a beneficial purpose by helping to flush toxins out of your body. It's only the apocrine sweat gland that secretes the odor-the smell that produces part of our identity, attracts mates, and makes you pick the treadmill at the other end of the gym. These glands are located in predictable locations-including arm pits and genitals.
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 3 AnswersIf you smell funkier than a Rick James album, then there's probably a good explanation. Our major sweat glands (they're called eccrine glands, in case you're ever on Jeopardy) release a sterile solution that attract smelly bacteria in some people. These secretions are stored in coiled circular glands 4 feet long and covering our entire skin surface.
But the actual composition of your sweat is based on your genes and your food. Garlic will quickly pass into your skin and quickly share itself with others. Washing frequently helps, but sometimes a quick course of topical antibiotics from your doctor is the best anti-smell solution. -
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered
Quite simply, spicy foods increase body odor by making you sweat more. When you eat spicy foods, your output of sweat increases, leading to an increase in body odor. Although many people believe pungent foods like garlic and onions can increase body odor, there is no scientific evidence of this.
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Discovery Health answeredThe social taboo to body smell did not occur in most Western societies until the late 1950s, around the same time that marketing firms began ramping up advertising campaigns to sell deodorant.
The firms tapped into social insecurity among consumers by suggesting to them that they would become pariahs if they did not use deodorant to cover their body odor.
Even though deodorants, unlike soap and toothpaste, offer no real health benefits the marketing campaigns succeeded. In 2006, sales of products to prevent sweating and combat body odor reached $2.5 billion in the United States.
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Discovery Health answered
An antiperspirant keeps you from sweating, while a deodorant cuts down on the odor when you do sweat.