Deodorant is an essential part of most men’s grooming regime. In a bid to prevent getting those embarrassing sweat patches – or worse still – smelling of BO, most guys blast a few squirts under their pits everyday without giving it a second thought.
It’s therefore quite unlikely that any regular deodorant or antiperspirant wearer stops to think about what exactly it is they’re layering over the top on their sweat glands daily, and if it’s actually doing them any good.
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WHY SWEATING CAN BE SMELLY
We use deodorants, of course, to try to cover up any smells we might make during the day because of work, stress, or even anxiety. Some people may need to use it more than others, though.
“Body odor is caused by things in our environment, like the foods we eat, and by our genes. Robyn Gmyrek, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says, “Some people just smell stronger by nature.” She adds that it’s not the dampness itself that smells.
“That strong smell comes from the bacteria that break down your sweat into organic compounds,” she says, adding that how often you need to use deodorant will depend on how much you sweat. For example, some men don’t need deodorant because they don’t sweat much and don’t smell too bad. Other men, on the other hand, might need it several times a day.
DEODORANT VS ANTIPERSPIRANT: WHICH IS BETTER?
Now that we know why some people use deodorant more than others, let’s look at the several options for sweat protection. Standard deodorants and antiperspirants are the two main types of products available in this category. If you’re not sure what the difference is, antiperspirants and deodorants operate in distinct ways to reduce body odor.
Lisa Harris, a natural skincare expert, puts the distinction in the simplest terms:
“Deodorants help to suppress body odor but do not prevent sweating; instead, they usually disguise the odor.”
scent with more pleasant fragrances. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, often contain aluminium, which stops your sweat glands and thus prevents you from sweating.
But how do you decide which goods to buy? According to Parvinder Sagoo, Lead Medical Advisor and Clinician at Simply Meds Online(opens in new tab), while antiperspirant may appear appropriate, the aluminum element may be harmful to your body and health.
“Aluminium is a neurotoxic, the primary chemical functioning to plug the pores of our skin to prevent perspiring. “The aluminum’s role is to reduce perspiration by preventing sweat from exiting the body, so preventing bad odor and keeping your body dry,” Sagoo adds.
“However, we need to sweat to release toxins, so it is probably a safer alternative to use deodorant because deodorants don’t tend to plug your pores, allowing the good bacteria to continue operating, which will really help reduce odour in the long run.”
THE BAD: WHY SWEATING IS IMPORTANT
Sagoo goes on to say that perspiration is a waste product of the human body, so it’s important that we let it happen naturally.
“It has to do with the ways our bodies are made to help us control our temperature,” she says. “Both not sweating enough and sweating too much can cause problems, like the body overheating because it can’t control its temperature.”
Because the aluminium chlorohydrate and aluminium zirconium in deodorants and antiperspirants work to block your pores, they can be seen as bad.
Harris says, “The salts have to dissolve so that sweat doesn’t form on the surface of your pores.” “Aluminum is found in the environment mixed with other things like oxygen, silicon, and fluorine. Exposure to it usually isn’t bad for you, but if you get too much of it, it can hurt your health.
Aluminium has been linked to changes in how the body reacts to hormones, and it may also be a problem if you have kidney problems. Even though there is no proof that the aluminum in deodorants can cause major health problems like cancer, we should still question how safe it is to use often. Even more so because many conventional deodorants also contain toxic ingredients like parabens, SLS, petroleum, mineral oil, phthalates, artificial preservatives, and synthetic colors.
“Given that you usually put deodorant under your arms, which is one of the most sensitive parts of your body, is close to your breast, and is absorbed by the skin and lymph nodes,
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT US
Spray deodorants are also known to be bad for the environment.
“Every time you spray you’re releasing chemicals into the air,” says Harris. “They also contain more volatile organic compounds.”
On top of that, aerosols can be problematic to recycle because they need to be completely empty, dry and clean, which they are often not. And before you think about roll ons as an alternative, like deodorants, they are often packaged in thick plastic that’s also hard to recycle.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
So, if there are safer options, what are they, if there are any?
Natural deodorants are one example. While they have developed a reputation for being weaker than standard deodorants with chemicals in, and therefore unable to control sweat. There are, however, a lot of products on the market today that are known to be better for the environment. The most important thing is to find the one that works best for you.
Natural products might not stop sweat glands from making sweat, but they do help keep the skin’s natural pH balance. So, the main benefit is that you don’t put chemicals into your body that you don’t need to. The natural ingredients make it less likely that you’ll have skin problems, and the lack of chemicals that block pores means that good bacteria will work better to keep you from smelling bad even when you’re not wearing deodorant.
So that’s the answer: Do Men Need to Use Antiperspirant or Deodorant?
Thanks for reading!
