Is aluminum in deodorants and antiperspirants bad for your body?
This has become one of the biggest issues of the past decade as concerns about aluminum in antiperspirants have spread around the world and alternative solutions have become more common. We recently launched our own natural deodorant with activated charcoal, which is completely free of the harmful ingredients you might find in your regular deodorant.
The link between antiperspirants and breast cancer
Scientists’ initial observations showed how they block the body from excreting toxins, and when the toxins are trapped, they travel to the lymph nodes. They may have estrogenic effects, and estrogen is the main female sex hormone that promotes the growth of breast cancer cells.
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes in the UK. In 2016, 11,563 people died from breast cancer. However, since the 1970s, numbers have fallen by 38% as knowledge and surgical practice have increased significantly. In the UK, over 55,000 women are diagnosed with the disease each year, and over half of breast cancers actually start in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, just next to the armpit.
As this is the main area for cancer to develop, absorbing a chemical that is thought to be a factor is an understandable fear signal.
Scientists have studied this area and this is their prediction, but there is no 100% proof of this yet and testing is still ongoing.
Why is aluminum used in antiperspirants?
The difference between deodorants and antiperspirants is important. Antiperspirants are designed to block and unclog sweat glands, breaking down sweat at the same time. The problem is finding a natural alternative that is just as successful as the traditional method of blocking sweat glands.
What else should I be aware of?
