What is the relationship between deodorants and causes of cancer?
Applying your deodorant is something many would never dream of skipping before leaving the house. They are some of the most popular personal care items. However, many concerns have been raised that some of their ingredients could be one of the causes of cancer. Thankfully, research has not found a causal relationship, rather it revealed some interesting findings.
Are deodorants some of the causes of cancer?
You may have heard the claim that its use can cause breast cancer. When a deodorant or antiperspirant keeps an individual from perspiring, it’s thought that the chemical toxins could build up and lead to the development of cancer in the breast.
According to the American Cancer Society, there is no strong evidence linking breast cancer to this personal item. The ingredients from antiperspirants most likely do not reach the lymph nodes, and a lack of sweating would not trap toxins inside our bodies.
What research shows about deodorants and causes of cancer
The concerns about the causes of cancer and deodorants/antiperspirant derive from the ingredients used to make these products. Many skin and beauty products use parabens as preservatives, and they may imitate the effects of estrogen in the body. Deodorants/antiperspirants also contain aluminum salts that block our sweat glands when they dissolve on the skin.
The effects of aluminum
Aluminum helps to prevent sweating by blocking the sweat glands to keep it from reaching the skin’s surface. It’s unclear how much of the aluminum in these products are absorbed into our bodies. One study found that 0.012% of the aluminum in deodorants was absorbed. Additional studies have found that there is no difference in the amount of aluminum in cancerous breast tissue and healthy breast tissue.
The aluminum content in antiperspirants should not affect your breast cancer risk. However, if you have compromised kidney health, ask your healthcare provider if you should avoid aluminum-containing products. If your kidneys are not able to eliminate the aluminum because of decreased function, these products may not be safe for you.
The effects of parabens
Parabens are chemicals that are used as preservatives in food and products. They’re often used in skin and beauty products. It’s unclear if parabens are strong enough to be one of the causes of cancer by affecting changes in the breast cells.
Most of us are exposed to parabens every day, and studies have found that 99% of people in the United States have parabens present in their urine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all paraben-containing products to list parabens on their labels.
Does shaving contribute to the causes of cancer?
Shaving your underarms should not affect your cancer risk. It is possible for shaving to cause small cuts in the underarms. Using deodorant after shaving may lead to local irritation of the skin, but has not been linked to any serious conditions.
Relationship between sweating and cancer-causing toxins
Sweating is a way for our bodies to release heat and regulate temperature. It does not, however, clear out toxins. Our lymph nodes are responsible for clearing out bacteria and viruses from the body, but they don’t use our sweat glands to do that. When our bodies ingest or absorb a cancer-causing agent, they filter those toxins through the kidneys and liver. Toxins from the kidneys are excreted in the urine, and toxins from the liver are excreted in bowel movements. A lack of sweating would not cause our bodies to hang on to dangerous toxins.
