A deodorant and an anti-perspirant are not the same thing, but they are often found together in products geared for underarm use. A deodorant gets rid of smell and often contains fragrance, while an anti-perspirant decreases sweat.
Deodorant ingredients can cause problems in those with allergies. Fragrance allergy is one of the most common types of allergy to skincare products. Preservatives, such as parabens, can cause allergy as well. Parabens have been controversial lately; therefore, many "organic" or "natural" preservatives have been added to skincare products. These natural ingredients are much more likely than parabens to cause a skin rash.
Vitamin E is a well known cause of allergy in deodorant products. In fact, years ago the company Mennen had a Vitamin E containing deodorant that had to be discontinued due to the high incidences of rashes from it. Other ingredients shown to cause allergic reactions include lichen-acid and d-usnic acid.
Anti-perspirant ingredients reduce sweating. In many cases an aluminum compound is used for this purpose. These aluminum salts lodge in the sweat duct to prevent sweat from extruding from your skin. There have been many reports that this may cause long term harm, however, no convincing studies have been performed. I recommend that you try to avoid aluminum if possible. Finding an effective aluminum-free deodorant is not easy.
Although aluminum- and allergen-free deodorants are preferable, effective products without these ingredients are difficult (if not impossible) to find. Please comment and share your findings. Have you found an acceptable option?
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Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, " The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com.
All of Dr. Baumann's recommended skin care products are available online, and a portion of proceeds goes to The Dermatology Foundation.
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