Fire Pits has a fire in her pits: Is there any ingredient other than aluminum that works as an antiperspirant? I ask not because I am afraid of getting Alzheimer’s, but because the antiperspirants I’ve tried make me itch like mad.
The Right Brain responds:
I hear you girl, antiperspirants can be itchy and irritating, especially after shaving. But as far as the Alzheimers connection is concerned, you’re wise to be skeptical. There’s no proof that aluminum antiperspirants cause Alzheimer’s.
Nonetheless, here are 4 ways you can switch to avoid that itch:
1. Switch to deodorant instead of antiperspirant.
Deodorants don’t contain aluminum so they’re less likely to make you itch. But remember they won’t stop you from sweating either; they’ll only reduce body odor. Confused? Go read our previous post on the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants.
2. Switch to prescription Botox
Botox? Yes, Botox injections are approved by the FDA as a way to sweating. Unlike the Aluminum salts which work by plugging the sweat glands, Botox works by disrupting the chemical messages sent by nerve endings that trigger the sweat gland to produce sweat. Of course they’re expensive and you need a prescription from your doctor, but hey – it’s an option!
3. Switch to another antiperspirant brand
There are 18 different Aluminum compounds allowed in antiperspirants and some of these can be more irritating than others. Most products use either Aluminum chlorohydrate or Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly. Look at the active ingredient listed on your product, then switch to a brand that uses a different active see if the problem goes away.
4. Switch to a “regular” strength antiperspirant
Extra strength antiperspirants contain higher levels of the active ingredients which could be more irritating to your skin. Try “regular” instead of super-duper and see if that reduces the itching.
We hope this helps – you might also want to read our previous post on the top 10 skin irritants. Let us know if your pits are still in peril.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
i started noticing a few months ago that after a workout while wearing an aluminum based antiperspirant, i would get out of the gym smelling really metallic. this was so bizarre to me, and i honestly couldn’t stand it.
so, i recently switched to an aluminum free deodorant, arm & hammer essentials. after a bit of trial and error, i found one that works really well throughout the day, but still has me smelling gross after a strenuous workout. i guess maybe i have ridiculous expectations, but it’d be nice if that wasn’t the case.
does anyone happen to have any product suggestions? most of the natural deodorants from whole foods are in the $9-11 price range, which is a little expensive for any more “trial and error!”
Okay, this may be a topic for another post–but it seems my antiperspirant/deodorant has stopped working. I know it’s pretty hot and humid right now, but I’m in the AC essentially all day. And my problem isn’t so much wetness as being stinkier than usual (not really horrible stink, mind you, just relatively more, um, stinky). I could swear this happens to me periodically–antiperspirant poop-out? Anyone else have to change brands every so often? Maybe my sweat glands have developed antibodies??
Sarah, I’ve had the same problem and all I have to do is exfloiate my pits. I just use one of those ones that’s suppose to be for faces and give it a good old scrub while in the shower. Then my antiperspirant works just fine again. Sometimes, if I feel I can stand the stinging, I’ll take a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and swipe them. It burns, but it seems to kill the germs. I do that after the shower, of course.
It seems to me that no matter how well you wash, there’s a build up in the pits that needs some extra removal now and again.
I’ve always wondered about this! Thanks for the informative advice
http://bowtiedbeauty.blogspot.com/
Don’t you mean as a way to STOP sweating? You put “Yes, Botox injections are approved by the FDA as a way to sweating.”
Great post, by the way :]
@Jami–thanks for the tip! Kind of like a clarifying shampoo for hair…
I remember going through a time period (few years?) where no deodorant or antiperspirant worked at all and I did smell bad. I never figured out what it was: new medicine, foods, hormones, all of these and more. It finally seemed to settle down about three years ago, of course when I hit 40. I exfoliate, too, as well as use peroxide daily and I switch between powders, deodorants and antiperspirants. They’re different fragrances so it depends on my mood which one I’ll use. For some reason, though, this year I’ve been getting lots of red streaks in the creases. I thought I’d cut myself shaving at first but now they just seem to come and go. Heat perhaps?
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This may be off topic but at times, I notice it really isn’t the antiperspirants we are using. At times, we get irritations because of the kind of cloth or maybe because we are wearing a body hugging piece of clothing.
I think I figured out my antiperspirant poop-out issue this time. It was an old stick. There was still stick left, but it must have been full of skin cells and nastiness, because changing to a new stick seemed to solve the problem.
I have found that tea tree oil straight up works. I put it on undiluted and it works.. The tingle is momentary, and I have come to love the natural scent. I don’t worry about chemical additives nor side effects.
The reason for body odor is bacteria that forms when we sweat – its not our sweat itself that smells bad. Tea tree oil doesn’t allow bacteria to form (its an antibacterial antimicrobial) thus eliminating the smell issue when we sweat.
I would definitely recommend switching to a deodorant, since antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking pores to prevent sweating. This interferes with the body’s ability to regulate it’s temperature and eliminate toxins, two very important functions.
It is also believed that once an antiperspirant wears off, the underarm sweat glands increase perspiration production to compensate, creating a visious, sweaty cycle you need more antiperspirant to fight.
Deodorants, on the other hand, neutralize body odor while also killing odor causing bacteria without blocking pores.
Even deodorants contain ingredients that can cause underarm irritation. Parabens, propylene glycol, Triclosan, and synthetic fragrances all have the potential to irritate skin.
I prefer to use natural deodorants, and there are an increasing number of great brands out there. Bubble and Bee is one of my favorite brands, and has one of the largest selections of natural deodorants I’ve been able to find. The best part is, Bubble and Bee natural deodorant comes with a satisfaction guarantee! They also offer a Pitty Putty Travel Pack (12.95), which is a gives you the opportunity to sample 3 different scents.
Eh, you leave so many other sweat glands open over the rest of your body it can’t really interfere with that. Not unless you’re covering your entire body with Arid XX-Dry.
One word: ALOE. I have really sensitive underarms. I use crystal deodorant (I’ve found it to be the least irritating), and when my underarms are really bad I sometimes even skip it on the weekends. I’ve tried shaving every day, and I’ve tried not shaving for weeks. The #1 thing that made my underarms better was aloe (the brand you can find in any drugstore is Fruit of the Earth, it’s clear; I buy Trader Joe’s brand, but I bet it’s the same).
I started off putting on a lot before bed and putting on a thin layer after a shower/before deodorant; but now I only need a thin layer before bed.
ugh, so THAT’S why my pits itch so badly!