Body Deodorants: What You Need To Know And What To Avoid According To Experts
Body Deodorants: Some ingredients in body deodorant products that you apply or spray on your skin can cause irritation.
Pharmacies, which have always been full of various deodorants and antiperspirants, are now promoting creams, sprays, and deodorants that claim to affect the scent of the “entire body.” These products are often marketed with labels that make subtle or sometimes blatant references to private body areas. CNN, in a report quoting experts, discusses these new full-body deodorants.
Dr. Marisa Plescia, Vice President of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, a professional association in the beauty and personal care industry, says, “It’s clear that this has become a trend. We know well that there are other areas of the body besides the armpits that might emit unpleasant odors, such as the groin area, which is more prone to bacterial growth. After successfully eliminating underarm odor, smaller brands realized, ‘Why not create a deodorant for the whole body?'”
What Do Full-Body Deodorants Do?
Body Deodorants, Many products marketed for use across the body work similarly to traditional deodorants or sprays. These products often contain powder-like ingredients that absorb sweat, such as Maranta arundinacea powder, tapioca starch, and magnesium carbonate, along with fragrances designed to mask and affect body odor. While most of them don’t contain aluminum salts, which are used in traditional antiperspirants, some do.
According to Dr. Chris Adigun, a dermatologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, what’s interesting is that these innovative products contain antimicrobial ingredients that target the bacteria responsible for odor. “If you don’t have an issue with sweating, these products are really great. They are very effective,” he says.
Body Deodorants, One of these ingredients is mandelic acid, a mild alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) known for killing bacteria on the skin (although its exact mechanism is not fully understood by researchers).
Another example is magnesium hydroxide, a common ingredient in natural deodorants that increases the skin’s pH, making it less acidic, and thus less favorable for odor-causing bacteria like Staphylococcus hominis and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum.
Do We Need Full-Body Deodorants?
Body Deodorants, Biologically, should you add full-body deodorants to your daily routine? Experts answer no.
Adigun explains that sweat glands are found all over the body, but only a small portion of them, called apocrine glands, which are mainly concentrated in the armpits and groin area, produce odor. Therefore, not all areas of the body emit body odor, and there’s no reason to apply deodorant to every part of your body.
Is There A Reason You Shouldn’t Use Full-Body Deodorants?
Body Deodorants, Some ingredients in these products that you apply or spray on your skin can cause irritation. Dr. Jeanine Downie, a dermatologist from New Jersey, says, “Unfortunately, for those with sensitive skin, all body deodorants are irritating. These products often contain common irritants like pentylene glycol, phenylpropanol, potassium hydroxide, and fragrance.”
Women, due to the sensitivity of the vaginal area, should be very cautious about using products near this region, as the skin here is very delicate, and there is a fragile balance in the microflora (beneficial microorganisms). Ingredients that kill bacteria can disrupt this balance and lead to problems like fungal and bacterial infections.
Body Deodorants, Therefore, if you don’t have sensitive skin and enjoy the scent of deodorant creams and sprays, using them is fine. However, if you shower regularly, you don’t really need deodorant, as washing with soap and water is still a much better way to stay clean and fresh.
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