This document provides information about antiperspirants and deodorants. It defines sweating and its purpose, and describes the causes of perspiration and body odor. It explains the different types of sweat glands and the components of sweat. It discusses the key differences between deodorants and antiperspirants, how they work, and common ingredients such as aluminum salts, antimicrobials, and fragrances. Potential health effects are also mentioned, such as possible links to breast cancer and aluminum toxicity.
2. DEFINITION SWEATING
• PERSPIRATION (SWEATING, TRANSPIRATION, OR DIAPHORESIS) IS THE PRODUCTION OF
FLUIDS SECRETED BY THE SWEAT GLANDS IN THE SKIN OF MAMMALS.
• IN HUMANS, SWEATING IS PRIMARILY A MEANS OF THERMOREGULATION WHICH IS
ACHIEVED BY THE WATER-RICH SECRETION OF THE ECCRINE GLANDS. MAXIMUM SWEAT
RATES OF AN ADULT CAN BE UP TO 2-4 LITERS PER HOUR OR 10-14 LITERS PER DAY (10-15
G/MIN•M²), BUT IS LESS IN CHILDREN PRIOR TO PUBERTY.[2][3][4] EVAPORATION OF SWEAT
FROM THE SKIN SURFACE HAS A COOLING EFFECT DUE TO EVAPORATIVE COOLING.
HENCE, IN HOT WEATHER, OR WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL'S MUSCLES HEAT UP DUE TO
EXERTION, MORE SWEAT IS PRODUCED.
3. THE CAUSES OF PERSPIRATION & BODY
ODOR
• THE SKIN CONTAINS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GLANDS WHICH SECRETE LIQUIDS,
COMMONLY CALLED SWEAT OR PERSPIRATION, ONTO THE SKIN SURFACE THROUGH
PORES. ONE OF THE GLANDS, THE ECCRINE GLAND, IS FOUND OVER ALMOST THE
ENTIRE BODY AND ITS SECRETION IS MAINLY WATER WITH DISSOLVED SALTS (EG,
SODIUM CHLORIDE) AND OTHER ORGANIC MATERIALS. THESE GLANDS ARE ACTIVE
FROM BIRTH AND WHEN WE GET HOT, EXCITED OR NERVOUS THEY RELEASE THEIR
SECRETION ONTO THE SKIN WHERE IT EVAPORATES. BECAUSE THE ARMPIT IS A
PARTIALLY ENCLOSED AREA OF THE BODY PERSPIRATION CAN BUILD UP LEADING
TO A 'SWEATY' UNDERARM FEELING AND WET MARKS ON CLOTHING. ANOTHER
RELEVANT GLAND IS THE APOCRINE GLAND, MAINLY FOUND IN THE ARMPIT AND
GENITAL AREAS OF THE BODY. THESE GLANDS ARE ONLY ACTIVE FROM PUBERTY
AND RELEASE SMALL AMOUNTS OF A COMPLEX SECRETION WHEN WE ARE UNDER
STRESS OR EXCITED. HENCE THE ARMPIT IS A MOIST ENVIRONMENT FED WITH
SECRETIONS FROM THE GLANDS. THIS MAKES IT PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR THE
BACTERIA NATURALLY PRESENT ON THE SKIN TO GROW. WHEN SWEAT IS RELEASED
IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ODOUR BUT BACTERIA BREAK DOWN MATERIALS IN THE SWEAT
RESULTING IN THE .BODY ODOUR SMELL OR BO WHICH MOST PEOPLE FIND
UNPLEASANT
4. SWEAT GLANDS• 1. AN APOCRINE SWEAT GLAND IS A SWEAT GLAND COMPOSED OF A
COILED SECRETORY PORTION LOCATED AT THE JUNCTION OF THE
DERMIS AND SUBCUTANEOUS FAT, FROM WHICH A STRAIGHT
PORTION INSERTS AND SECRETES INTO THE INFUNDIBULAR
PORTION OF THE HAIR FOLLICLE. IN HUMANS, APOCRINE SWEAT
GLANDS ARE FOUND ONLY IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS OF THE BODY:
THE AXILLAE (ARMPITS), AREOLA AND NIPPLES OF THE BREAST,
EAR CANAL, EYELIDS, WINGS OF THE NOSTRIL, PERIANAL REGION,
AND SOME PARTS OF THE EXTERNAL GENITALIA. MODIFIED
APOCRINE GLANDS INCLUDE THE CILIARY GLANDS IN THE EYELIDS;
THE CERUMINOUS GLANDS, WHICH PRODUCE EAR WAX; AND THE
MAMMARY GLANDS, WHICH PRODUCE MILK. THE REST OF THE
BODY IS COVERED BY ECCRINE SWEAT GLANDS.
5. • 2. ECCRINE GLANDS (SOMETIMES CALLED MEROCRINE GLANDS)
ARE THE MAJOR SWEAT GLANDS OF THE HUMAN BODY, FOUND IN VIRTUALLY ALL
SKIN. THEY PRODUCE A CLEAR, ODORLESS SUBSTANCE, CONSISTING PRIMARILY
OF WATER AND NACL. NACL IS REABSORBED IN THE DUCT TO REDUCE SALT LOSS.
THEY ARE ACTIVE IN THERMOREGULATION AND EMOTIONAL SWEATING
(INDUCED BY ANXIETY, FEAR, STRESS, AND PAIN). THE WHITE SEDIMENT IN
OTHERWISE COLORLESS ECCRINE SECRETIONS IS CAUSED BY EVAPORATION
THAT INCREASES THE CONCENTRATION OF SALTS
7. COMPONENTS OF SWEAT
• ETHNICITY: HYPOTONIC LIQUID FORM OF BLOOD PLASMA. ACIDIC
SUBSTANCE WHICH IS THE DEGREE OF ACIDITY IS BETWEEN 4 AND 6. IT
CONSISTS MAINLY OF 99% WATER AND SOME MINERAL SALTS, WHICH ARE
SODIUM CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM, AND BICARBONATE. IT ALSO CONTAINS
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS SUCH AS LACTIC ACID, UREA, AND AMMONIA.
AGAYTAMEN AND C, AND MEDICINE. SECRETED BY SWEAT GLANDS
8. SWEATING MECHANISM
PRODUCE SWEAT IN HUMANS THROUGH THE SWEAT GLANDS THAT HAVE A ROLE IN
REGULATING BODY TEMPERATURE , THROUGH COOLING BY EVAPORATING SWEAT ON THE
SKIN SURFACE AND NUMBERING IN THE SKIN 2-4 MILLION ALMOST A SECRETE SWEAT
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM FUTURE FRIENDLY BY THE
NEUROTRANSMITTER ASETAYL COLIN KEPT UNDER HYPOTHALAMUS - A PART OF THE
BRAIN HAS ITS CENTER OF REGULATING BODY TEMPERATURE - AT BODY TEMPERATURE
CONSTANT AND RECEIVES THIS SEGMENT SIGNALS PULSED BLOOD WARM AND
RECEPTORS OF HEAT IN THE BODY AND THEN SENDS SIGNALS THROUGH THE NERVES TO
THE SWEAT GLANDS , WHICH IN TURN PRODUCES SWEAT AS WORKS OF NERVOUS TENSION
THE EXCITEMENT ALSO URGED THE SWEAT GLANDS , ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE HANDS
AND ARMPITS .
10. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
DEODORANT & AN ANTI-
PERSPIRANT
• DEODORANT PRODUCTS COUNTERACT THE FORMATION OF UNPLEASANT
BODY ODOR. THEY PRINCIPALLY WORK BY CONTROLLING THE GROWTH
OF BACTERIA ON THE SKIN SURFACE BUT ALSO CONTAIN PERFUME WHICH
CAN HELP OVERCOME BODY ODOR AND GIVE A PLEASING FRAGRANCE.
THESE PRODUCTS DO NOT AFFECT SWEATING. EXAMPLES ARE LYNX BODY
SPRAY AND IMPULSE FRAGRANCES WHICH GIVE QUALITY FRAGRANCES
WITH THE REASSURANCE OF AN EFFECTIVE DEODORANT.
• ANTI-PERSPIRANT PRODUCTS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SWEAT RELEASED
TO KEEP THE ARMPIT DRY AND COMFORTABLE. THE ACTION OF THE
ANTI-PERSPIRANT INGREDIENTS ALSO HELPS TO CONTROL THE GROWTH
OF BACTERIA. THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE EFFECT OF THE PERFUME,
MEANS THAT THEY WORK AS EFFECTIVE DEODORANTS. HENCE, ANTI-
PERSPIRANTS ARE USUALLY LABELLED AS ANTI-PERSPIRANT DEODORANTS
AS THEY PERFORM BOTH FUNCTIONS. EXAMPLE PRODUCTS
ARE THE REXONA AND DOVE BRAND PRODUCTS, WHICH GIVE HIGHLY
EFFICIENT PROTECTION FROM WETNESS AND ODOUR
11. WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN
ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS?
1. ALCOHOL
ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS ARE OFTEN DISSOLVED IN
ALCOHOL BECAUSE IT DRIES QUICKLY ONCE APPLIED TO THE SKIN
AND. GIVES AN IMMEDIATE SENSE OF COOLNESS
2. ALUMINIUM SALTS
ALUMINIUM SALTS ARE THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN
ANTIPERSPIRANTS. THEY WORK TO REDUCE THE FLOW OF SWEAT
FROM THE SWEAT GLAND TO THE SKIN SURFACE.
12. 3. ANTIMICROBIALS
THE SKIN IS HOME TO NATURAL BACTERIA THAT LIKE TO FEED ON
SWEAT BUT AS A RESULT, PRODUCE BAD SMELLS. IN OCCLUDED
AREAS, SUCH AS THE UNDERARM, THERE ARE ABOUT 1 MILLION
BACTERIA PER SQUARE CENTIMETRE. BY LOWERING THE NUMBER
OF BACTERIA ON THE SKIN, BODY ODOUR CAN ALSO BE REDUCED.
ANTIMICROBIALS AGENTS KILL BACTERIA AND ALSO SLOW THEIR
GROWTH SO THAT STAY YOU ODOUR-FREE FOR LONGER
4. FRAGRANCE AND SKIN CONDITIONERS
PERFUMES AND FRAGRANCES ARE USED IN MOST DEODORANTS AND
ANTIPERSPIRANTS IN ORDER TO MASK BODY ODOUR AND PROVIDE
A FEELING OF FRESHNESS TO THE USER. VIRTUALLY ALL
ANTIPERSPIRANT AND DEODORANT PRODUCTS CONTAIN SOME
EMOLLIENT OILS TO SOOTHE AND SOFTEN THE SKIN..
13. • 5. CARRIER SUBSTANCES
IN ORDER FOR ANTIPERSPIRANTS TO BE EFFECTIVELY APPLIED TO THE SKIN, THEY
NEED TO BE HELD IN SOME KIND OF CARRYING STRUCTURE - WHETHER THAT
BE THE LIQUIDS USED IN AEROSOLS OR THE SOLIDS USED IN STICKS. WATER IS
USED IN A RANGE OF ANTIPERSPIRANTS AS A CARRIER FOR OTHER
INGREDIENTS AS IT ADDS FLUIDITY TO ROLL-ONS AND CREAMS AND HELPS
THE PRODUCT SPREAD ONTO THE SKIN. IN AEROSOL PRODUCTS THE ACTIVE
INGREDIENTS ARE HELD IN A NEUTRAL LIQUID WHICH ENABLES THEM TO BE
EASILY SPRAYED ONTO THE SKIN. THIS LIQUID (COMMONLY
CYCLOMETHICONE) IS OFTEN COMBINED WITH A SLIGHTLY DENSER MINERAL
CLAY-LIKE SUBSTANCE (DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE) WHICH PROVIDES
STRUCTURE TO THE ANTIPERSPIRANT AND STOPS HEAVIER INGREDIENTS
SINKING TO THE BOTTOM.
LIKEWISE, SOLID ANTIPERSPIRANT AND DEODORANT PRODUCTS CONTAIN AN
AGENT WHICH PROVIDES STRUCTURE AND PREVENTS THE INGREDIENTS FROM
SEPARATING OUT. THIS STRUCTURE CAN BE PROVIDED BY A COMBINATION OF
INGREDIENTS INCLUDING HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, GLYCEROL FATS
(TRIGLYCERIDES) AND STEARYL ALCOHOL.
SOME ANTIPERSPIRANT PRODUCTS ALSO INCLUDE AN INGREDIENT CALLED PEG-8
DISTEARATE, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER TO WASH THE PRODUCT OFF IN THE
BATH OR SHOWER AT THE END OF THE DAY.
14. 6. PARABENS
• PARABENS ARE A TYPE OF PRESERVATIVE FOUND IN MANY PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS. THE
VAST MAJORITY OF ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS DO NOT CONTAIN PARABENS
BECAUSE ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS ARE GENERALLY SELF-PRESERVING.
7. PROPELLANTS
• AEROSOL ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK VIA A THIN FILM
WHICH IS PROPELLED ONTO THE SKIN. TO CREATE THIS FILM, PRODUCTS CONTAIN LOW,
MEDIUM AND HIGH PRESSURE PROPELLANTS WHICH PRODUCE A STRONG, BUT COMFORTABLE,
SPRAY TO REACH THE SKIN. THESE PROPELLANTS ARE COMMONLY BUTANE, ISOBUTANE AND
PROPANE
15. HOW DO DEODORANTS WORK?
• PERSPIRATION ITSELF IS ALMOST ODORLESS. MOST OF THE ODOR THAT ACCOMPANIES
PERSPIRATION IS CAUSED BY THE ACTION OF BACTERIA. DEODORANTS REDUCE THIS
ODOR IN ONE OF THREE WAYS: BY PREVENTING THE ACTION OF BACTERIA ON THE
PERSPIRATION, BY PREVENTING THE SECRETION OF PERSPIRATION, OR BY MASKING
THE OFFENSIVE ODOR WITH A PLEASANT ONE.
• DEODORANTS THAT KILL OR INACTIVATE BACTERIA CONTAIN ANTISEPTIC
SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS ALCOHOL, FORMALDEHYDE, AND BORIC ACID. CHLORINE
COMPOUNDS, E.G. HYPOCHLORITE AND CHLORHEXIDINE, WORK BY KILLING
BACTERIA WHICH MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ODOR.
• DEODORANTS THAT MASK PERSPIRATION ODOR CONTAIN PERFUMES. ESSENTIAL OILS
AND SUCH DISINFECTANTS AS CARBOLIC ACID SIMPLY MASK THE ODOR, MAKING IT
LESS OFFENSIVE.
16. HOW DO ANTIPERSPIRANTS WORK?
• ALUMINIUM-BASED ANTIPERSPIRANTS WORK BY BLOCKING THE SWEAT DUCTS,
THEREBY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF SWEAT THAT REACHES THE SKIN’S
SURFACE. ALUMINIUM SALTS ARE SOLUBLE AS LONG AS THE FORMULATION IS
ACIDIC (LOW PH). WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED TO SKIN AND COME IN CONTACT
WITH SWEAT, THE PH RISES CAUSING THE ALUMINIUM SALTS TO PRECIPITATE
OUT AND FORM A PLUG OVER THE SWEAT GLANDS. SWEAT CONTINUES TO BE
PRODUCED BY THE SWEAT GLAND BUT IT JUST ISN'T ABLE TO REACH THE
SURFACE OF THE SKIN.
• DIPHEMANIL METHYLSULFATE IS A DRUG THAT OPPOSES THE ACTION OF THE
PARASYMPATHETIC NERVES THAT CONTROL SWEAT PRODUCTION.
18. HEALTHY EFFECT
1. ALUMINUM TOXICITY
ALUMINUM ITSELF ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE BLOOD–BRAIN BARRIER, IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING DNA
DAMAGE, AND HAS ADVERSE EPIGENETIC EFFECTS
2. BREAST CANCER
2004 AND 2005 STUDIES LED BY RESEARCHER PHILIPPA DARBRE, HYPOTHESIZES THAT PARTICULAR
SUBSTANCES IN DEODORANTS, SUCH AS PRESERVATIVES CALLED PARABENS, OR BOLTS SUCH AS
ALUMINUM CHLORIDE USED IN ANTIPERSPIRANTS, GET INTO THE BLOODSTREAM OR ACCUMULATE IN
BREAST TISSUE, WHERE THEY ENHANCE OR EMULATE THE EFFECTS OF ESTROGEN, WHICH
STIMULATES THE GROWTH OF CANCEROUS BREAST CELLS
19. 3. RENAL DYSFUNCTION
THE AGENCY WARNS PEOPLE WITH RENAL DYSFUNCTION TO CONSULT A
DOCTOR BEFORE USING
ANTIPERSPIRANTS CONTAINING ALUMINUM
4. DEODORANT CRYSTALS CONTAINING SYNTHETICALLY MADE POTASSIUM
ALUM WERE FOUND TO BE A WEAK IRRITANT TO THE SKIN. ALCOHOL-FREE
DEODORANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WITH SENSITIVE SKIN.