HEALTH: Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant

Body odor is big business — as in, huge. Americans spent $2.9 billion to battle BO last year, according to Nielsen, a market research firm. That figure is up 2.7% compared to the previous 12 months. Call the sales ripe. Or strong. Either way, they don't stink.

The same goes for sweat, which doesn’t inherently reek. It’s virtually odorless “when it exits the body,” according to David Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Westchester, N.Y.
But sweat plus bacteria that lives under your arms — or the groin area — equals stench.

Which explains the nearly $3 billion for roll-ons, sticks, gels, aerosols and non-aerosol sprays to keep us smelling like or rose, or musk, or fresh-cut grass, or whatever, just as long as our aroma doesn’t make people next to us plug their noses.

The war on stench is a two-pronged one. Antiperspirants work by plugging pores with astringents like aluminum salts so that moisture can’t be released to the surface of the skin. Deodorants use ingredients such as alcohol and antimicrobials to kill bacteria and include fragrance to camouflage nose-offending aromas. Many over-the-counter products combine two-in-one.

The safety of antiperspirants has been raised several times, either saying that the blockage of sweat ducts is linked to cancer. The National Institutes of Health and other major health organizations have refuted those claims. “There are no strong epidemiologic studies in the medical literature that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and very little scientific evidence to support this claim,” notes the American Cancer Society. Still, if you’re not into doing something to your body to keep it from functioning the way it’s designed to — sweating is our cooling system — opt for a single-purpose deodorant.

To get the most from your antiperspirant, apply it to a dry pit, since moisture gets in the way it doing its job. “The optimal time is at bedtime,” says Bank. “You’re calm, relaxed and dry. When you shower in the morning you won’t be washing it off.” You’re welcome. Actually, no — thank you.