Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tuesday Beauty Tips - Antiperspirant Causes Cancer?

The leading cause of breast cancer is the use of antiperspirant.
What? A concentration of toxins leads to cell mutations: a.k.a. CANCER. Yes, ANTIPERSPIRANT. Most of the products out there are an antiperspirant/deodorant combination...go ahead...check!

Deodorant is fine, antiperspirant is not.

There has been much speculation about antiperspirant being linked to breast cancer. While no scientific evidence has been found to validate such claims, it certainly has people thinking more about their choices in how to banish their B.O.

What's the difference between Deodorant and Antiperspirant?
  •  Deodorant is an antiseptic enhanced fragrance that kills the odorous bacteria in your sweat.  
  • Antiperspirants work to block the pores in your sweat glands so that you don't perspire; ergo, you don't emit body odor. They contain paba, aluminum compounds and parabens, which mimic estrogen (and estrogen promotes the growth of cancerous cells in the breast). These chemicals can get into your blood stream through razor nicks in your armpits.
Nearly all breast cancer tumors occur in the upper outside quadrant of the breast area. This is precisely where the lymph nodes are located. Additionally, Men are less likely (but not completely exempt) to develop breast cancer prompted by antiperspirant usage because most of the antiperspirant product is caught in their hair and is not directly applied to the skin. Women who apply antiperspirant right after shaving increase the risk further because shaving causes almost imperceptible nicks in the skin which give the chemicals entrance into the body from the armpit area.

While studies have found parabens in breast cancer samples, there is no hard evidence that using antiperspirants leads to breast cancer.

The choice is yours to make. For anyone who worries about breast cancer, it is important to get regular mammograms, eat right, exercise and control your stress level.

Whenever I read about something like this...it makes me think...and if down the road someday they came to realize that this information is indeed true and I didn't listen, then I would be very disappointed in myself for not taking the advice.   For all we know, this could be all untrue...but we really do not know one way or another....and I don't like to take those kind of chances.  It all does make sense when you think about it!

For those of you who choose to wean yourselves off of any controversial antiperspirants.....just in case...I choose to wean myself off of antiperspirants and went shopping for a deodorant!  Not an easy task!  Everyone I looked at had aluminum!  The only one I could find was in the Men's line!!  Ha!  Now I'm going to smell like a man!!   Well better to have a piece of mind and smell like Brut!  lol......anyhow, Degree makes Deodorant.  Degree Silver Ion.  I purchased this one:
Joe asked the other day what that smell was...guess he will just have to get use to me smelling like one of the guys!

10 comments:

  1. LOL @ the comment from Joe, but this totally sucks! I already feel like I look like a boy most of the time, now I have to smell like one too? RATS!

    I ran into the bathroom when I read this and checked all of the ones I had... all are combos. I even have a degree in there (for men) that I got if my sweetheart ever needed it while he was here (it was free with coupons) but that kind is a combo too. What a bummer.

    This is perhaps one of those times in which being a lazy slob who as a child always forgot to brush her teeth, and now as an adult constantly forgets to do things like PUT ON DEORDERANT, will actually be a perk! LOL

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  2. Wow! I didn't have any idea with regard to this... It DOES make sense, and, as you said, there hasn't been enough research done to prove it, but "better safe than sorry". Thank you for sharing this, Java! I will be checking mine, as well as my daughter's deodorant today.

    I also wanted to drop by and tag you! :-)

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  3. thanks for sharing this info. will consider rechecking the deodorant items. i shave my underarms and put on deodorant without a thought. now what? my mother was from europe and some europeans don't use this item.

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  4. I was not aware of this thinking regarding a connection between breast cancer and antiperspirants but I am glad I read this today, so thank you for writing about it. I always use deodorant but am going off in a minute to check what is in it and if there's any aluminum I will search for a new one.

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  5. Hi Girls! I'm glad that you read this too! It is something that I was shocked to find out and realize that it does make alot of sense!

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  6. I've never heard this warning before. I have to wear Dove sensitive care because all other deodorants/antiperspirants make me break out in a horrible rash. Oh well. Sounds like the hype about plastic water bottles causing breast cancer. I guess I'll take my chances. My grandmother had breast cancer so I have 50% chance to begin with.

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  7. What?! Thank you sooooooo much for this heads up - not to mention shopping to see what available out there for all of us. Trust me, I'm head straight for the men's Degree...how bad could it smell and who cares. Smell a little funny or cancer. It doesn't sound like hype to me at all, in fact it seems to makes sense. Glad I pick tonight to visit you.

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  8. I've been trying to use a plain deodorant lately, but it just doesn't last as long. Arm & Hammer makes an aluminum free deodorant that works pretty well and I can usually find in my grocery store. I use plain deodorant on days I'm not going to be very active, but anti-perspirant on my active days. I figure I'm at least cutting back. You can find natural deodorants or deodorant stones at health food stores. I too am not sure if this is just hype or if there is something to it, but breast cancer is something I would rather not take a chance with!

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  9. I was so excited when I saw this- so in theme!

    Make your own deoderant- antipersperant and aluminum free!!

    http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-make-your-own-deodorant.html

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