Sweating is a natural, physiological process. Often, however, we want to limit it for our own comfort. One of the types of sweating preparations that come to our aid in this situation are antiperspirants. How to choose the right one? How do antiperspirants work?
Antiperspirants are cosmetics that, thanks to the aluminum salt content, reduce sweat. These compounds temporarily block the orifices of the sweat glands, reducing the outflow of sweat. As a result, the skin remains dry and the unpleasant odors caused by the breakdown of sweat are not produced.
Aluminum salts contained in antiperspirants, in contact with sweat, form a gel that seals the openings of sweat glands. This prevents sweat from being released on the skin's surface, leaving you dry and odor-free. The blockage formed after using the antiperspirant is removed during washing or with the exfoliation of the stratum corneum.
Which antiperspirant should I choose?
There are plenty of antiperspirants available on the market, so we can choose a cosmetic tailored to our needs and preferences. When choosing a preparation for yourself, take into account factors such as strength, frequency of use, fragrance, form of the cosmetic, the content of skin care ingredients or the part of the body on which you want to apply the preparation.
If our problem with sweating is minor, let's reach for preparations containing alum. These are aluminum sulphates, e.g. potassium alum. Most often, such preparations are in the form of crystals. The alum works most superficially. They are easily removed from the skin and the sweating reduction effect is small. Due to the lack of additional ingredients, the alum crystal will also be a good choice for very sensitive and allergic skin. Due to the most external effect of alum, let us reach for them also when we expect the effect of reducing sweating, and despite the assurances about the safety of antiperspirants (see below), we are afraid of their effects on the body.
On the other hand, preparations based on aluminum chloride, such as Etiaxil, are antiperspirants with a more effective and longer-lasting effect than the others. The aluminum chloride molecule is smaller and works deeper, penetrating the sweat gland. As a result, the gel coating formed is removed more slowly along with the exfoliation of the epidermal cells. For this reason, an application repeated every few days is sufficient to achieve a strong effect of reducing perspiration. Therefore, let's reach for preparations based on aluminum chloride when our problem with hyperhidrosis is large and we are looking for a strong, long-lasting effect.
The most commonly used substances, present in almost every antiperspirant against excessive sweating available in drugstores, are aluminum hydroxychloride and aluminum-zirconium complexes. They act superficially and the effect of inhibiting perspiration is indirect. For optimal results, such preparations are used daily. So let's reach for antiperspirants containing these compounds when our problem with excessive sweating is moderate.
Antiperspirants also differ in the form of the cosmetic and the place they are intended for. The antiperspirant for excessive underarm sweating usually comes in the form of a ball, stick, or spray. The latter form also includes foot antiperspirants. The antiperspirant for armpits or for hands and feet can also be in the form of a gel or cream.
An interesting fact are antiperspirants in the form of a washing cosmetic or in the form of wet wipes, designed to reduce sweating all over the body. When choosing an antiperspirant, also pay attention to its smell and additional substances present in the composition. While the choice of a fragrance is a matter of individual preferences, it happens that we cannot use fragrant cosmetics due to allergies. Then let's look for preparations described as "odorless" or without the slogan "Parfum", which are used to mark fragrance compositions.
Fragrance-free antiperspirants are also a good choice when you don't want them to collide with the aroma of your favorite perfume. In turn, owners of sensitive and delicate skin can choose preparations containing care ingredients, such as oils or plant extracts. Etiaxil antiperspirants are odorless, and in addition, the Etiaxil Comfort and Etiaxil Original versions have skin protection and care systems that reduce irritation.
Are antiperspirants harmful?
Still a popular myth about antiperspirants is their alleged link with breast cancer. This myth has been debunked in many scientific publications, and to date there is no convincing evidence to the contrary. One such study, involving over 800 women with breast cancer, found that the use of antiperspirants, deodorants, or shaving the armpits did not increase the risk of the disease.
In turn, in a study assessing the absorbability of aluminum, scientists found that less aluminum enters the body after using an antiperspirant than with food. The lack of association of antiperspirants with breast cancer has been confirmed by organizations around the world related to health, incl. FDA, American Cancer Society and Cancer Research UK.
It is also worth remembering that all cosmetics available on the European Union market are subject to a safety assessment and, according to the current knowledge and used in accordance with the conditions, do not cause harm to health.
Who can use antiperspirants?
Antiperspirants can be used by all people depending on their needs, from adolescents, when the problem of unpleasant smell after sweating begins to appear, to the elderly. On the other hand, antiperspirants should not be used on diseased and damaged skin. In this case, they may cause irritation. The preparation can be selected depending on our needs and preferences, choosing the form of the cosmetic that suits us, strength or fragrance.
