Are deodorant and antiperspirant the same thing?

Deodorants and antiperspirants work in different ways to reduce body odor. Know how to differentiate them

Deodorant and antiperspirant

Shashank Shekhar image in Unsplash

On the shelves of pharmacies and supermarkets there is a huge variety of products designed to eliminate sweat and bad body odor, especially in the armpit region. But do you know the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant?

Deodorant: what is it for?

Deodorant is a product designed to remove bad odors from certain parts of the body. This odor, popularly known as cecê, is produced by the contact of bacteria with the sweat produced by apocrine sweat glands, located in some parts of the human body, such as in the armpits. The condition is scientifically called axillary bromhidrosis.

To eliminate the odor generated, the deodorant has compounds that act as bactericides or bacteriostatics, killing and preventing the growth of microorganisms in these regions. The most common compounds found in deodorants are: triclosan, parabens, fragrances and aluminum salts. Some of them have potential negative effects on human health.

  • To learn more about the negative effects caused by these compounds, see the article "Deodorant: what it is and what are its components"

But will using the deodorant you will reduce sweating for a certain time? The answer is no. When a product is exclusively deodorant, its function will only be to eliminate bad odors. To decrease the production of sweat we use the antiperspirant or also known as antiperspirant.

Antiperspirant: what is it for?

The antiperspirant acts on the obstruction of the apocrine sweat glands, decreasing the production of sweat originating from physiological processes. The main ingredient of antiperspirants is aluminum salt, considered an effective component capable of blocking these glands.

There is concern that if the skin absorbs these aluminum compounds, they can affect the estrogen receptors in the breast cells, causing cancer. However, according to American Cancer Society, there is no clear link between cancer and aluminum in antiperspirants.

While there are rumors linking antiperspirants to cancer, research suggests that these products do not cause cancer. However, the studies also recommend that more research is needed to study the potential link between breast cancer and antiperspirants.

It is noteworthy that antiperspirants also act as deodorants, but not all deodorants will act as antiperspirants. Now that you know the difference between the two products, check out more information about other types of cosmetics, their functions and components at the links below.



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