Modern hygiene rules prescribe the daily and frequent use of not only soap, but also many other hygiene products. Among them, deodorants and antiperspirants occupy a worthy place, which is almost impossible to do without. Together with the help and quick resolution of perspiration problems, they often cause significant harm. Allergy to deodorant is a fairly common phenomenon, these funds are entirely composed of chemically synthesized components. How the skin and the body of an individual person will react is recognized only in practice.
Agents of influence
Manufacturers massively offer two types of antiperspirants - deodorants and antiperspirants. According to the principle of action, they have differences and long-term consequences from frequent use. The most popular among consumers is deodorant. The use of the product is due to ease of application and effectiveness. The basis of the action is the principle of neutralizing the smell of sweat due to the components. In this case, sweating does not decrease, and during the day the effect of the drug gradually disappears.
The deodorant may contain dozens of ingredients, but the main active ingredient is always alcohol. It has a sanitizing effect, neutralizing bacteria, and is a provocateur of allergic reactions, which occurs due to irritation of the skin.
As an alternative to alcohol, some manufacturers produce triclosan-based deodorants. This ingredient has a negative effect on respiratory function, the thyroid gland and also causes allergies, in some countries the component is prohibited. Farnesol has a less detrimental effect on the skin. The substance is an extract from natural oils, in particular from sandalwood oil. If you want to buy a safe product, you should buy one that includes farnesol.
Antiperspirant
People with increased sweating prefer to buy antiperspirants that block the very possibility of fluid secretion. The basis of the action is the reaction of aluminum salts, which are part of the product, with sweat. Aluminum salts do not harm the body, but constant use is fraught with clogging of the sweat ducts, which can lead to cancer (breast cancer).
Manufacturers even found an alternative here - zirconium salts. To date, their effect on the human body has not been studied, but since the mechanism of action remains the same, we can say that the damage to health has not disappeared.
Release Forms
A huge variety of deodorants means not only the variety of brands, manufacturers, but also a large number of forms of release. At the present stage, such species are mass produced:
- Spray can.
- Gel.
- Stick
- Cream.
- Liquid.
- Powder.
In the vast majority of cases, the manufacturer will assure the buyer of the safety of the purchased product by making an appropriate inscription on the package. In Russia, unfortunately, so far there are no uniform standards or rules for the use of the term “hypoallergenic”. Therefore, only on the conscience of the manufacturer lies a similar wording. No research and testing on this subject is conducted.
Help label
Everyone can have an allergy to deodorant; currently there is no absolutely safe means of perspiration, but risks can be minimized. A negative reaction can be caused by any component, and not just the main active substance. People with a tendency to allergic reactions need to carefully study the label. A frequent irritant is a perfume fragrance, designed to mask the smell of sweat.
A powerful fragrance added to the aerosol not only gets to the desired place, but is also inhaled, settles on the mucous membranes. It can cause shortness of breath, an asthma attack, rashes on the body, eye irritation, swelling of the nasopharynx and other troubles. Information about which agent is used to improve odor is not always indicated on the label; the manufacturer has the right to keep the secret of the product formula.
Deodorizing agents in the form of sticks, gels or rollers, to maintain their shape and extend their shelf life, contain parabens that provoke weakening of the immune system and a tendency to atopy. Also, these agents accumulate in the body and “shoot” oncological diseases. When choosing a product, you should pay attention to the expiration date (up to 1 year), in this case, the number of preservatives is minimized.
Paraben free, but allergic
The inscription “without parabens” should exclude their presence in the composition, but this does not mean the absence of preservatives. For example, many manufacturers have found an equally harmful alternative - phenoxyethanol. It is in the top 10 allergens and causes irritation to the skin, mucous membranes and respiratory system, in many countries it is prohibited or restricted for use. If you consider which product will be the least safe, then it will turn out to be a deodorant in the form of a spray, since all the contents are in a spray bottle, where there is no access to air, and there is no direct contact with the skin.
Today, most consumers are actively developing products based on natural ingredients, where essential oils, plant extracts, and algae are added as maskers of unpleasant odors. These components cause no less irritation and also threaten health.
Before you purchase a product labeled “bio”, you should familiarize yourself with the contents and check the skin reaction to the components. This is done simply - a very small amount of the product or any ingredient must be applied to the back of the elbow and observe the skin reaction during the day. At the slightest sign of irritation, use should be discarded.
Common Truths
An allergic rash on the body in an adult from the use of deodorizing agents occurs at any age. But there are risk groups - these are women who have crossed the 40-year frontier and children who have entered the puberty period. These categories of patients are distinguished by hypersensitive skin and the active use of deodorants or antiperspirants, due to changes in the hormonal background and the sweat glands activity caused by this. Experts recommend using hypoallergenic soap and ordinary water more often to maintain cleanliness, as well as choosing the safest means to neutralize the smell of sweat.
Allergy to deodorant is caused by another elementary factor - the use of expired products. Since the product consists entirely of chemical elements, their decay is predicted up to one day. The components are oxidized, enter into new reactions, which creates a completely different product that provokes big problems. Do not purchase funds of unknown origin or with an expired shelf life.
Signs of an Allergy
By purchasing a remedy for sweat, no one can predict whether an allergy to deodorant will occur. Most often, the tool is selected individually, by trial and error.
The following symptoms are the clinical manifestations of a negative reaction:
- Local reactions of the epidermis in places treated with a deodorizing agent, most often there is irritation of the armpits.
- Dermatitis of an allergic origin, when exposed to sunlight can occur after 12-48 hours.
- Quincke's edema, shortness of breath or urticaria can be felt within a few minutes or within a few hours after using the product.
It is impossible to predict exactly how the reaction of the skin and the body as a whole will look. A manifestation may be redness of the epidermis, swelling, temperature, the appearance of small nodules filled with liquid in the places where the deodorant was applied. The use of the drug can also provoke itching, burning not only locally, but also far beyond the treated area. Symptoms intensify with repeated use, and manifestations are exacerbated.
Hives
Allergy to deodorant is most often observed in the form of urticaria. The reaction looks like chaotic rashes on the skin in the form of blisters filled with serous fluid, irregularly shaped and of different sizes. The rash is accompanied by severe itching and an increased temperature of the epidermis in places of localization.
Sometimes the reactivity of the body is accompanied by aggravating manifestations:
- Irritation of the respiratory tract - sneezing, itching in the nose, inflammation of the lacrimal glands (lacrimation), shortness of breath.
- Vomiting, diarrhea, persistent nausea.
- With edema of the upper respiratory tract, the patient may have difficulty swallowing.
In especially severe cases, a person may experience Quincke's edema, which is expressed in the rapid and acute swelling of the mucous membranes, subcutaneous fat. External manifestation is a significant increase in body volume, swelling in the larynx leads to suffocation.
Urticaria tends to appear within 10-15 minutes after using an irritating agent, which is often a deodorant. The use of even the usual means of perspiration in the future should be discontinued.
Treatment
Do not despair if you are overtaken by an allergy to deodorant. What to do in this case?
It is necessary:
- Wash off the product with warm, soapy water.
- Refuse the use of deodorizing agents for the period of diagnosis and treatment.
- Consult a doctor to determine the allergen.
- Follow the recommendations of a specialist when choosing a product for sweat.
The doctor, depending on the degree of reaction, will recommend taking antihistamines, sometimes corticosteroids. Antiallergic ointment for the skin of a pharmaceutical series will help strengthen the therapy. What medications to use, an allergist must decide, self-medication can harm.
Using folk remedies, it is also worth showing prudence, especially to people with a hereditary tendency to atopy. Among plants, oils, there are many allergens. In the case of an active manifestation of allergic reactions (Quincke's edema, severe urticaria, anaphylactic shock, etc.), it is urgent to call an emergency team.
Prevention
It is easier to avoid the disease than to treat the consequences for a long time, this postulate also applies to cases when an allergy to deodorant occurs. What to do to maintain health and at the same time use the entire arsenal of modern hygiene products? It’s worth following simple rules:
- Carefully examine the label for harmful ingredients.
- Do not use expired funds.
- Give preference to products with simple formulas and a small number of components.
- Avoid goods, which include accumulating components (not excreted from the body), when receiving a severe lesion of internal organs, no one will be able to guess what caused the serious illness.
- Before using a deodorant, it is worthwhile to conduct a trial daily test, in the absence of a negative reaction, feel free to apply.
You can do without deodorizing agents in the modern world, but this is unlikely to be justified. With a huge number of manufacturers and lines of deodorants, it is always possible to find a safe option, you just have to devote some time to the process.