Your Medical Minute: The Dangers of Antiperspirants
I spotted this picture of actress Halle Berry on one of my favorite sites, Awfulplasticsurgery.com. The writer guessed that the cause of Halle’s armpit scar was a clogged sweat gland - and I agree based on the length of the scar.
Halle probably had a sebaceous cyst which is a very painful infection caused by the use of antiperspirants.
Without getting too technical, antiperspirants are plain bad for you and you should avoid using them. Here’s why: antiperspirants contain toxic aluminum-based compounds that clog the sweat glands in your armpits and interfere with the release of sebum from our sweat glands.
Sebum is that oily substance that waterproofs our skin and hair and protects them from drying out. If the sebum can’t get out of our sweat glands it creates a pocket full of sebum that sometimes gets infected and forms a cyst.
The pain from a large cyst is extremely intense and usually sends the sufferer running to their doctor for relief. Once you get to that point, the only solution is surgery to remove the cyst. The surgery itself is simple: same day, in and out. But in some cases the after effects can be debilitating and permanent. Some post surgical patients complain of numbness in their fingers and arm that never goes away.
This very painful condition can be prevented by avoiding the use of antiperspirants. This was your Medical Minute.
For more info on sebaceous cysts and antiperspirants, go here.
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33 Responses to “Your Medical Minute: The Dangers of Antiperspirants”
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Your Medical Minute is to broad. What would you use for deodorant then?
I doubt Halla had a cyst in her armpit.
*Halle
Thank You Sandra for posting this. My mom had breast cancer not to long ago and many people attribute the high rate of cancer in women to the antiperspirant and aluminum in our deodorants. I now use Arm and Hammer Natural deodorant. It doesn’t have all that icky stuff that comes with normal deodorant.
Well maybe a natural antiperspirant then???? Advising women to walk around smelling like they bathe in a urinal seems like bad advise. Not to mention the sweat stains. If you got stains under your arms but didn’t just come back from the gym? Men like me are gonna give you the side eye.lol. Alls I’m saying is if you aint gone use deodorant at the very least dab a little orange listerine under your arms.lol
Thank you SOOOO Much Sandra .. I have found that on occasion I get painful lumps in my armpits I even had one surgically removed.. So I’ll now be looking for Natural Deodorants …
Yeah, this is very true. I have read about this. At times I have the problem of having soreness under my arm and it comes from antiperspirant.
Ouch! That scar is not cute. but great info…thanks!
She looks good scare and all. I will try the natural line but if I stink I will have to take my chances with the cyst.
LOL, JustSaying
My son uses the Arm and Hammer Deodorant too (he very active in sports) and he doesn’t stink.
A friend of mine had a terrible rash brought on by her deodorant and then came the cyst..thanks for the heads up Sandra..she never really talked too much about it, her sick ass just wanted to “show” everybody..so at least I know the how’s and why’s this can occur..and what to do to prevent it
Wow I was gonna ask what to use then but I see alot of folks saying Arm & Hammer, but you know us woman like using the good & sweet smelling deoderant!!(lol) but yeah i bet that is painful especially if it comes to what Halle had(ouch)
Thanks for this one Sandra…I get a lot of irritation from certain deodorants too, I usually use Dove sensitive.
Deodorant and antiperspirant are two different things. I’m not saying don’t use deodorants, I’m saying don’t use antiperspirant with aluminum.
I’m not sure when this picture was taken of Halle (before or after pregnancy). But, when I was 19 I got pregnant with my daughter at the time I was pretty flat chested. But as the pregnancy progressed my breast began to grow and with that my left arm pit began to bulge outward vs. in like we’re use to. The Dr. told me that it was extra breast tissue not a cyst. She could have had that and had it removed. Mine went down but never back to the way it was. Being Halle Berry and wearing those beautiful dresses it wouldn’t due to have an extra breast in your armpit now would it.
2bme Says:
A friend of mine had a terrible rash brought on by her deodorant and then came the cyst.
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I never knew about armpit cysts until I had a patient who had one (I must have missed that class in school). My patient had hers surgically removed. It left her with a gaping wound in her armpit. I was shocked!
LOL @ Brenden
ain’t nobody trying to walk around smelling like an ole mule. I think using Arm and Hammer is a good idea. Thank you for the advice Idorisca.
I had this problem, And the pain was unbearable. All due to using the wrong Deodorant.
Yuc-key…….
I had the same thing happen to me (painful cyst in the underarm area) and when I went to the doctor, she told me that it was the deodorant that I was using. I didn’t have to have it surgically removed though, I just changed deodorants and it went away. The doctor I went to told me to buy just plain deodorant that doesn’t have antiperspirant in it (very hard to find). Speed stick used to make one but the only one I can find now is Tom’s natural deodorant. Of course it’s more expensive but it’s worth it.
my friend had to have a cyst removed from under her arm…we assumed it was due to her deodorant/antiperspirant but she never mentioned anything else about it after the surgery…
i’m def going to look into this and spread the word (and take heed to it myself)…
Wow, the stock in Arm & Hammer just shot up. Sandra, they own you some shout outs in a commercial or something. Great info, I’m heading to the store. We’ll all meet back here and give our reports of how well it works
I get those painful lumps as well but I always assumed that it was from my diet like eating something sweet, the same as pimples when you get them on your face, but I had no idea it could be my deordorant, wow! Thanks for the info!
Deodorant and antiperspirant are two different things. I’m not saying don’t use deodorants, I’m saying don’t use antiperspirant with aluminum.
Isn’t a antiperspirant usually a roll on or a sray? I use a solid-dove or secret in any scent but has any woman in the room who has had a breast exam from the doctor noticed he starts with the arm pit(or is mine just a perv) all kidding aside I did find a little bump on my arm pit but was told never to reuse a razor on my pits. I was never told it was my deodorant but my razor. A few years ago I did have a lump on my breast at the age of 37 I had to get a mammogram which turned into wait 6 mnonth for another mammogram or have get a biopsy. I chose the biopsy, 6 months is a long time to wait and only worry more, I wanted to know now. I got the results back in 2 weeks and all was well. Is a biopsy scary, not if you ask questions and do your research, I do have a small scar and a great sense of relief. Too the room pass the word on. April is almost over and this month is Minority Educaion month. But everyday is “take care of yourself day to me”.
Sorry I did not edit before my computer decided to submit. I am sure everyone knew what I said.
@ ldorisca: I hope your mom is doing well?
@ Anna: The little razor bumps are not as chronic as the raging infections that cause sebaceous cysts. The pain is a lot different too.
It is a good idea not to re-use your razors. You might try using Nair hair removal cream instead.
Thanks to everyone for the emails. Just to be clear, it is the bacteria that defecates in your armpits that causes that foul odor - not your sweat. Your sweat does not smell. Think of children who sweat and don’t need deodorants because they don’t stink.
Also, you can go without deodorant at all if you keep the bacteria under control. Ask your doctor what to use to accomplish that.
umm, the site also suggests breast augmentation as a possible reason for the scar. boob jobs and nose jobs are almost a prerequisite in this day and age. halle had a nose job so some sort of boob job is probably more on point than a arm pit cyst.
also, folks should be be aware that not all deodorants are created equal. the ingredients found in commercial deodorants are frightening. grab an arm and hammer deodorant. can you pronounce the ingredients? do you know what those chemicals do to your body? if you want a natural alternative visit your local health food store. if they’re worth their salt the staff can direct you to the best choice for your perspiration needs.
concur with nyp 26..I was waiting for somebody else to mention this first, lolz
Yes Halle has definitely had boob work done before. Look at her pics from her pageant days and her current boobs, they’re not the same boobs.
That’s the reason for her scar…….a good ole boob job.
Although this is certainly helpful information about the deodorants and whatnot…her scars are old, now they could just go in through her belly button and leave no scar..n e wayz!
aint no damn man noticed a scar under halle berry’s arm pit. let me tell you this, guys dont care about arm pits !!!
@mjoylaw. Yes Halle has definitely had boob work done before.
I did not want to be rude and suggest what I thought. when I see the picutre of her arm pit. It does look like she had a boob job that was rooted under the arm pit not under the breast bone nor the actual nipple. I stil say that there are some ppl we try to not expose. Sandra if you find a cause or reason for the pic that lets us know otherwise it was still a good point about the antipersidents.
I want to really talk about the anti Presidents. Hope all voted today. We know Bush will be out but is a Demorcrat in? A woman has a right to choose what she does with her body. As a woman I have a voice to say what I am and who I choose for my vote.
i heard about the dangers of antipersperants and other products we use and eat daily in this county. i myself am using more natural products and most of my friends don’t get it. it is worth the cost though.
healthy discussion and info. thanks.
Sandra, I love all of your Medical Minutes. If you could clone yourself, you should consider doing a medical blog. Your nursing experience gives you an informed yet easily understood perspective.
Thanks for the post Sandra!
I am so glad I stopped using antiperspirants a year ago. I use organic deordorant from Whole Body.
If you eat a really good diet, you shouldn’t be funky anyway. A lot of it comes from what you put in your body.
But in case anyone is looking for a really good deodorant to use, try “Laffe’s Natural and Organic”. It comes in a spray and roll on.