They stop deodorants with aluminum salts "for fear of cancer"

• For several years, the aluminum salts contained in certain deodorants have been questioned by part of the scientific community.

• A recent study once again points out the risks of breast cancer associated with this substance with antiperspirant properties.

• More and more women are therefore choosing to avoid deodorants containing aluminum salts, and

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  gives them the floor.

Every morning, it's the reflex action after the shower: put on deodorant. In spray, ball, stick or cream: to each his preference, provided that it ensures fresh armpits, devoid of unpleasant smell of perspiration, and avoids unsightly halos. But one ingredient calls this ritual into question: aluminum salts. Used for their antiperspirant properties, they have been pointed out for several years by part of the scientific community. A new study conducted by Swiss researchers, and published in the 

, warns again about the risks of breast cancer associated with this substance.

So, many women have made the choice to rule out aluminum salts overnight.

And if some have opted for homemade deodorants, it is also possible to find happiness in the supermarket, between the new brands which promote healthy cosmetics and those of the mass distribution which have revised their copy.

"I quit for fear of breast cancer"

Pregnancy, family history of breast cancer and the quest for naturalness are all motivations that have led many readers of 

 to abandon deodorants containing aluminum salts (AS). Like Beatrice, who “quit two months ago for fear of breast cancer. I found a very good one in the supermarket ”. Marion, she opted two years ago for a cream deodorant from a Dutch brand, highlighted by many influencers on Instagram. “You just need to put it on every three days, it's effective and I know what's in it. And if I run out before receiving my order, I use the Yuka and QuelCosmetic apps to get another one for troubleshooting ”.

It was after "breast cancer treated in 2020, but with a high rate of possible recurrence", that Hélène, 44, asked herself questions. “When I read that AS increases the risk, I looked at the makeup of my deodorant and found that it contained it. I threw it away! I have also seen that endocrine disruptors can increase the risk of hormone-dependent cancer like mine. So, for my health and that of my family, I downloaded the INCI application and scanned all the products in my bathroom. And I almost threw it all away! "

More and more, “patients are worried about the composition of their cosmetics,” confirms Dr. Isabelle Rousseaux, dermatologist. Especially women, who frequently ask me about deodorants. In the name of the precautionary principle, I advise them to avoid those containing AS: deodorant, we put it every day, on thin and sensitive skin, which can be weakened by waxing or shaving, and let pass certain substances ”. In a previous study conducted by the same Swiss researchers, and which already focused on the involvement of AS in the formation of breast cancer, Professor André-Pascal Sappino, oncologist, and Dr Stefano Mandriota, biologist, noted that 80% tumors appear in the armpit,"Where the epidermis is extremely permeable and where the lymphatic network which drains the mammary gland is located", they emphasized.

"I switched to homemade deodorant"

To be sure of the harmlessness of their deodorant, some have opted for homemade.

Emma has thus “abandoned commercial antiperspirants for two years.

But I found conventional deodorants ineffective.

I switched to edible baking soda, applied with slightly wet fingers after the shower, and the result is stunning: no smell of perspiration!

However, it happens that after a while my armpits are red, so I take a weekend break ”.

Sandra, she stopped the antiperspirants "in 2013, after the detection of breast cancer in my mother". Like Emma, ​​she cannot find an effective alternative in the supermarket. “A friend advised me to apply a mixture of organic coconut oil and baking soda. Magical ! You just don't have to put it on after waxing to avoid itching and irritation ”.

"I have nothing against homemade recipes, but certain ingredients, especially if they are poorly dosed, can be irritating for the axillary area, which is particularly thin and prone to friction and irritation", underlines Dr. Rousseaux.

To get started, “it is better to look for simple recipes and test the mixture on a less sensitive area before applying it to the armpits.

For this everyday product, I would rather recommend an organic deodorant that is well rated on the apps that assess cosmetics, especially as more and more brands are taking steps to develop healthy formulas ”.

"I wanted to create a healthy and effective deodorant, without controversial ingredients"

Among these brands, there is Respire, born from a desire to create the deodorant that would make everyone agree. “Four years ago, I felt a lump in my chest, under my right armpit, remembers Justine Hutteau, 27, co-founder of the brand. The examinations revealed a benign tumor ”. For this young woman passionate about marathon and ultra-trail, it was the click. “I wondered about the composition of my cosmetics and their effect on my body. I learned the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant, and realized that I had been using antiperspirant with SA for years. The doctor who had my breast ultrasound recommended that I avoid them ”.

Like many, Justine then seeks "a well-rated deodorant on the apps. But I was never convinced by the scents, the textures, or the effectiveness. So I wanted to create a healthy deodorant: without controversial ingredients, with a natural formula, certified organic, made in France, vegan, and above all which is pleasant to use and effective ”. This is how Respire was born after a crowdfunding campaign, launched by a video that will be viewed more than 3 million times. “We pre-sold 21,000 deodorants in one month as part of this campaign,” says Justine Hutteau, who then calls on French laboratories and pharmacists to find the perfect formula.

And it works.

“Since then, we have sold more than 2 million deodorants,” says the entrepreneur.

Two and a half years later, the brand has broadened its range and found its audience.

"We bet on transparency and involve our community in decision-making, to better meet its expectations," says the young woman on social networks.

We worked on eco-responsible packaging and launched a new solid deodorant, with effectiveness proven by an independent laboratory.

I want to show, through our brand, that the cosmetics industry is capable of developing healthy and accessible products ”.

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Health

Breast cancer: Why should you be wary of aluminum salt deodorants?

• Cosmetic

• Endocrine disruptors

• Hygiene

• Health

• Women's health

• Breast cancer