Table of contents:
- What is the difference between an antiperspirant and a deodorant?
- So, is it safe to use deodorant every day?
- Using deodorant is actually more effective at night
Many people use deodorants as a way to treat body odor. Not only that, deodorant also functions as a perfume that makes the body more fragrant. That is why, now various scents are created to make people more interested and comfortable wearing them. However, is it safe to use deodorant every day? Read on to find out the answer.
What is the difference between an antiperspirant and a deodorant?
Before knowing the safety of using deodorant every day, it's good to know the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant so that you don't have a misperception. The reason is, of the many body fragrances products, antiperspirant or deodorant labels always appear.
Both of them can keep the body feeling fresh even though you sweat a lot. However, antiperspirants and deodorants have different functions. Unfortunately, this is often not realized by consumers.
So that you better understand the needs and use of effective products, then know the difference between the two. The easiest way to remember the difference is that antiperspirants prevent sweat, while deodorants function to prevent body odor.
Antiperspirants use chemicals or strong astringents that clog or block pores, preventing the release of sweat in the armpits. Most of the antiperspirants contain chemicals such as aluminum or zirconium to block pores. The active ingredient aluminum chloride forms a gel-like plug that clogs pores and keeps you sweat-free.
Meanwhile, deodorants work by preventing bacteria from growing on the sweaty parts of the body. A chemical called triclosan makes the underarm skin too acidic, which prevents the growth of bacteria that cause bad body odor.
So, is it safe to use deodorant every day?
So far, many people have said that using large amounts of deodorant and long-term can trigger diseases such as breast cancer. However, in fact, several studies have not found scientific evidence on this matter. One of them is in the study of The National Cancer Institute, which states that there is no significant relationship between the use of deodorants and cancer.
Apart from cancer, another disease that is often associated with the use of deodorants is Alzheimer's. Similar to cancer, until now there is no scientific evidence to prove these rumors.
Even so, that does not mean that you are advised to use a lot of deodorant. In fact, the use of deodorant is not mandatory, especially if you are not busy and sweat production is not too much. In tropical conditions that are humid and sweaty, deodorant is used by those who will have a lot of daily activities and sweat.
Basically, the use of deodorant is adjusted to the activities you do. So, if you really need to use deodorant every day, you should be able to make sure that your skin condition doesn't have a problem. The reason is, some of the substances contained in deodorants might trigger skin irritation. If after using deodorant you feel itching around the underarm skin, redness, or even experience black underarms, this is a sign that your underarm skin is irritated and should be treated.
Using deodorant is actually more effective at night
Most people generally use deodorant in the morning or before activities. In fact, using deodorant should be done at night, that is, before going to bed. Experts judge, this method is more effective than you use deodorant in the morning after bathing. The reason is, at night, your body temperature is cooler, which means you will sweat less than during the day.
Even if you fall asleep, your sweat glands will absorb more of the active antiperspirant, which can prevent body odor and reduce sweat production in your underarms the next day.
Meanwhile, if you use deodorant in the morning, the chemicals in the deodorant will only block sweat on the outer skin layer. As a result, you may still experience body odor and excessive sweating in the armpits, especially if you are an active person. For that, it will be more effective to use deodorant at night.