Today it has become an accepted practice to use deodorant in many parts of the world. Afraid of producing body odour, or BO, men and women alike apply liberally after their morning shower and often later in the day again, depending on their activities. Yet in some places of the world, people don’t use deodorants at all.
You need deodorant because your armpits have glands that produce sweat and other naturally occurring chemicals that are secreted and mix with the body’s natural bacteria. You may develop an unpleasant body odour as your day goes on. Remember though, that not everyone has a strong smell of underarm body odour, and you may be one of the lucky people in this world who have quite a sweet underarm. So experiment before you decide deodorant is a must-have on your bathroom shelf – maybe you can save yourself the expense and nuisance of applying it every day. Shaving your underarms can help prevent the accumulation of bacteria that causes odour, and you may also find that avoiding foods with garlic, curry, and onions will help too, as the odours from strong foods are emitted through your sweat.
Deodorants work by making the skin an unfriendly environment for the bacteria. You will find there are both deodorants, which neutralize odours, and anti-perspirants, which actually block pores and prevent sweat from forming and usually have deodorants in them as well. As this interferes with the body’s natural cooling process it is a cause for concern amongst many people.
As well, there has been a lot of media attention lately to the use of deodorants. Many products on the market today contain aluminium or environmental toxins that are suspected of causing birth defects and harm to the reproductive organs in males. Because the toxins also appear in cosmetics, women are especially at risk. Research is ongoing but so far there is not enough firm evidence to get the substance banned, however scientists are cautious and testing is ongoing.
If you are concerned, you can purchase natural deodorants. Aloe Vera, Lavender Oil, apricot and cornstarch are common botanical ingredients which replace the chemicals in other products. They may not be available at your local supermarket or drug store but they are sold in health food stores and there are brands formulated for women and for men.
You can also experiment with making your own, using such natural ingredients as witch hazel and baking soda. Some recipes to try are found at http://www.care2.com/greenliving/deodorant-or-antiperspirants.HTML And using soaps with pure ingredients, such as lavender will help too. You can also help to prevent the formation of sweat by wearing breathable organic cotton fabrics which absorb sweat.
As children approach puberty, hormones cause an increase in sweating which then results in body odour. Kids are also more physically active than adults and therefore produce more sweat. But if children are sweating a lot when they are not exerting themselves physically you may need to bring it to the attention of your doctor. If it’s determined that there is no health problem, you still need to help your child by using anti-perspirants because he or she could become the butt of jokes which cause social embarrassment in the youngster. Once children become teens, sweating is common and can be treated with adult cures.
It is up to you to decide if you need deodorant, and if so, whether to avoid commercial products or purchase natural ones. You want to ensure you keep yourself fresh and smelling nice so you can confidently meet what life brings you every day.
