Natural Treatment for Delicate Armpits Deodorants have evolved through time. These days you have a wide variety of deodorants: whitening, antiperspirant, scented, unscented, moisturizing, with sunflower oil, etc. They come with convincing slogans, ads, and colorful bottles, it’s difficult to stick to just one brand! While these pit products promise to keep your armpits feeling fresh and sweat-free for 24 hours, recent studies have shown that these underarm cosmetics just might put you at risk for breast cancer.
Avoid Traditional Deodorants
Most cases of breast cancer are found in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast which is slightly close to where we apply deodorant. According to a study conducted in 2012, 99% of the breast cancer cases that they studied were caused by parabens which is commonly found in deodorants. Many people claim however, that there is no connection between the two, and that common cause of breast cancer is the excessive epithelial tissues found in the upper, outer quadrant of the breast – there may be some truth to this too. It’s curious, however, that in Scotland, the occurrence of breast cancer in the upper, outer quadrant had a dramatic increase from 38.3% in the late 80s to a whopping 54.7% in 2001. A study conducted in 2009 showed that the rise in cases of breast cancer in that quadrant may not necessarily be because of the excessive epithelial tissues. Rather, it has something to do with the increase in the usage of underarm cosmetics. Further research leads to an article published by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which reveals that parabens interrupt the body’s hormonal functions. This is connected to the increase in reproductive toxicity, skin irritation, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and breast cancer. The body fails to detect parabens because they imitate estrogen by attaching themselves to the cells’ estrogen receptors.Parabens also regulate the expression of genes – a role played by estradiol which is a natural estrogen. According to studies, these genes trigger the growth and expansion of cancer cells in the human body.
It’s no secret that chemical or traditional deodorants make your life easy and your armpits less stinky. You just have to purchase a stick, bottle, or spray at the department store, apply, and you can leave the house knowing that your pits smell great. However, since traditional deodorants can possibly cause breast cancer, it might be best to make the switch, and use natural ingredients in making your own deodorant. It’s not labor intensive, it’s more affordable, and most of the ingredients are food-grade.
UNDERARM RASHES
Most people who’ve tried using homemade deodorant on their armpits experienced rashes. These rashes are often triggered by an imbalance in the pH levels, which protects the body blocking viruses and bacteria. Studies show that men have higher pH than women, but since we’re all in the range of 4.5 to 6.2, all of us are acidic. More often than not, DIY deodorants are more alkaline than acidic but worry not! We listed some homemade deodorant recipes that will also work for people with sensitive skin.
In some cases however, the rashes are caused by a detox reaction to the homemade deodorant. While it’s true that the toxins are removed from our bodies through our kidneys, colon, lymph system, and liver, our lungs and our skin also help flush out the toxins from our system. When we ditch the chemicals and switch to homemade deodorants that are paraben-free, it’s just right that toxins such as aluminum, parabens, triclosan, and propylene glycol are immediately eliminated from our armpits ergo, the rashes. There are also cases wherein the rashes are caused by an allergic reaction. A good example here is cornstarch.
There are people who only realize they’re allergic to corn after using a cornstarch-based deodorant on their armpits. BASIC
HOMEMADE DEODORANT RECIPE
This is for people with sensitive skin. Most of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 4-6 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup of baking soda
- 3/4 cup of non-GMO cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Here’s how:
1. Pour cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
2. Pour in four tablespoons of coconut oil and use a fork to mix. Keep adding the coconut oil until you achieve your desired consistency.
3. Put the mixture in a jar and close the lid tightly.
How to Use:
Using your fingers, apply the mixture on your armpits. Use upward strokes to keep the skin from sagging.
BAKING SODA-FREE DEODORANT RECIPE
This deodorant recipe is good for people who are allergic to baking soda. This hypoallergenic recipe makes use of diatomaceous earth, a fossilized phytoplankton in powder form. It’s a good source of silica and in contains antimicrobial properties, which is why this homemade deodorant recipe is
effective. The pH depends on where the ingredients will be sourced from, but it’s usually lower than the pH of baking soda.
Ingredients
- 7-9 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup of diatomaceous earth (food grade) 3/4 cup of cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Here’s how:
1. Pour cornstarch/arrowroot powder and diatomaceous earth in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
2. Pour in four tablespoons of coconut oil and use a fork to mix. Keep adding the coconut oil until you achieve your desired consistency.
3. Put the mixture in a jar and close the lid tightly.
How to Use: Using your fingers, apply the mixture on your armpits. Use upward strokes to keep the skin from sagging.
