Today we're focussing on what damage we might be doing to our bodies and investigating the effects of ingredients that are banned in other countries. The focus is on deodorant, however all of these ingredients are found in all kinds of personal care products, such as skin care, make-up, toothpaste, body soap, dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent, just to name a few.
Now, I want you to remember back to high school. You've just finished a lesson of swimming. Everyone is getting changed back into their school uniform, and then BAM! You're hit with several clouds of anti-perspirant deodorant to the face. Coughing and spluttering as your lungs try to expel this invisible menace. It's toxic, right?
Correct! Literally. Anti-perspirant deodorants and regular old school deodorants contain many ingredients that are still yet to be investigated thoroughly for their effects on our bodies to an FDA standard. Yes, the FDA is monitoring the studies coming out on some of these toxins for their efficacy because there aren't enough studies...
So what do anti-perspirations do? They reduce sweat by blocking the ducts of sweat glands, minimizing the water source that supports bacterial growth (Kanlayavattanakul and Lourith, 2011).
Now you may be thinking "well of course I don't want to smell, and I want the bacteria gone!" but bacteria is necessary for our skin's health, despite what the government would have you believe with all these anti-bacterial hand sanitisers everywhere...
Our skin is the body's first line of defence, and bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, are a part of our natural skin flora that make up that first line of defence.
As for the smell, I have some solutions for you in my blog post An Honest Review of the Best Natural Deodorants. For now, I'm going to share what ingredients to look out for in your deodorants and why!
BAD-BOY INGREDIENT LIST
Parabens
I'm sure you've heard of these bad boys (no, not Damon-from-Vampire-Diaries "bad," more like Jack The Ripper bad). Plastered on many of your more natural skin care brands like Sukin and or even many make-up products, you'll notice "No Parabens" but have you ever wondered why?
Hager, Chen and Zhao reviewed a handful of studies of the links between paraben exposure and breast cancer.
"The main concerns regarding parabens use in consumer products are their potential mimicry of endogenous hormones, possible cross-talks with other signal transduction pathways, such as HER2 signaling pathway, that are pivotal in the development of breast cancer, and modulation of key enzymes involved in local estrogen metabolism."
There is concern over parabens mimicking hormones (as estrogen has been associated with breast cancer). They also note that recent in-vitro and animal studies have shed light on the endocrine-modulating effects of parabens, suggesting that parabens may be implicated in the formation of breast cancer.
You can see why this probably shouldn't be going on our ARMPITS right? As in, right next to our breasts?
2. Aluminium.
Aluminium is found in deodorants, sunscreens, food additivies, antacids and vaccines. It is used because it prevents sweating, which is actually a very normal, very human, and very necessary action for our body to undertake. We sweat to release toxins and to regulate our body temperature. Why would we want to prevent that?
Aluminium in it's many chemical forms has been suspected as an environmental cause of cancer in breast tissue in-vitro, meaning whilst you're in mum's tum. Yikes.
In Mandriota et al's study, they note that environmental factors that contribute to breast cancer have largely been unidentified, and noted the rise of incidences of breast cancer since the 1960's. When were anti-perspirant deodorants first introduced? 1965. Now, correlation does not equal causation, so take that last note with a pinch of salt. But while we're on the coincidence train, do you know what else was introduced just prior to the 60's? That hormone-disrupting pill: oral contraception.
"Epidemiological studies investigating the link between aluminium and breast cancer suggest an association between the incidence of breast cancer and the use of aluminium containing antiperspirants at a young age"
Genomic Instability Is an Early Event in Aluminium-Induced Tumorigenesis, Mandriota et al (2020).
NOTE: if you're allegric to deodorants, this is more likely to be what irritates your skin!
3. Triclosan.
This is one the FDA is keeping an eye on. Triclosan is used as anti-bacterial agent in shampoos, soaps and deodorants, however the "FDA doesn’t have evidence that triclosan in OTC consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water" (FDA, 2019). So what is even the point in using it?!
Animal studies with topical triclosan in high doses have shown a decrease in thyroid levels however right now, there aren't enough studies for the FDA to consider it a fully approved ingredient, nor for them to disprove it. We are the anecdotal trials, until more studies come out.
4. Pthalates
Pthalates are used as "plasticizers" meaning that they increase the flexibility of whichever object or substance they are added to. Evidence has been found that pthalates disrupt our immune system (Thompson et al, 2015) which is concering because we are surrounded by pthalates, in plastic packaging, containers, medical tubing, disguised under the label "fragrances" because they increase the longevity of a scent and, you guessed it, in some deodorants and skin care (Barhum, 2022).
Pthalates contribute more inflammation to our body too. Singh et al (2012) found that:
"Five of the top ten toxicity networks disrupted by phthalates involved inflammation, with evidence for pathogenic effects for prostate, uterus, ovary and breast, all sites of common human cancers."
5. Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is a liquid alcohol use in many forms of medication, vapes, e-cigarettes as well as skin and beauty products. In one study with pregnant cows, they found that orally administering propylene glycol: decreased the percentage of follicles that ovulated, decreased the total number of ovulations, increased glucose and insulin levels and reduced fertilisation rate. That is a significant impact on fertility.
Now of course, the doses that are administered to a cow would clearly be larger than what we consume orally however to me personally, whether you are given $1000 now or accumulate $1000 over time, you still end up with $1000. Do you get what I'm saying? I hope so.
6. DEA
Diethanolamine is largely used as a corrosion inhibitor industrially, in the production of lubricants, and in all kinds if soaps and body products. DEA was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as "possibly carcinogenic to humans"
In a study on rats, Craciunescu, Wu and Zeisel found that exposure of the mother to DEA "reduces the number of neural progenitor cells in hippocampus by two mechanisms, and this could permanently alter memory function in offspring of mothers exposed to this."
They also observed a decrease in litter sizes when administering doses of DEA at greater than 80mg per kg of each mother's body, per day.
SOLUTIONS
Your homework for this week is to check the back of any products you use on your skin, focussing especially on deodorant, and note if any of these products are in them!
In the coming weeks, I will be releasing a blog post of my top trialled and recommended deodorants that DON'T include any of these products, and ranking them on criteria such as durability/longevity, ease of use and texture (click here to read). Sign up to the blog to be notified of when new blog posts arrive.
Ash xx
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REFERENCES
Body malodours and their topical treatment agents. M. Kanlayavattanakul and N. Lourith. 15 March 2011. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2494.2011.00649.x
Genomic Instability Is an Early Event in Aluminium-Induced Tumorigenesis. Mandriota et al. Dec 7 2020. doi: 10.3390/ijms21239332
5 Things to Know About Triclosan. The United States Food & Drug Adminsitration. 16 May 2019. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-triclosan
Are Phthalates in Plastic Safe? Lana Barhum. February 02, 2022 https://www.verywellhealth.com/phthalates-5216073#:~:text=You%20should%20also%20be%20aware%20of
Environmental immune disruptors, inflammation and cancer risk. Thompson et al. June 2015. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgv038.
Minireview: Parabens Exposure and Breast Cancer. Hager E, Chen J, Zhao L. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 8;19(3):1873. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031873.
Effects of propylene glycol or elevated luteinizing hormone during follicle development on ovulation, fertilization, and early embryo development. Hackbart KS. Biol Reprod. 2017 Oct 1;97(4):550-563. doi: 10.1093/biolre/iox050.
DIETHANOLAMINE. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Some Chemicals Present in Industrial and Consumer Products, Food and Drinking-Water. Lyon (FR): International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2013. (IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 101.) Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK373177/
Diethanolamine alters neurogenesis and induces apoptosis in fetal mouse hippocampus. Craciunescu CN, Wu R, Zeisel SH. FASEB J. 2006 Aug;20(10):1635-40. doi: 10.1096/fj.06-5978com. PMID: 16873886; PMCID: PMC1574370.
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