What Are the Dangers of Antiperspirants in perfumes?

Antiperspirants are designed to combat underarm odor by reducing sweat. Antiperspirants use aluminum-based compounds to form a temporary plug in sweat ducts to stop the flow of sweat to the skin's

surface. Many questions have been raised about the safety of antiperspirants, though they are considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Kidney Disease

The FDA requires all antiperspirants containing aluminum to carry a warning label for people with kidney disease. The warning advises those with kidney disease to consult a physician before using the antiperspirant. According to the American Society of Nephrology, the warning is meant for people who have advanced chronic kidney disease and may have a hard time excreting low levels of aluminum from the body. It reports these individuals have only about 30 percent or less of their original normal kidney function. The ASN points out that aluminum has been used safely in antiperspirants for more than 100 years. The warning is simply a prudent measure to let those with kidney disease know it might be a good idea to talk their doctors about using antiperspirants.

Breast Cancer

The National Cancer Institute reports that articles have circulated in the press and the Internet that link the use of antiperspirants with breast cancer. However, NCI notes that its researchers and researchers at the National Institutes of Health have not found any conclusive links between the two. It adds that the FDA also has no evidence to indicate using an antiperspirant may lead to breast cancer.

Alzheimer's Disease

You may have heard stories that antiperspirants can cause Alzheimer's Disease. The International Hyperhidrosis Society calls those reports "a myth the just won't seem to go away." According to the IHS, the Alzheimer's rumor is linked to a study from the 1960s that found abnormally high amounts of aluminum in the brains of some Alzheimer's victims. It notes that the Alzheimer's Association has not found any research that could replicate those results.

Toxins

Some people have also expressed fears that if you block your body's ability to sweat, it could lead to a build-up of toxins in the body. HyperhidrosisWeb.com reports that's not the case. It notes that the human body uses sweat as a temperature controller and has "nothing to do with flushing out toxins." Sweat contains water, sodium and fat. It's the liver and kidneys that remove toxins from the body.