The Real Reason You Should Use A Natural Deodorant

Deodorant is a must for people who work out, have a stressful job, or basically do anything modern life requires. Unfortunately, many conventional deodorants are loaded with harmful chemicals that do more than just clog your pores and make you sweat less. Conventional deodorant can be made with parabens, aluminum, and triclosan — all things you don't want to get anywhere near your lymph nodes. Considering that the armpit is the home of over 20 lymph nodes, this certainly poses a problem (via WebMD). 

According to Time, aluminum can cause "gene instability" within the breast tissue and may result in tumor growth. When you're slathering it on day after day, this can cause serious complications down the road. Parabens and triclosan also pose serious risks. Some studies link triclosan to hormonal abnormalities in animals along with thyroid issues as well, and it may even disrupt your gut microbiome, Time explains. Making matters even more frustrating, Heather Patisaul, Ph.D. tells the outlet, "To my knowledge, there aren't any clear benefits associated with [triclosan] when used in underarm products." Add in parabens, which have also been linked to hormonal issues, and you have a tube of chemicals ready to cover one of your most sensitive areas.

It turns out that the deodorizing effect that so many of us think we need might be entirely useless. When we use deodorants, we clog the pores to stop our body's natural process of sweating. In reality, sweat is just salt and water; it starts to smell when these mix with the natural bacteria found on our skin, The EveryGirl notes. Natural deodorant helps eradicate this smell because it doesn't react the same way.

Plus, if you're using antiperspirant, all of that sweat is building up under the skin and can cause irritation, odor, and bacteria. The bacteria that it prevents from escaping is what digests the sweat and neutralizes the smell. When you cut this off, your sweat can smell even worse, the outlet explains. And, if you still aren't convinced to make the switch, know that the next time you get yellowed sweat stains, it's coming from the fabric's reaction with the aluminum. 

When you use natural deodorant, the substance doesn't clog pores and thus allows the sweat-fighting bacteria to get to work (via The EveryGirl). But, remember that natural ingredients work with everyone's body chemistry differently, so it may take a few tries to find the right one for you. Don't give up, though, the benefits could possibly be worth it.