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Max the Magnificent
But then there will be something new to worry about, so I can't win :-)
Munster
Over the years I've been breathing, there has literly been "studies" indicating ...
Death by armpit!
Clive Maxfield
7/3/2012 2:16 PM EDT
I don’t quite recall how this came about, but I was chatting with my wife (Gina The Gorgeous) yesterday evening when the topic of underarm deodorant came up.
No! Neither of us was accusing the other of not using enough. I think Gina had heard one of her friends say that underarm deodorant was unsafe is some way.
Now, truth to tell, I sort of thought this was going to turn out to be another "old wives' tale," but I performed a quick search on the Internet and I ran a lot more information than I really wanted to discover.
First of all, I'd never really paid attention to the fact that there are two terms that are bandied around in this context: "Deodorant" and "Antiperspirant". The idea is that a deodorant uses some scent to disguise your natural odor and make you (well, your armpit) smell nice. By comparison, an antiperspirant affects your sweat glands to stop you sweating at all. So when you see something marked as an "Antiperspirant Deodorant", this means that it will block up your sweat glands and make you smell nice, all at the same time.
So far so good, but next I discover that practically every antiperspirant deodorant that works has aluminum in it – it's the aluminum that stops you sweating – but there are some studies that link this to Alzheimer's, cancer, and a bunch of other nasty stuff. And it's not just aluminum – it seems that the majority of conventional antiperspirant deodorants contain a whole smorgasbord of other toxic chemicals, including parabens, propylene glycol, triclosan…
Having said this, I also read that these studies are inconclusive. This leaves me sitting on the horns of a dilemma, which is damned uncomfortable, let me tell you (the dilemma isn’t all that happy about it either).
Next, I took a look at the teeny-tiny writing on the side of my deodorant, and was dismayed to discover that some strange aluminum compound – that I can neither pronounce nor spell – forms the main active ingredient. The bottom line is that I don’t know what all of the substances in antiperspirant deodorants are, but I do know that I'm no longer happy smearing them all over my body, which is – after all – a thing of beauty that deserves to be treated with respect, nay, awe!
On the bright side, I also discovered that you can purchase sticks of natural mineral salts that are completely free of perfumes and chemicals. These don’t stop you sweating, but they do kill the odor-causing bacteria, thereby preventing you from becoming an outcast to your family and friends. Also, one Crystal Body Stick, which costs $6.89 from Amazon, is guaranteed to last over a year of daily use, which actually ends up being a lot less than I spend on regular deodorant throughout the year (postage wasn’t an issue, because I used this as an excuse to also order a couple of books off my Amazon Wish List, thereby moving me into Super Saver Shipping territory).
So now I'm eagerly waiting for my salt crystal bar to arrive. Are you interested in hearing my views on how well it works when it eventually gets here?
If you found this article to be interest, visit Microcontroller / MCU Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of designing and using microcontrollers.
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Last but certainly not least, make sure you check out all of the discussions and other information resources at All Programmable Planet. For example, in addition to blogs by yours truly, microcontroller expert Duane Benson is learning how to use FPGAs to augment (sometimes replace) the MCUs in his robot (and other) projects.
No! Neither of us was accusing the other of not using enough. I think Gina had heard one of her friends say that underarm deodorant was unsafe is some way.
Now, truth to tell, I sort of thought this was going to turn out to be another "old wives' tale," but I performed a quick search on the Internet and I ran a lot more information than I really wanted to discover.
First of all, I'd never really paid attention to the fact that there are two terms that are bandied around in this context: "Deodorant" and "Antiperspirant". The idea is that a deodorant uses some scent to disguise your natural odor and make you (well, your armpit) smell nice. By comparison, an antiperspirant affects your sweat glands to stop you sweating at all. So when you see something marked as an "Antiperspirant Deodorant", this means that it will block up your sweat glands and make you smell nice, all at the same time.
So far so good, but next I discover that practically every antiperspirant deodorant that works has aluminum in it – it's the aluminum that stops you sweating – but there are some studies that link this to Alzheimer's, cancer, and a bunch of other nasty stuff. And it's not just aluminum – it seems that the majority of conventional antiperspirant deodorants contain a whole smorgasbord of other toxic chemicals, including parabens, propylene glycol, triclosan…
Having said this, I also read that these studies are inconclusive. This leaves me sitting on the horns of a dilemma, which is damned uncomfortable, let me tell you (the dilemma isn’t all that happy about it either).
Next, I took a look at the teeny-tiny writing on the side of my deodorant, and was dismayed to discover that some strange aluminum compound – that I can neither pronounce nor spell – forms the main active ingredient. The bottom line is that I don’t know what all of the substances in antiperspirant deodorants are, but I do know that I'm no longer happy smearing them all over my body, which is – after all – a thing of beauty that deserves to be treated with respect, nay, awe!
On the bright side, I also discovered that you can purchase sticks of natural mineral salts that are completely free of perfumes and chemicals. These don’t stop you sweating, but they do kill the odor-causing bacteria, thereby preventing you from becoming an outcast to your family and friends. Also, one Crystal Body Stick, which costs $6.89 from Amazon, is guaranteed to last over a year of daily use, which actually ends up being a lot less than I spend on regular deodorant throughout the year (postage wasn’t an issue, because I used this as an excuse to also order a couple of books off my Amazon Wish List, thereby moving me into Super Saver Shipping territory).
So now I'm eagerly waiting for my salt crystal bar to arrive. Are you interested in hearing my views on how well it works when it eventually gets here?
If you found this article to be interest, visit Microcontroller / MCU Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of designing and using microcontrollers.
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Last but certainly not least, make sure you check out all of the discussions and other information resources at All Programmable Planet. For example, in addition to blogs by yours truly, microcontroller expert Duane Benson is learning how to use FPGAs to augment (sometimes replace) the MCUs in his robot (and other) projects.
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Brian @ BDH
7/4/2012 1:14 AM EDT
Hi Max,
Re: "Are you interested in hearing my views on how well it works when it eventually gets here?"
Oh yes, it should be educational but more importantly humorous. With this topic alone, it's sure to be hilarious! :-)
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seaEE
7/4/2012 1:33 AM EDT
I am a little nervous about this experiment, though it is comforting that I live far enough away from the laboratory. One good thing about being gorgeous like Gina, is that you won't lose your title if the deodorant you try out "underperforms". People will have to admit you are gorgeous whether or not you smell like a rose. The same goes for being magnificent. Of course, if someone says, "I smell magnificent." They are probably referring to themselves...but there is a slight possibility that they may actually be saying "I smell Magnificent", in which case Max has the right to punch them in the nose. ;)
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antedeluvian
7/4/2012 11:19 AM EDT
Take care when you start using it. I changed to a stick deodorant just before a 30 hour flight to South Africa. Turns out my skin was allergic to the chemicals- it was extremely uncomfortable, to say nothing of embarrasment, having to scratch my armpits all the way.
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Max the Magnificent
7/5/2012 12:08 PM EDT
I remember when my mom once mistakenly applied spray starch under her armpits instead of spray deodorant ... it was three days before we could get her arms down so she could go through the bathroom door (grin)
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vapats
7/10/2012 11:57 AM EDT
I am not allergic, but intolerant of antiperspirants; they create a nasty chemical burn on my skin. Solution? Wipe my pits with isopropyl alcohol, which kills the bacteria. I still sweat, but I don't stink.
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BPaddock_2
7/4/2012 11:48 AM EDT
Aluminum also shows up in strange places like some off-the-shelf biscuit dough.
Always read the ingredients for anything you put on *or* in your body.
http://home.earthlink.net/~joannefstruve/_wsn/page2.html covers other hidden Aluminum issues.
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dneves
7/5/2012 4:33 AM EDT
Looking at the ingredients of the new stick you just ended up buying a stick of alum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum) which in sum is the same stuff you are trying to run away from (i.e. the aluminium based antiperspirant). It is also a doubt for me if this substance over time is dangerous or not, but it has been used for quite a while. Not so long ago people would use it after shaving to coagulate small cuts (shaving alum blocks)...
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Steve_B
7/5/2012 8:09 AM EDT
The crystal stick actually says it's ammonium alum, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_alum
Which is ammonium aluminum sulfate.
Although there was a period when aluminum was feared as a culprit in Alzheimer's and we were urged to get rid of our aluminum cookware (which we did), evidence since has suggested that appeared to be a very-much unproven conjecture. But as you say, it's not "proven" either way, so we each have to do what we feel is right.
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Max the Magnificent
7/5/2012 11:19 AM EDT
Give me strength -- is there no way to get away from this stuff!!!
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ReneCardenas
7/5/2012 6:21 PM EDT
It always tickles to death when people think of the crystal solution: " as close to nature as you possible get ", without realizing that it could be as dangerous as the man-made solution. (???).
My take is that, you use the least amount of deodorant as you can possible get away with, ;-0
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 9:21 AM EDT
I agree -- but I would like to have access to something that is non-toxic and that works...
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elektryk321
7/6/2012 7:54 AM EDT
This magic stick also contains aluminium but in little different form. Alumium (salts or oxydes) are well known antiperspirant properties.
Personally I work in office, so it is enought to wash frequent to avoid odour.
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 9:22 AM EDT
I'm in my own office so no one else here would notice -- but I still have to go home to my wife at the end of the day...
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KB3001
7/6/2012 2:29 PM EDT
Don't you have meetings at work? :-)
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 3:18 PM EDT
Only with myself -- I'm based in Huntsville Alabama -- everyone else at UBM is mainly on the East or West coasts.
We do have virtual meetings via the Internet, but this far company policy does not dictate the use of underarm odor detection technology...
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ReneCardenas
7/6/2012 12:12 PM EDT
Max,
That is reason enough!, we would not like to see you sleep deprived due to sleeping with the dogs,... ;-) Just kidding of course.
All kidding aside, sweat is supposed to be one of natures means to cleans our bodies from toxins, and I am reflecting in how strange it is that we go to extensive measures to prevent a natural process that is good for our bodies.
I wonder if the french have a better strategy by counteracting the offending odors. ;-)
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KB3001
7/6/2012 2:37 PM EDT
It also plays an important role in the female's choice of a male mate, apparently :-) [FACT]
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 3:20 PM EDT
Did you read this in a book? (grin)
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KB3001
7/6/2012 3:30 PM EDT
I saw it on a BBC programme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-drpViV5LSw
at least that's what Prof. Winston is telling himself :-)
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 3:20 PM EDT
You are just trying to get me (being English) to say something nasty about the French, thereby initiating yet another "100 Years War"...
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Duane Benson
7/6/2012 1:09 PM EDT
One of the challenges is that the term "Natural" is not regulated so anyone can pretty much use it on anything without much concern for the naturalness of a product. Some food for though along these lines: cyanide is natural. Hmmm.
Of course, whenever I see the word "organic" associate with food, I always think something to the effect of: "Good. I want my food to be carbon based", so I don't know how much my opinion is worth on this subject.
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 3:21 PM EDT
Re "I want my food to be carbon based"
If my wife cooks it then you have your wish -- in fact rather than being "carbon based" she often manages to convert it into pure carbon (grin)
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KB3001
7/6/2012 2:33 PM EDT
Jokint aside, this is a real problem. I am not aware of any safer alternatives though... losing weight is perhaps one :-)
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Max the Magnificent
7/6/2012 3:24 PM EDT
I just saw a home recipe of 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup corn starch, and 1/2 cup coconut oil (adding your own aluminum is optional) -- I'm going to try making this this coming weekend...
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ReneCardenas
7/9/2012 3:32 PM EDT
Are you implying that thin people don't sweat? or that we tilt the scale more than the norm?
You may be into something though, but it is not easy to remove our inner winter coat. ;-) LoL
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Duane Benson
7/10/2012 12:58 PM EDT
"losing weight is perhaps one" - This reminds me of my bicycling days. My fellow bikers would often look at my decent, but not exotic bike and tell me I needed a newer, lighter (aka more expensive) bike. My response was typical: "or, I could just eat fewer donuts."
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Max the Magnificent
7/10/2012 1:00 PM EDT
@Duane: "My response was 'or, I could just eat fewer donuts.'
Ooooh -- I bet that told them!!!
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Max the Magnificent
7/9/2012 5:27 PM EDT
My friend Brian LaGrave found the following recipe on the Internet -- I'm going to try making this -- at least it has the advantage that (a) there's no aluminum and (b) I like the smell of coconut:
Take 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup corn startch and 1/4 cup coconut oil. Heat over low heat, until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are combined. Pour liquid into container of your choice (re-use an old stick deodorant container). Let it cool. You can add some essential oil to the mixture if you want some more scent.
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moshannon
7/10/2012 1:58 AM EDT
I was recently surprised to learn that titanium dioxide is added to foods like cottage cheese in order to make them whiter. I had always assumed that cottage cheese was pretty much "straight from the cow". I never dreamed that I was eating a primary ingredient of white paint and sunscreen.
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Max the Magnificent
7/10/2012 9:28 AM EDT
If you are trying to cheer me up ... you are not succeeding ... I used to like cottage cheese ... until I read this (sob sob)
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rzd
7/10/2012 2:32 AM EDT
Armpits in Asia are considered something that is taboo to talk about. So someone in Hong Kong came up with an armpit superhero called Galaman. No, I'm not making this up. You can see the animated short film at: http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi1896455193/ and he also created a card game about Galaman and his other super hero friends like Nosemary, God Nose, and others. Perhaps your experiments will get you into their superhero club.
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Max the Magnificent
7/10/2012 9:27 AM EDT
@rzd: "Perhaps your experiments will get you into their superhero club."
Or they into mine... :-)
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Bellhop
7/10/2012 3:23 PM EDT
I'm pretty limited as neither the aluminum compounds nor the propylene glycol agree with me. I do OK with Brut Deodorant Spray. The latest tell-all from a former Obama girlfriend mentions the scent of Brut, so I guess that I smell Presidential.
Ground Coriander seed is a pretty good deodorant. I used it for a while mixed with corn starch. If you swallow the whole Coriander seed, it works internally - great if you enjoy "windy" foods.
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WKetel
7/11/2012 4:51 PM EDT
"Poison Oak is a natural thing", part of a line from the very old Jefferson Airplane song, "Bear Melt". There are a whole lot of very toxic natural things, all kinds of toxins and irritants. So being a natural compound is no reason to believe something is OK. As for using all of those compounds to stop sweat, perhaps that is what is leading to the increase in peanut allergies in children. Actually, that assertion is intended to point out how bizarre some of the theories are. Something in my body chemistry has prevented the formation of any bad smelling stuff, so it is possible that there is a genetic relationship someplace. Perhaps the adjustment of body chemistry would be a safer approach.
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I_B_GREEN
7/11/2012 9:58 PM EDT
exersize and showers and air conditioning are your only hope. But these will allow one to use less deodearant/antiperspernt.
But don't let your boss see you sweat!
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Max the Magnificent
7/12/2012 9:30 AM EDT
@"exersize and showers and air conditioning are your only hope"
I was sad to see that you didn't mention beer :-(
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I_B_GREEN
7/11/2012 9:59 PM EDT
or this ARMPIT could be a new name for my chinese ARM/Android phone that sucks!
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Max the Magnificent
7/12/2012 9:30 AM EDT
LOL
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Ralphr
7/12/2012 1:48 PM EDT
Just dissolve baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in water until some is settled at the bottom, (saturated solution) apply that to a washcloth, and wipe the pits down. Smell gone... No magic chemicals at all, and very little work to boot.
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Max the Magnificent
7/12/2012 2:45 PM EDT
@"...and very little work to boot."
I like that part :-)
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Frank Eory
7/12/2012 6:44 PM EDT
Max, my only question is why you chose the American spelling "aluminum" rather than the British "aluminium"?
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Max the Magnificent
7/12/2012 6:55 PM EDT
The answer is that I am a "Cunning Linguist" who speaks two languages -- English and American (where the latter typically involves shorter words and a smaller vocabulary :-)
Since I currently hang my hat in Alabama, I feel it behooves me to pontificate in the local argot :-)
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KB3001
7/13/2012 4:47 AM EDT
A long time ago, one of my English teachers used to say to us: I am prepared to accept all forms of American spelling (z's for s' etc.) but not "color"! That's just plain wrong lol He then used to go on for about 40-50sec trying to pronounce colour the way it's spelt in the US, murmuring: no, that's just plain wrong! :-)
PS. Never understood his particular problem with "color". He never made a big fuss about "labor" or "neighbor" :-)
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Munster
7/20/2012 2:18 PM EDT
Over the years I've been breathing, there has literly been "studies" indicating everthing from breathing to eating anything will cause death.
Max, if you fear your stink not stuff, just wait a few years. There will be a study nulifying the one you are worried about.
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Max the Magnificent
7/20/2012 2:26 PM EDT
But then there will be something new to worry about, so I can't win :-)
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