The Real Health Risks of Aluminum in Deodorant
Within the deodorant category, dozens of brands have created a valuable niche marketing aluminum-free antiperspirants, many explicitly or implicitly citing supposed cancer risks. These types of claims are relatively difficult to prove or disprove, but their presence on labels assigns value to products with the badge and casts doubt on those without it.
We looked at the research to find out why aluminum is in deodorants to begin with, the risk of aluminum in deodorant, and whether any antiperspirant product is significantly safer than another.
Why Is Aluminum in Deodorant?
Various aluminum salts are common ingredients in commercial deodorants and antiperspirants, serving a very specific function. Aluminum dissolves when you sweat and creates small plugs at the surface of your sweat glands. Think of aluminum as forming a lid or cap over your pores, reducing the amount of sweat that reaches your skin.
It’s worth noting that any product containing aluminum is technically an antiperspirant; deodorants, by definition, only mask or neutralize odors. It’s worth taking a closer look at your favorite deodorant to see if it contains any other active ingredients that inhibit sweat formation, though most won’t.
Can Aluminum in Deodorant Cause Cancer?
Despite the notoriety of the claims and the aggressive marketing by many personal care brands, the health risks of aluminum in deodorant are specious at best.
Most of the rumors around antiperspirants and cancer are focused on women and breast cancer, specifically. More research is needed, but no study has found a definitive link between antiperspirants, even products with aluminum, and any type of cancer. Case-control studies, including an 800-woman study comparing women with breast cancer with a similar group without the disease, haven’t found a real link. The few studies that indicate any risk were extremely small and had significant design limitations.
Other Risks of Deodorants
It’s not all about aluminum. Parabens, a chemical used as a preservative and food additive, are sometimes considered a cancer risk. Parabens are often used in deodorants and many other personal care products and exhibit estrogen-like properties; elevated estrogen levels have been linked to increased breast cancer risk.
Like aluminum, there is no epidemiological evidence that parabens increase the risk of breast cancer or other types of cancer, despite being present in an estimated 99% of the US adult population. Due to consumer pressure, parabens are relatively rare in most deodorants and personal care products these days, but if you are concerned, check your product's ingredients label.
Read More: Nitrates, Cancer Trends and Progress
How to Choose a Safe Deodorant
If you are concerned about the risks of aluminum, choose a product that doesn’t include aluminum in any form. It will be listed as an active ingredient under a few common terms, such as:
Aluminum chlorohydrate
Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex
Aluminum hydroxobromide
Potassium alum
There are dozens of aluminum-free antiperspirant brands to choose from if you’d like to avoid the ingredient entirely. Many of these products are more expensive than traditional brands, so it’s worth comparing active ingredients, product quantity, and other characteristics, such as sustainable packaging.
Make Informed Choices with Less Cancer
With over 50% of all cancers associated with lifestyle and environmental risks, education and awareness are paramount. While aluminum in your deodorant carries no proven risk, every consumer should have access to information that allows them to make informed choices. We’re helping reduce cancer diagnoses through programming, education, and advocacy to empower individuals, families, and entire communities; support our work with a donation today.