You guys had a lot of questions about sweating – we put them to a dermatologist

Watson published an article about deodorants yesterday: The programs “Kassensturz” and “Saldo” addressed the question of what is actually in our deodorants…

The results have sparked discussion and questions about sweating and how to combat it in watson’s comment column. We immediately took them and presented them to an expert, the dermatologist Dominik Mestel.

For starters, what’s the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants?
DOMINIC MESTEL: Deodorants only contain fragrances. Antiperspirants are products that contain aluminum. These aluminum salts also actively prevent sweating: when they meet the proteins in our sweat, deposits form and close our sweat pores.

Speaking of aluminum, a Kassensturz toxicologist said that, contrary to widespread fears, the light metal in antiperspirants isn’t dangerous after all.
I share this opinion. There was a study that found a link between aluminum in deodorant and breast cancer. However, these findings have not been confirmed.

Why is this fear still so persistent?
Because aluminum as such can even be carcinogenic. There is also evidence that it promotes dementia.

But …?
It depends on the amount absorbed by the body, which Watson’s article actually describes very well. Ingesting or inhaling aluminum can be potentially problematic. Everyone now agrees: the skin cannot absorb that much aluminum at all, in this case it is harmless.

Which deodorant do you recommend to your patients?
That depends on what preferences someone has, how much you sweat and whether you are allergic. Basically, I recommend more direct-apply deodorants.

Why?
Because with the spray deodorants there is the possibility that you inhale the ingredients, such as the aluminum. This has more effect than through the skin and is therefore more problematic. I myself also need a deodorant to apply.

And what about the allergies?
Here we do not have the problem of aluminum, but of smells. Some people may be allergic to certain ingredients or even develop an allergy over time. We therefore recommend deodorants without fragrances – or read the fine print carefully.

What do you recommend to people who find even the best aluminum deodorant useless?
There are several options for addressing abnormal sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis. For example, you can have special deodorants mixed in pharmacies that contain an increased concentration of aluminum. It’s like a custom product for the patient. But here you need to see how well you tolerate it, as these can irritate the skin more.

And suppose that doesn’t help either…?
Then there are various surgical procedures that you can have performed. One option is Botox injections. This interrupts the function of a nerve in the sweat gland so that it stops producing sweat. It works, but the effect wears off after about six months.

Are there other long-term options?
There is also the so-called focused ultrasound. As with laser hair removal, sweat glands are destroyed. The disadvantage of this is that the treatment can be quite painful and often the hair does not grow back. Of course, this may be beneficial for some people, but others may not want to lose their armpit hair forever. In addition, irregular cavities are more likely to develop than completely hairless skin.

Isn’t it problematic if you can’t sweat there anymore?
No, you don’t have to worry about that. The body sweats to cool itself. It is possible that other sweat glands will selectively produce more sweat, but in principle the skin can still cool down sufficiently.

Back to the different deodorants: it’s trendy right now to make your own anti-sweat pastes. What do you make of it?
You can certainly try that, for example with baking soda or baby powder. This works to an extent, because then you practically sweat into the powder. Fresh sweat doesn’t smell, it only does when bacteria colonize it. Baking soda or other powder slows down this process. Sage creams are also recommended in homeopathy. If you use powder or baking soda, keep in mind that it can mess up the fabric.

Which brings us to the next question: how do you get rid of such deodorant stains?
There are some deodorants that leave yellow stains that are very difficult to wash out. The following may help: Dissolve baking soda in water and soak the shirt in it. The same goes for sunscreen, by the way. This works especially well when the spots are not very pronounced. After ten or twenty washes, that will probably only help a little.

A problem many have: applying deodorant after shaving can be quite painful. Is that actually harmful?
There are several reasons why you shouldn’t do this: It’s painful, yes. This is mainly the alcohol that is in many deodorants. Keep in mind that shaving almost always causes very small cuts. Applying deodorant directly is likely to increase aluminum absorption. In addition, the scents can better penetrate our skin. This increases the risk of developing an allergic reaction.

Should it be better?
Yes. I recommend shaving at night and letting your underarm skin rest. When you apply deodorant the next morning, the wounds have already healed.

Why do we only use deodorant under the armpits?
This is due to the scent glands. These are a special form of sweat glands, they only appear after puberty, when hairs begin to grow. Besides under the armpits, they can also be found in the genital area and on the anus. As the name suggests, scent glands can secrete odors.

Do these glands have a specific job?
Yes, they were originally used to choose a mate – just as they are still used today with dogs and cats, for example
functions. Today, however, we perceive the emitted odors as musty, we cover the smell with odors and they no longer have a function for us humans.

So if we also have these glands in the intimate area, could you theoretically put deodorant on that too?
Yes, some people do, for example if they feel unsafe during sex or if they just don’t like the smell. Except that the skin there is a bit more sensitive and could react to the application, there is nothing wrong with it from a medical point of view.

What actually influences how much we sweat?
First and foremost, of course, the wind chill. And otherwise, especially in the case of abnormal sweating, it’s about genes. So the construction of the vegetative nervous system. But hormones also play a role, the thyroid gland and the sex hormones. If something is out of balance there, it can affect our sweat production. It is important to note that chronic diseases can also play a role, namely infections or certain cancers. Here you should pay particular attention to night sweats.

What does that mean?
If you regularly sweat profusely at night and this wakes you up, you should have this checked. Finally, diet can also have an influence: foods that warm the body, especially hot foods such as chili, can of course also make us sweat.