Antiperspirants are one of the most common home hygiene items and a frequent item of concern for consumer advocacy groups. The issue is the active ingredients in these antiperspirants that work to close or clog up pores in the armpits and put a stop to your body's heat regulation through sweating.
Aluminium Chlorohydrate
In stick and roll-on antiperspirants, aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH) is the active ingredient that gets into your sweat ducts and keep moisture away from your skin's surface. Aluminium chlorohydrate uses the sweat to create a chemical reaction which produces a gel, and the sweat is used to disperse this gel across the underarm area and create a shield, keeping moisture under control.
AZAG
Aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex GLY (AZAG) is usually the type of active salt used when aluminum chlorohydrate is not in the antiperspirant. AZAG operates similarly to ACH, using sweat to create a sweat-resistant gel to keep sweat off the skin. Gel and stick deodorants usually use AZAG instead of ACH. While some people believe the aluminum in the active salts used by antiperspirants can contribute to the development of Alzheimer's, the Alzheimer's Society and the U.S. Food and Drug Association co-published a major study finding no relation between the aluminum ingredients in antiperspirants and Alzheimer's disease.
Structurants
Structurants are essential to effective antiperspirants because they are the vehicle used by the active ingredients to arrive on the surface and remain there. The bulk of deodorant comprises structurants, which do not actively combat sweating but hold the active ingredients in place, allowing them to do their job. The chemical formula depends on whether the antiperspirant is delivered in a solid or aerosol form. More than 80 percent of an antiperspirant's ingredients are structurants, and they use different ingredients to create a compound that will hold to the armpit.
Perfumes and Moisturizers
While some antiperspirants are odorless, many feature fragrances to mask body odors. Some of these scents also come from moisturizers used in the antiperspirant, which help keep the product moist--rather than drying up into deposits and falling from where it was applied. These fragrances don't do anything to prevent or prevent the presence of perspiration, but they are an added comfort to some people.
Propellants
Propellants are only found in aerosol antiperspirants. They are comprised of varying pressures within the aerosol container and are designed to propel the structurants far enough so that they can take hold to the skin, applying a thin film to the skin in which the structurants hold the active ingredients. These propellants are the reason aerosol containers are highly flammable and should be kept away from high temperatures. The most common propellants are butane, propane and isobutane.
Member Comments