The Flip Side of the ‘Axe Effect’
By Roshni Sengupta 

If the ‘axe effect’ has affected you in more ways than one, and your morning goes for a toss without a spray of cool deodorant, stop and think! Chic brands, and snazzy names apart, a pack of deodorant (a spray or a stick) can cause more damage than you can well imagine. Almost all deodorants, irrespective of the brand name, contain neurotoxic solvents, toxic metals, and potential carcinogens!

Deodorants are mostly combined with anti-perspirants---chemicals that attempt to prevent perspiration by sealing sweat pores. Chemicals like aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex and aluminium chlorohydrate are rampantly used to clog skin pores. The sealing of skin pores leads to accumulation of liquid toxins in the body, which put added pressure on the kidneys causing serious kidney disorders. Not only that, blocked pores prevent the entry of oxygen into the blood stream, thereby affecting the heart and lungs. 

In women, a combination of underarm shaving, and aluminium-containing deodorants has been linked to breast cancer. Aluminium damages the DNA of breast cells, and has a potentially hormone disrupting effect. Spray formulations mean that you inhale as well as absorb these compounds. Inhaled aluminium has fairly direct access to the brain via the nasal passages, and chronic occupational exposure has been associated with pre-clinical signs of Alzheimer’s. 

The common propellants used in deodorants are butane, isobutene, and propane, which could cause headaches, breathing difficulties, and mood swings. These propellants are also the chief ingredients of the chemical concoction that is destroying the ozone shield, and are a major contributor to the formation of smog. PPG-14 Butyl ether, the preservative solvent used in deodorant sprays is a relative of propylene glycol, and potentially toxic to the kidneys and liver. It is also a pesticide component used in sprays to protect animals from flies and mosquitoes. Imagine your body being subjected to chemicals used in pesticides day after day!

‘Parfum’ is a collective name given to hundreds of different chemicals used to produce fragrance in cosmetics, and toiletries. Many of these chemicals are persistent, that is, they do not break down in the environment, and they accumulate in human tissue and breast milk. Of the top 20 most common perfume ingredients, four -- acetone, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and methylene chloride -- are classified as hazardous waste by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency, US). 

The health risk gets magnified with the rampant use of deodorants containing BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which could cause contact allergies, dermatitis, reproductive defects, and even cancer. Once absorbed, BHT can accelerate the breakdown of vital nutrients such as vitamin D leading to unhealthy bones, teeth, and more importantly, stunted immunity. 

So, the next time you pick your bottle of deodorant spray or stick of roll-on perfume, do stop, and contemplate the harm you are causing your own body. It is horrifying to even think that this is just the tip of the iceberg!