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Can Antiperspirant Cause Breast Cancer

Genotoxic Properties Of The Chemical Components

Can Deodorants Cause Breast Cancer

Clinical studies in 2004 reported increased levels of genomic instability in outer regions of the breast in histologically normal tissue , which was suggested to result from exposure to genotoxic chemicals in that region . Instability of the genome is an important contributor to genetic changes that drive carcinogenic processes, and in accordance with the cancer field theory could provide a milieu where genetically altered cells would be more susceptible to the development of cancer .

The active antiperspirant agents are aluminium salts – and aluminium has a known genotoxic profile , and aluminium chlorhydrate has been shown active in the Comet assay . Use of these salts in cosmetics relies on the inability of the antiperspirant complexes to be absorbed . Dermal absorption of aluminium from topically applied antiperspirant aluminium chlorhydrate, however, has been demonstrated through intact human skin of the underarm , and aluminium was measured in human breast tissue at greater levels in outer quadrants than in inner quadrants . Clinical consequences arising from absorbed antiperspirant salts were described in a case study in 2004 reporting adverse bone pain and fatigue associated with toxic blood levels of aluminium, both of which disappeared after discontinuing antiperspirant use .

Chemicals And Metals In Cosmetics

Some of the anxiety over antiperspirant use may have developed due to concerns about two of the ingredients in these products.

A study in the 1970s found that breast cancer tumors contain trace amounts of several metals, including aluminum. Aluminum salts are an ingredient in some antiperspirants. Also, traces of parabens — chemical preservatives used in cosmetic products, including some deodorants and antiperspirants — have been found in tumor samples taken from breast cancer patients.

These findings, however, do not prove that either aluminum or parabens were the cause of, or played any role in, the development of the tumors.

Researchers continue to investigate potential links between these ingredients and increased cancer risk, but the evidence to date does not support the claim that using products with parabens or aluminum salts raises the risk of developing breast cancer.

Does Sweating Affect Cancer

Sweating is a way for our bodies to release heat and regulate temperature. It does not, however, clear out toxins. Our lymph nodes are responsible for clearing out bacteria and viruses from the body, but they dont use our sweat glands to do that. When our bodies ingest or absorb a carcinogen or cancer-causing agent, they filter those toxins through the kidneys and liver. Toxins from the kidneys are excreted in the urine, and toxins from the liver are excreted in bowel movements. A lack of sweating would not cause our bodies to hang on to dangerous toxins.

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The Role Of Antiperspirant In Causing Breast Cancer Is Not Proven

The main cause of breast cancer is the use of antiperspirant.

Our verdict

Cancer Research UK says that at present theres no convincing evidence that using deodorants or antiperspirants affects breast cancer risk.

What was claimed

Men are less likely to develop breast cancer because antiperspirant deodorant is applied to the hair rather than directly on to the skin.

Our verdict

Men are less likely to develop breast cancer due to differences in the amount and type of breast tissue in men. There are also important hormonal differences between men and women which relate to this.

A widely shared post makes a number of false or unevidenced claims about the link between breast cancer and the use of antiperspirant deodorant.

Cancer Research UK told Full Fact that there was no convincing evidence to support the claim that breast cancer and antiperspirant deodorant use are linked.

Using antiperspirant deodorant is not the main cause of breast cancer

The main claim in the Facebook post is that antiperspirant deodorant is the main cause of breast cancer. This isnt true.

Since as early as 2002 , theories have circulated which link breast cancer to antiperspirant deodorants that contain aluminium. This has been linked to anincrease in the percentage of breast cancers occurring in an area known as the upper outer quadrant of the breast, near the armpit. As a result, scientists and epidemiologists began to consider whether a lifestyle factor may be the cause.

Does Antiperspirant Cause Breast Cancer Heres What You Should Know

Does deodorant cause breast cancer?

The topic of antiperspirant and breast cancer is very controversial. Although it has not been scientifically proven yet that antiperspirant causes breast cancer, there are more medical studies and research indicating that there are possible links between the two.

Using antiperspirant exposes you to several chemicals of concern 365 days a year. The area so close to your lymph nodes receiving a dose of highly suspicious chemicals every day is worth thinking about.

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Breast Cancer That Metastasizes Is Much Harder To Treat

Breast cancer that metastasizes is a lot more serious, more likely to reoccur later on, and harder to treat than localized breast cancer.

There is a large concentration of lymph nodes near the breast tissue and underarm . If the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, it can easily spread to the rest of the body via the bloodstream. The more lymph nodes that are affected by cancer, the more likely the cancer will reoccur.

Aluminum And Kidney Disease

The FDA requires aluminum-based deodorant manufacturers to include a warning label for people living with kidney disease stating Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease. This advisory is for people living with kidney disease whose kidneys are functioning at 30% or less . Typically, aluminum found in your body is filtered through your kidneys. If your kidneys are not fully functioning, they may not be able to effectively filter out all aluminum from your body.

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So Does Deodorant Cause Breast Cancer

The bottom line is there is no conclusive evidence that links deodorant to breast cancer. Besides those living with kidney disease, deodorants and antiperspirants are safe for you to use. Claims stating otherwise are completely unfounded by science.

There are more effective, researched ways to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, including lifestyle factors, such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active. Breast cancer is most successfully treated when detected early. Not only does early detection of breast cancer provide the best survival rates, but breast cancer treatment tends to be less invasive when therapy begins in the early stages of the disease.

If youre in Connecticut and would like to find a doctor near you, you can locate a board-certified PACT primary care physician near you using our searchable list here.

What Do Cancer Experts Think

Can Deodorant Cause Breast Cancer?

Cancer experts are not convinced by these arguments. They point out that the reason most cancers occur towards the armpit is because there is more actual breast tissue in that area. Breast cancer is more common in richer countries, but this could be due to diet rather than use of deodorants. If there is an effect from parabens or aluminium, it must be very small.

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Can Antioxidants Help Prevent Cancer

Answer itAntioxidantscancerAntioxidantsprevent

Likewise, what is the best vitamin to prevent cancer?

supplementsbeta carotenebeta carotene supplementsCalciumvitamin D

What herbs prevent cancer?

6 Herbs and Spices for Cancer Prevention

  • 1 / 7. Most chefs and foodies agree that adding a dash of this or pinch of that can transform an ordinary dish into pure magic.
  • 2 / 7 Turmeric. The spice turmeric contains curcumin, which gives curry powder its yellow color.
  • 3 / 7 Garlic.

What supplements are good for colon cancer?

Vitamins & Supplements

  • Antioxidants. Antioxidants have been studied for their effects in cancer prevention and risk reduction.
  • Aspirin. Aspirin has been linked, in some studies, to cancer prevention.
  • Calcium.
  • Folic acid and B Vitamins.
  • Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
  • Selenized Yeast.

Can Antiperspirants/deodorants Cause Breast Cancer

1. Can antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer?

Articles in the press and on the Internet have warned that underarm antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer.1 The reports have suggested that these products contain harmful substances, which can be absorbed through the skin or enter the body through nicks caused by shaving.

Some scientists have also proposed that certain ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants may be related to breast cancer because they are applied frequently to an area next to the breast.2,3 However, researchers at the National Cancer Institute , a part of the National Institutes of Health, are not aware of any conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants or deodorants and the subsequent development of breast cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration , which regulates food, cosmetics, medicines, and medical devices, also does not have any evidence or research data that ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants cause cancer.

2. What do scientists know about the ingredients in antiperspirants and deodorants?

Aluminum-based compounds are used as the active ingredient in antiperspirants. These compounds form a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skins surface. Some research suggests that aluminum-based compounds, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and cause estrogen-like effects.3

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Antiperspirants And Alzheimer’s Disease

Back in the 1960s, a few studies found high levels of aluminum in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The research suddenly called into question the safety of everyday household items such as aluminum cans, antacids, and antiperspirants.

But the findings of these early studies werenât replicated in later research, and experts have essentially ruled out aluminum as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s.

“There was a lot of research that looked at the link between Alzheimer’s and aluminum, and there hasn’t been any definitive evidence to suggest there is a link,” says Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior associate director of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association.

According to the experts interviewed for this story, the aluminum in antiperspirants doesn’t even typically make its way into the body.

“The aluminum salts do not work as antiperspirants by being absorbed in the body. They work by forming a chemical reaction with the water in the sweat to form a physical plug… which is deposited in the sweat duct, producing a blockage in the areas that it’s applied,” says David Pariser, MD, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and past president of the American Academy of Dermatology. “Even nicks from shaving, the amount is so negligible that it doesn’t make a whole lot of scientific sense.”

Antiperspirants And Kidney Disease

Can Deodorant Cause Breast Cancer?  Cleveland Clinic

Concerns about antiperspirants and kidney disease were first raised many years ago, when dialysis patients were given a drug called aluminum hydroxide to help control high phosphorus levels in their blood. Because their kidneys weren’t functioning properly, their bodies couldn’t remove the aluminum fast enough, and it began accumulating. Scientists noticed that dialysis patients who had these high aluminum levels were more likely to develop dementia.

As a result, the FDA requires antiperspirant labels to carry a warning that reads, “Ask a doctor before use if you have kidney disease.” Yet this warning is only meant for people whose kidneys are functioning at 30% or less.

In reality, it’s almost impossible to absorb enough aluminum through the skin to harm the kidneys. “Unless you eat your stick or spray it into your mouth, your body can’t absorb that much aluminum,” says nephrologist Leslie Spry, MD, FACP, spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.

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Does Deodorant Cause Cancer

The routine is similar for many of us: Wake up, brush our teeth, take a shower, and then, we may reach for that stick of deodorant or antiperspirant. These products have a simple goal: prevent body odor. But are they dangerous to our health? The short answer: Researchers havent found any compelling evidence to suggest they are.

Over the years, claims have been made that deodorants or antiperspirants may cause cancer, specifically breast cancer, and a few studies have offered theories that seem to bolster the claims. But real evidence is lacking.

Why Does My Doctor Tell Me Not To Use Antiperspirant Or Deodorant On The Day Of My Mammogram

You are asked to not use antiperspirant or deodorant on the day you get a mammogram because many of these products contain aluminum. This metal can show up on a mammogram as tiny specks. These specks can look like microcalcifications, which are one of the things doctors look for as a possible sign of cancer. Not using these products helps prevent any confusion when the mammogram films are reviewed.

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Why Do Some People Think That Antiperspirants Might Cause Breast Cancer

Most cancers occur in the area of the breast closest to the armpit. Also, breast cancer is slightly more common in the left breast, which could be because right-handed people tend to be more heavy-handed with deodorant when using that hand. Breast cancer is more common in countries where a lot of antiperspirant is used. One study found paraben chemicals within breast tumours , and other research suggest aluminium may affect breast cells .

Do Antiperspirants Increase A Person’s Risk Of Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is caused by Antiperspirant Deodorants

There are no strong epidemiologic studies in the medical literature that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and very little scientific evidence to support this claim.

In fact, a carefully designed epidemiologic study of this issue published in 2002 compared 813 women with breast cancer and 793 women without the disease. The researchers found no link between breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, deodorant use, or underarm shaving.

A study published in 2003 looked at responses from questionnaires sent out to women who had breast cancer. The researcher reported that women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age said they used antiperspirant and started shaving their underarms earlier and shaved more often than women who were diagnosed when they were older. But the study design did not include a control group of women without breast cancer and has been criticized by experts as not relevant to the safety of these underarm hygiene practices.

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How Does Cancer Research Uk Evaluate Evidence

We regularly review new research on the causes of cancer to make sure our information is up to date and based on the best quality evidence. We develop our information by looking at lots of research carried out over many years. So, although new research comes out all the time, it is unlikely that one new study would change our position on a topic.

Some studies are better than others at telling us about how different factors affect cancer risk. These are some of the things we consider:

  • Did the study look at cells, animals or people?

Studies in animals and cells can help scientists understand how cancer works, but they cant always tell us how its relevant to humans. So we focus on studies in people.

  • How big is the study and how long did it go on for?

Studies on small numbers of people arent as reliable, because results are more likely to happen by chance. And studies that only follow people for a short amount of time can miss long-term effects. So we mainly look at studies that follow thousands of people over many years.

  • Did the study account for other factors that could affect someones cancer risk?

There are lots of factors that can affect someones risk of cancer. Studies should take known risk factors into account. For example, if a study is looking at air pollution and lung cancer, it should also look at whether participants smoked.

  • Where is the study published and who funded it?

How to find accurate information on cancer

Research Study Showed Aluminum Transformed Skin Cells Into Tumor Cells

The University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, conducted a research study where they exposed the skin cells of mice to the same amount of aluminum chloride found in antiperspirants.

The skin cells of mice were extracted and then cultured with aluminum chloride for 6 months. They then injected 10 mice with the aluminum cultured skin cells and after 5 weeks, they found 8 of the 10 mice had developed tumors and the tumors had metastasized into their lungs.

Not only did prolonged exposure to aluminum turn skin cells into tumor cells, but they can also bypass the bodys immune cells which work to protect the body against tumors.

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The Origins Of Antiperspirant Fears

Most antiperspirant worries center on the active ingredient — an aluminum-based compound that temporarily plugs the sweat ducts and prevents you from perspiring.

Typically, antiperspirants are coupled with a deodorant, which contains the pleasant scent that stops you from stinking. They may also contain a number of inactive ingredients.

Let’s look at where the health worries over antiperspirants got their start, and what the research has to say about these products:

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Can Deodorants Cause Breast Cancer?

Quick Take

A number of social media posts, directly and indirectly, claim that using deodorants and antiperspirants causes Breast Cancer in females. We fact-check and find the claims to be mostly false.

The Claim

Multiple social media users claim that using deodorants cause breast Cancer in females. Screenshots of some of such posts are given below.

In addition, we also received a WhatsApp message in circulation in our WhatsApp tipline that says, the major cause of Breast Cancer in girls is the use of antiperspirants. It blocks of sweat. A screenshot of the message is given below.

Fact Check

Do deodorants cause Breast Cancer?

No. Major researches have not revealed any direct connection between Breast Cancer and deodorants.

One of the major reason of concern around deodorants rises from the belief that the chemicals are absorbed in the skin and gets settled in the lymph nodes under the arm. As per the American Cancer Society, this is a false presumption. Their website Cancer.org mentions, There are no strong epidemiologic studies in the medical literature that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and very little scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, a carefully designed epidemiologic study of this issue published in 2002 compared 813 women with breast cancer and 793 women without the disease. The researchers found no link between breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, deodorant use, or underarm shaving.

Are deodorants completely safe?

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