Is Stopping Underarm Sweating Healthy

Stopping underarm sweating is a hygienic concern that confronts everyone, especially those who perspire profusely, and those living in countries with warm climates. But is it healthy to stop underarm sweating?

One of the natural body processes of purging toxins from our body is through perspiration. And the armpit is one of the exit points through which the body pushes out toxic substances. In other words, sweating is a necessary part of the body's natural defense mechanism. Preventing it is, therefore, interfering with a natural function of the body.


Not very long ago, an article circulated in the internet linking antiperspirants to the growing number of breast cancer cases. The article claims that the chemical substance of antiperspirants, aluminum chlorohydrate, which stops the sweating in the armpit, prevents the toxins from being expelled, which leads to its accumulation in the lymph nodes under the arms. And this is precisely the area where breast tumors develop. [read Aluminum Free Antiperspirant and Breast Cancer]

But the link of antiperspirants to breast cancer growth is still very much an unresolved issue. A 2002 research by a team led by epidemiologist Dana K. Mirick of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle finds no link. However, a 2004 study performed by Chicago allergist, Dr. Kris McGrath, and published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, claims to find a connection among antiperspirants, underarm shaving, and cancer. He theorizes that the chemical aluminum chlorohydrate, enters the lymphatic system through nicks in the skin, caused by underarm shaving. The inference is that daily absorption of this toxic chemical induces the development of breast tumor.

So, stopping underarm sweating should not be an issue at all, since it is not healthy. Disrupting the natural order of things leads to dreadful consequences. Instead, addressing the underarm odor should be the paramount concern. Avoid the antiperspirant/deodorant preparations. Deodorants should competently do the job. Better still, look for the organic deodorants for a completely chemical-free odor control management.