Many of us wouldn’t feel good about leaving the house without spraying a little deodorant under our armpits. But, says leading toxicologist Dr Yvonne Burkart, antiperspirants are just one of a number of everyday products that are delivering potentially deadly chemicals into our bodies. Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast , Dr Burkart told host Steven Bartlett: "Antiperspirants contain aluminium salts – those physically block sweat ducts.
"What that does over time is, it prevents you from sweating...
but the problem with aluminium is that there have been links to increased risk of breast cancer in young girls.” She explains that some properties of aluminium mimic the effects of oestrogen in the body, upending the natural hormone balance and giving rise to potentially deadly cancers. She urged Steven to “throw out” his antiperspirant, along with a number of other common everyday grooming products, such as moisturisers and concealers.
For regular antiperspirant users who are anxious that the damage may already be done, Dr Burkart recommends mixing up a paste of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar, which can help draw out some of the aluminium particles embedded in the pores. Any product that is applied to the skin and then left to soak in – such as, not only moisturisers, but also foundations and lipsticks, are potentially high-risk. She explained: "The longer something sits on your skin the longer time it has to penetrate the skin and get absorbed into your bl.
