Should You Use Whole-Body Deodorant? We Asked 4 Dermatologists to Weigh In

Most individuals apply deodorant day-after-day to fight armpit stink—however a fleet of latest merchandise promise to eliminate odor and sweat throughout your physique.

These whole-body deodorants are marketed as deodorizers in your internal thighs, personal elements, ft, below the breasts, and another spot that may get sweaty and pungent.

Loads of manufacturers are getting in on the whole-body deodorant craze, together with newer ones resembling Lumē, Native, and Luna, alongside acquainted staples resembling Dove, Outdated Spice, and Secret. Critiques and product take a look at movies of those whole-body deodorants have change into wildly common on social media too, raking in tens of thousands and thousands of views.

Dermatologists have additionally taken discover. “I’ve seen a rising curiosity in whole-body deodorants, particularly amongst skincare-conscious sufferers who need odor safety past their underarms,” Hannah Kopelman, DO, a New York Metropolis–based mostly dermatologist and hair loss specialist, informed Well being.

The web appears satisfied, however is it actually a good suggestion to coat each nook and cranny of your physique with deodorant? And do these merchandise even work? This is what dermatologists needed to say.

Like conventional deodorants and antiperspirants, whole-body deodorants are available many alternative formulations, together with sticks, sprays, wipes, and lotions. They’re usually “designed for a extra handy software to bigger physique floor areas,” Maya Thosani, MD, dermatologist and founding father of Fashionable Dermatology in Arizona, informed Well being.

And whole-body deodorants primarily work the identical manner common ones do.

Body odor often stems from a mixture of sweat and micro organism. Deodorants include antimicrobial components to curb micro organism development, plus moisture-absorbing components to maintain pores and skin dry, Kopelman defined. Fragrances are a typical addition too, Thosani stated.

The distinction is that whole-body deodorants often include components which might be gentler on the pores and skin, or they restrict concentrations of alcohol, aluminum salts, or sturdy fragrances relative to what’s often included in conventional deodorants and antiperspirants, Mary Alice Mina, MD, dermatologic surgeon at Baucom and Mina Derm Surgical procedure in Atlanta, Georgia, informed Well being. It’s because whole-body deodorants are sometimes utilized to extra delicate areas of the physique.

In accordance with Mina and the opposite dermatologists, whole-body deodorants can embody:

• Baking soda, cyclodextrins, zeolites, or alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) to neutralize odor
• Triclosan, silver compounds, or polyquaternium-16 to kill micro organism
• Cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot powder, zinc oxide, or kaolin clay to soak up moisture
• Moisturizers to melt pores and skin and make software smoother
• Important oils so as to add perfume, and for attainable antibacterial or antifungal properties

Although the formulations are sometimes barely totally different than conventional deodorants, these merchandise are often in a position to remove odor, consultants agreed.

“Proof does help the idea that whole-body deodorant can tackle odor management and the balancing of the pores and skin’s microbiome,” stated Anna Chacon, MD, dermatologist and founding father of MiamiDerm.

However that does not imply it is best to skip your bathe and seize considered one of these merchandise as a substitute.

“Complete-body deodorants don’t change a stable hygiene routine,” Chacon informed Well being. “Like dry shampoo for the physique, they’re supposed for use in a pinch or earlier than an occasion that you simply assume may incite extra sweat or odor than regular.”

These merchandise can remove odor, however that doesn’t imply they must be added to your hygiene routine—or that they need to be utilized to each a part of the physique. Dermatologists have some considerations.

For one, these merchandise could also be irritating for individuals with delicate pores and skin.

Science has proven that “frequent allergens” in merchandise can “trigger rashes because of both irritation or allergic response,” Thosani defined. Important oils, fragrances, alcohol, baking soda, preservatives, and different components present in whole-body deodorants are “frequent offenders,” she stated.

So consultants advocate testing a small quantity of the product earlier than making use of it throughout your physique.

“I all the time advise patch-testing first and avoiding software on damaged or freshly shaved pores and skin,” Kopelman stated. “Folks with eczema, psoriasis, or a historical past of allergic contact dermatitis ought to be particularly cautious.”

Plus, the title “whole-body deodorant” may mislead some individuals into considering that these merchandise are protected to make use of on each single inch of the physique—however that is not the case.

Complete-body deodorants shouldn’t be used internally, or on probably the most delicate and friction-prone elements of the physique: the groin, internal thighs, and pores and skin folds, consultants stated.

“Usually these merchandise are promoted for ‘personal areas,’” Thosani stated. “This isn’t obligatory and can doubtlessly trigger extra hurt by not solely introducing chemical compounds to a fragile pores and skin web site, but in addition creating psychological misery by implying that ordinary physique chemistry is one to be ashamed of.”

Should you’re keen on making an attempt whole-body deodorant, the product ought to assist block odors—simply ensure you’re making use of it safely.

Nonetheless, whole-body deodorant actually isn’t obligatory. Hygiene and life-style modifications “can go a great distance earlier than including topical merchandise into the combination,” Kopelman stated. “Generally much less is extra.”

To scale back physique odor, you may:

• Keep away from tight clothes, and go for breathable, moisture-wicking materials to scale back sweat build-up, Mina and Kopelman agreed.
• Preserve a balanced food plan with numerous vegetables and fruit, and fewer ultra-processed foods. Spicier or aromatic meals might be partially “‘sweat out’ by pores, so keep away from something pungent if odors are a problem,” Thosani defined.
• Use antibacterial physique washes or cleaning soap (resembling these with benzoyl peroxide) to lower bacterial load on the pores and skin, Kopelman and Thosani stated, notably across the groin, underarms, or different areas that are inclined to odor.
• Maintain high-friction areas dry, Kopelman added, by making use of talc-free powders or anti-chafe barrier lotions.
• Attempt Hibiclens (chlorhexidine gluconate), which is a surgical scrub, for a extra rigorous clear. However watch out: “It can’t be used above the neck, because it’s poisonous if it will get within the eyes or ears,” stated Thosani.
• Use over-the-counter hypochlorous acid spray earlier than and after exercises to eliminate micro organism with out irritating or drying the pores and skin, she stated.

If extreme sweating (hyperhidrosis) or physique odor remains to be a problem, schedule a go to to a dermatologist to debate different remedy choices.