Ida's Soap Box

I received an email from one of our customers with a great question, “Thank you for reminding me to be more cautious about what I believe that I see on the internet. But how am I or anyone who doesn't have a science background supposed to know what to look for in all of those studies we read about?”

The claim that using an antiperspirant causes breast cancer is listed under “common cancer myths and misconceptions” on the National Cancer Institute website. Part 3 continues debunking the major misconceptions concerning breast cancer and antiperspirants.

The misinformation concerning antiperspirants and breast cancer has been circulated via emails, on websites and even in newspapers. In this blog I will explore the myth that states, "Since antiperspirants keep a person from sweating, cancer-causing toxins build up in the armpit lymph nodes located in the armpits."

Since underarm antiperspirants and deodorants are applied near the breast and often contain synthetic ingredients, some have suggested a connection between their use and breast cancer. Although no scientific evidence links the use of these products to the development of breast cancer, there is a great deal of misinformation circulating around the internet. I have created a series of four blogs and over the next few weeks I will try to shed some light on the misinformation.