Antiperspirant, Deodorant

Deodorants (Deodourants) are substances applied to the body, most frequently the underarms, to reduce the body odor caused by the bacterial breakdown of perspiration. A subgroup of deodorants are "antiperspirants", which prevent odor and reduce sweat produced by parts of the body. more...

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Antiperspirants are typically applied to the underarms, while deodorants can also be used on feet and other areas in the form of body sprays.

Overview

Human sweat itself is largely odorless until it is fermented by bacteria that thrive in hot, humid environments such as the human underarm. The armpits are among the consistently warmest areas on the surface of the human body, and sweat glands provide moisture. Underarm hair adds to the odor by providing increased surface area on which this bacteria thrive. Body odor is controlled by reducing moisture, killing bacteria or over powering the bacteria's smell with perfume.

The smells which deodorants are used to counter are due to the clothing. This is because without clothes, the sexual scents emitted by the body are powerfully erotic but beneath layers of clothing they can quickly deteriorate and become stale.

Deodorants — classified and regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) cosmetics by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — work to inhibit the growth of bacteria which cause odors. The first commercial deodorant, Mum, was introduced in the late nineteenth century. Deodorants are usually alcohol-based, which kills bacteria effectively. Deodorants can be formulated with other, more persistent antimicrobials such as triclosan, or with metal chelant compounds that slow bacterial growth. Deodorants also often contain perfume fragrances intended to mask the odor of perspiration.

Deodorants may be combined with antiperspirants — classified as drugs by the FDA — which attempt to stop or significantly reduce perspiration and thus reduce the moist climate in which bacteria thrive. Aluminum chloride, aluminum chlorohydrate, and aluminum-zirconium compounds, most notably Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly and Aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly, are the most widely used antiperspirants. Aluminum-based complexes react with the electrolytes in the sweat to form a gel plug in the duct of the sweat gland. The plugs prevent the gland from excreting liquid and are removed over time by the natural sloughing of the skin. The blockage of a large number of sweat glands reduces the amount of sweat produced in the underarms, though this may vary from person to person.

A popular alternative to modern commercial deodorants is Ammonium alum, which is a common type of Alum sold in crystal form. It has been used as a deodorant throughout history in Thailand, the Far East, Mexico and other countries.

Read more at Wikipedia.org