You’ve heard it for years: Using most deodorant or antiperspirants increases your risk of breast cancer. It’s been a topic of discussion on the internet and talk shows, at water coolers and in doctor’s office waiting rooms. But, is it fact or fiction? Perhaps it continues to be discussed because views on this topic remain varied. It seems that every few years a new study surfaces to debunk the one before. T wo years ago, a study found no connection linking deodorant use and breast cancer among patients at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. But a Chicago allergist claims that study didn`t do enough prolonged research to support its findings. St. Joseph`s Hospital`s Dr. Kris McGrath remains firmly among those who stick to the notion that antiperspirants are responsible for many cases of breast cancer. After his wife died of breast cancer, he began his own research on the subject. Now his study, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, is the first to find a connection between antiperspirants, underarm shaving, and cancer.

Dr. McGrath states that t he women who shave their underarms and use deodorants more aggressively had a diagnosis of breast cancer twenty two years earlier than the non-users. He believes the reason antiperspirants are cancer-causers are the toxins in aluminum salts such as aluminum chlorohydrate. He says they don`t normally penetrate the skin enough to cause a problem – unless the skin is shaven.

Dr. McGrath proposes that when skin is disturbed by shaving, it can make an individual more susceptible to cancer because just under the skin is the lymphatic system which, as we all know, is connected to the breast.

In Dr. McGrath`s study, more than 400 Chicago-area breast cancer survivors recalled their lifetime history of using antiperspirants and underarm shaving. Cancer specialist Dr. Melody Cobleigh of Rush-Presbyterian said that is called a retrospective study (where patients count on memory to provide information) and it can often be unreliable.

Dr. Cobleigh states that, because p atients may have trouble remembering what age they were when they started using deodorant, she is concerned about the statistical weaknesses in McGrath’s findings.

So, the discussions and the debate continue. It is important to note that neither the American Cancer Society nor the deodorant companies contacted by recent researchers confirm they have seen any evidence for a link with breast cancer. It is also important to know that there are antiperspirants available at most drug stores and markets that do not contain aluminum salts if it is a concern for you. Many of those deodorants are not antiperspirants and, therefore, offer no anti-sweating benefits – the whole point of using the stuff. As always, use caution and stay educated on findings and reports published by the American Cancer Society and the FDA. Use plenty of lubricant when shaving and give your underarms as much time to recover from shaving as possible before applying deodorant. You could always try your guy’s aftershave to close pores.

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