If you’ve been watching TV lately, you may have noticed the tongue-in-cheek TV ads hawking body deodorants for women discreetly implying the private parts that can smell better – beyond underarms.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution decided to delve further into the new trend in full-body odor protection, which aims to expand upon a hygiene staple we’ve used for nearly 150 years. We asked two Atlanta doctors who treat areas of the body an all-over deodorant might impact to discuss the pros and cons of the new products.
The Secret ad claims its deodorant that goes “everywhere,” provides 72-hour protection to help eliminate odor, and is tested by dermatologists. Lume, a brand on the scene for several years, is marketed for “Pits, privates and beyond,” and even promises to exfoliate and brighten skin. Meanwhile, Dove claims its whole-body deodorant cream is suitable for use all over the body, including private parts.
While the doctors differed in their view of these products’ usefulness, they cited health concerns. Chemicals and fragrances in the products could irritate some skin, causing infections or harming the body’s natural ability to regulate itself.
Here’s what they told the AJC:
Dr. Taniqua Miller, an Atlanta OB-GYN, doesn’t think the new products are necessary and is disturbed by the attention to the smell of women’s body parts. The commercial for Secret’s whole-body deodorant, for instance, states that 4 out of 5 gynecologists “would recommend” the product.
Miller wouldn’t be one of them, and she doesn’t believe gynecologists are trained in this area. “Simple cleansing is advocated instead of perfuming,” she said. She recommends a gentle unscented soap to wash away odor. Even for her athletic patients, she advises using a topical antiseptic soap to control body odor or an anti-perspirant.
Deodorants use antimicrobial ingredients that reduce the number of bacteria producing odor, and a fragrance that masks odor, according to WebMD. Antiperspirants, meanwhile, temporarily block your body’s sweat glands from making sweat, typically with an aluminum-based ingredient. Most of the new whole-body products fall into the deodorant category.
Deodorants are considered cosmetics, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates antiperspirants as a drug because they affect the structure or function of the body, requiring stricter policies.
Atlanta dermatologist Marcus Goodman believes products that combat excessive odors can be beneficial for people who are self-conscious about how they smell. The new products are also an improvement over traditional deodorants because most don’t include the harsh chemical aluminum, believed to impact kidney function and cause headaches or migraines, he said.
But he’s concerned about possible allergic skin irritations or rashes from the fragrances in the products leading to discomfort or infection.
“Fragrances, certain oils, and scents which mask odor could trigger these reactions, and they can be pretty severe.” Goodman said consumers may not be aware of the possible risks because they might not immediately have a bad reaction to the product, but it may become worse with continued use. “Be aware of itching, burning, stinging and discontinue use.”
Goodman believes researchers should continue to study the long-term effects of the full-body deodorants. He said he wonders if some of the products reducing sweat interfere with the body’s natural ability to regulate its internal temperature. The body cools itself through sweat and if it can’t do that sufficiently, it will overheat, which poses further health risks.
Dermatologists nationwide are still learning about the new whole-body products, he said. Within the past three to six months, he has seen an uptick in online discussions among dermatologists nationwide about the products. Colleagues in his practice are also studying them to more effectively identify, diagnose and treat potential reactions, and explain the risks to patients, he said.
Miller, the gynecologist, also is worried about patients using a deodorant in or near the vagina, which could potentially disrupt the “delicate balance of bacteria” in that area, causing more odor. “The vagina does a good job of cleaning itself.”
Using a deodorant in the vaginal area might also cover up an underlying health problem such as bacterial vaginosis, for which gynecologists generally prescribe antibiotics, she said.
“If it’s really an issue, we need to solve what that issue is,” Miller said. “Let’s try to fix it, not cover it up with deodorant.”
A brief history of deodorants
Before deodorant, people generally battled their offensive smells by masking them with perfumes, a practice attributed to the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks, as reported by ThoughtCo. Mum is believed to be the first commercial deodorant, developed by an unknown Philadelphia inventor in 1888, ThoughtCo. reported.
Antiperspirants, which reduce sweat, followed in the early 1900s, according to research by the University of Buffalo. Early versions were so strong and acidic that they would burn through clothing and cause skin irritation, a UB researcher found. Still, many women still preferred destroyed clothes over body odor. To them, the acidic burn signified the product was working. Manufacturers solved the problem by buffering the active ingredient to make it safer, the researcher reported.
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