Health In Motion

Editors Comment: The article linked to below from www.controlyourimpact.com highlights an important point: We have become so dependent on chemicals, we no longer question their safety in relation to our body. We trust manufacturres and governmental oversight bodies to keep us safe, but fail to take into account that enormous component of the human spirit – greed. Please read the article below (featured in Time magazine) to get a better understanding of the adverse relationship between chemicals and your skin.

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Why Breast Cancer Is Spreading Around The World

By Dr. Chris G. Mcgrath, MD

Only 5-10% of breast cancer has a genetic link, while 90% is linked to the environment or a particular lifestyle, primarily a Western lifestyle. The closest environment to the breast is the underarm and the closest Western lifestyle is the daily application of antiperspirants, deodorants, or more commonly in combination. This daily routine is more often the not, preceded by underarm shaving. In the United States 90% of the population uses antiperspirants/deodorants.

The skin is the largest organ of the body; it is one of our first lines of defense, protecting us from dehydration, infection, as well as chemical and radiation exposure. Surprisingly, modern pharmacology is using the skin for drug delivery, including medications for blood pressure and pain control, hormone replacement, contraception, motion sickness, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and soon, insulin delivery for diabetes. This delivery system has not been without risk, including an FDA required warning label for the opioid based pain-relieving patch, Duragesic, after several overdoses were reported. In early 2007 a New York teenage girl died from over applying anti-inflammatory creams and patches to her skin. The upper extremities and shoulders have the best absorption as compared to the lower extremities and trunk.

A great amount of research is done before FDA approval of these skin applied medications. On the contrary, the many ingredients in antiperspirants, deodorants are not as rigorously studied and use is daily over decades. Some of the ingredients in Antiperspirants have been shown to enter the skin, shaved and unshaved.
Shaving removes hair and skin cells as well as causing small abrasions. Without the hair and skin there to “grab” these compounds, more absorption may occur.

Just under the skin lies the lymphatic system which collects excess fluid from surrounding cells, returning it to the circulation. More importantly the lymphatic system is part of the immune system fighting off infection, disease and removes foreign particles. Interesting the lymphatic flow in the underarms and breast is bi-directional (a 2 way street), not one way controlled by valves as in other parts of the body. So chemicals applied to one underarm could expose the nearest as well as the farthest breast.

So in summary, Westernized women are applying chemical compounds in antiperspirants/deodorants on the skin daily over decades. These compounds have not been studied long term with respect to skin absorption and possible toxicity. Skin transport is an FDA approved delivery system for many well studied drugs. The under arms are located in the upper extremities which by research is the most efficient site for skin delivered drugs. The breasts and the underarms are directly linked by the skin and lymphatic system. This antiperspirant/deodorant exposure occurs daily over decades, likely facilitated by underarm shaving. Interesting when the incidence of breast cancer since the 1940’s is plotted against the same time period of antiperspirant/deodorant sales, an eerie parallel is seen.

My study published in 2003 revealed a significant earlier age of diagnoses in those women who more frequently used antiperspirants and shaved their underarms, than those women who less frequently did these habits and especially than those who did not use these products or shave. The most active group was diagnosed 22 years earlier than the non users. And those women starting these habits before the age of 16 were diagnosed 9 years earlier. To put this in perspective, individuals who start using tobacco at an earlier age, especially with heavier use are diagnosed with a tobacco related illness at an earlier age. I am most concerned with the aluminum in antiperspirants. The active component of aluminum, Al+3 has been shown to alter DNA, one of the ways cancer can start. Dr. Darbre in England also is concerned about the estrogen like activity of a common group of preservatives the parabens, as well as aluminum affecting estrogen receptor sites. Estrogen has long been linked to breast cancer. By all means I’m not suggesting all breast cancer may be related to underarm hygiene habits since breast cancer has been around since Hippocrates, long before these current underarm habits began.

For underarm hygiene the best recommendation would be soap and water, and no underarm shaving; however, I am then asked what products do you, your family and patient’s use. Underarm hygiene habits begin by age 9 or 10! I have reviewed and studied labels on countless products. I am most impressed with Terra Natural’s product line of deodorants. Terra natural’s share my concern over the proximity of the underarm to the lymphatic system and the breast. The daily application over decades of compounds, all that well not studied, concerns them as much as me. Their motto is, “Why take a chance if you don’t have to?” Terra Naturals products work in controlling odor by using all natural ingredients. The ingredients are all plant or food based, not containing any synthetic petroleum based ingredients. Their’s is a plant based preservative system and the use of healthy antioxidants and anti-tumor herbs. Future plans include the addition of ingredients that are well studied with published results in peer reviewed science and medical journals. These future ingredients assist the immune system in fighting cancer, inflammation and microorganisms.

References:

1. McGrath, K G. “An Earlier Age of Breast Cancer Diagnosis Related to More Frequent Use of Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Underarm Shaving.” European Journal of Cancer Prevention 12 (2003): 479-485. 24 Jan. 2008.
   Also Available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/KGM_paper.pdf

Researchers have found traces of chemicals called parabens in every sample of tissue taken from 20 different breast tumors. Studies suggest that paraben, a chemical found in underarm deodorants and other cosmetics, can seep into the tissue after being applied to the skin.This finding concerned researchers since parabens have been shown to be able to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can drive the growth of human breast tumors.

However, this study showed no direct evidence that deodorants were linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Further work is required to examine any association between estrogen and other chemicals found in deodorants and breast cancer, researchers say.

BBC News January 11, 2004

Aluminum, a common ingredient added to antiperspirants to stop skin sweating, may be linked to breast cancer, a study by British scientists found.

Testing breast samples from 17 breast-cancer patients who had undergone mastectomies, researchers found that women who used antiperspirants had deposits of aluminum in their outer breast tissue. (Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry November 2007)

Aluminum is not normally found in the human body, and the researchers believe the metal is being absorbed from antiperspirant sprays and roll-ons. (Daily Mail September 3, 2007)

In fact, after a single underarm application of antiperspirant, about .012 percent of the aluminum may be absorbed. Other concerning sources of aluminum to humans are food, drinking water, contaminated air, industrial and medicinal exposure, vaccines, and even sunscreens. (Pharmacological Toxicology April, 2001;88(4):159-67)

Manufacturers use aluminum in deodorants because it is very effective in preventing sweating. The director-general of the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association also said they do not believe that the aluminum in antiperspirants is absorbed by the body.

However, aluminum salts, which account for 25 percent of the volume of some antiperspirants, can mimic the hormone estrogen. Chemicals that imitate that hormone are known to affect breast cancer risk. Applying antiperspirants immediately after shaving will also result in a higher aluminum salt absorption rate due to damaged skin. (Journal of Applied Toxicology February 17, 2006)

Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores that release sweat under your arms — with the active ingredient being aluminum. This blocks one of your body’s routes for detoxification (releasing toxins via your underarm sweat).

Deodorants are not the same thing as antiperspirants, and may be less problematic, as they work by neutralizing the smell of your sweat and by antiseptic action against bacteria, but do not prevent sweating.

The Effects of Toxins on Your Body

Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body. A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal estimated that perhaps 75 percent of most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, including exposure to chemicals. Another report by the Columbia University School of Public Health, estimated that 95 percent of cancer is caused by diet and environmental toxicity.

This is really not surprising when you consider that estimates show most North Americans have somewhere between 400 and 800 chemicals stored in their bodies, typically in fat cells.

A couple of years ago the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that only 28 common cosmetics and toiletries out of 7,500 had all of its ingredients fully tested for safety. If you want to learn about the potential toxicity of your cosmetics, review the EWG’s extensive “Skin Deep Report.” It allows you to search the products you use on a daily basis and find out how safe they really are.

Also, please read “Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call.” The author, Dr. Doris Rapp, does a great job of uncovering the many ways we are exposed to toxic chemicals; how these affect our health and contribute to many chronic diseases.

It’s good to remember that most chemicals you put on your skin are absorbed quite efficiently into the bloodstream. So if you want to be safe, simply ditch your antiperspirant and deodorant and switch over to a natural brand from a local health food store.