Antiperspirants and deodorants change the microbial life on the skin

The use of antiperspirants and deodorants has increased greatly. Therefore, researchers from North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Rutgers University, and Duke University wanted to understand whether using these products affects the microbial ecosystem on the skin. Usually, the underarms harbor various types of bacteria, some of which are beneficial. To learn more about the impact of using products that work against sweat and body odor, the researchers roped in 17 participants: some of them used antiperspirants, some used deodorants, and the rest did not use any products. Over 8 days, the participants’ armpit swabs were studied. In comparison to those participants who used no products, the ones who using antiperspirants had fewer microbes while those using deodorants had more microbes. The participants who did not use any products reported 62% of Corynebacteria, 21% of various Staphylococcaceae bacteria, and an assortment of less than 10% of other bacteria. On the other hand, those who used antiperspirants reported 60% of Staphylococcaceae, 14% of Corynebacteria, and more than 20% of other bacteria. The researchers now want to conduct further studies to understand the impact of the changed microbial ecosystem on human health.

Read more in Science Daily.