Intended for healthcare professionals

Student Reviews

Do deodorants cause breast cancer?

BMJ 2001; 322 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.010238 (Published 01 February 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;322:010238
  1. Marianna Philippidou, second year medical student1
  1. 1Guy's, King's and St Thomas's School of Medicine and Dentistry

Many women have read an article on the internet linking deodorant and antiperspirant usage with breast cancer.1 There was a plethora of articles on the internet,23 chain emails, and publications in magazines mentioning a particular health seminar in the United States where findings were presented not only linking breast cancer to antiperspirants but claiming that the use of antiperspirants seemed to be the leading cause of breast cancer.3

The explanation behind this theory was very simple. Toxins are purged in the form of perspiration. Antiperspirants, as the name suggests, prevent perspiration, thereby inhibiting the body from purging toxins from the axillary area. The toxins accumulate, and …

View Full Text

Log in

Log in through your institution

Subscribe

* For online subscription