Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant
What is Difference between Deodorant and Antiperspirant? It is the end of a long and hot day. You are leaving work; you take the elevator when suddenly an unpleasant smell comes. It is body odor, while it is completely natural and not necessarily a product of poor hygiene, body odor is not a pleasant smell. For hundreds of years humans have sought ways to cover, suppress or eliminate body odor. Covering it involves the continuous application of perfumes or colognes, a very common method in ancient times. However, today there are more sophisticated ways to eliminate body odor, specifically using deodorants or antiperspirants. Below this post is all about the difference between Deodorant and Antiperspirant.
Difference between Deodorant and Antiperspirant
Definition of Deodorant and Antiperspirant
- Deodorant is classified by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States as a cosmetic used to eliminate body odor. With this definition, the perfume and antiperspirant falls in the same category as the deodorant, however, the specific application of the deodorant is what differentiates them.
- The antiperspirant is technically a type of deodorant that suppresses body odor preventing sweat from occurring in areas of the body, such as armpits where body odor is more common.
How Deodorant and Antiperspirant Work
The deodorant attacks the bacteria that produces body odor. Body odor is caused by a bacterium that acts as a fermenting agent of sweat. If you have ever taken a tour in a brewery or vineyard you will have noticed the distinctive smell that comes from fermentation. This same process takes place under your armpits, although to a lesser extent. If the bacteria die then the fermentation will not take place. That there is no fermentation means there will be no smell.
Antiperspirants also have a deodorant property, but they work mostly to stop sweating. This causes the bacteria to have nothing to ferment.
Types of Deodorants and Antiperspirants
- Deodorants kill bacteria in different ways. This can be in an aerosol or spray product that contains alcohol that temporarily kills the bacteria. It can be in a roll-on or gel that contains an anti-bacteria metal compound.
- Antiperspirants use various forms of aluminum to block the production of sweat. Aluminum reacts with the compounds on the surface of the skin to form a type of structure that blocks the pores.
Deodorants and Antiperspirants Safety
- The deodorant is considered relatively benign.
- While the FDA approves the use of the antiperspirant, it is considered less healthy since it prevents the body from staying naturally fresh when it produces sweat.
In Summary
- Deodorants and antiperspirants are used to stop body odor that is created by a combination of bacteria and sweat.
- Deodorants attack the bacteria that cause the odor to eliminate such odors while antiperspirants prevent the body from sweating and therefore keep you dry and odor free.
- Deodorants are considered safer than antiperspirants because they do not stop the body’s natural method of cooling.
