5 Signs You Need an Armpit Detox + How To Do An Armpit Detox

Are you addicted to deodorant? Try this armpit detox when your armpits stink more than they should or when regular deodorant starts irritating your skin.

Your body needs to sweat to release toxins, but one of the biggest areas that we sweat from – the underarms – can be blocked by the use of chemical-laden deodorants and antiperspirants. (1)

If you find that you can’t use natural deodorants because you really rely on that powerful odor-blocking stick, then your armpits might just need a detox so that they can start doing the job they were made to do.

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What Do Underarms Do Anyway?

Body odor is an embarrassing subject that most of us want to avoid. So, we slather on deodorants that keep smell and sweat away, and this makes us feel cleaner. In reality, underarm sweat is no different from sweat that is anywhere else in the body. So why does it tend to smell so much worse for some people?

Contrary to what most people think, the actual sweat that comes out of the armpits is nearly odorless. The scent of body odor comes from the breakdown of proteins on the skin, and this has a stronger odor in areas of the body that are close to apocrine glands, which includes the armpits, breasts, and groin. These apocrine glands are also known as scent glands, and they produce sweat that is higher in proteins, which is why they’re more easily broken down. Some people don’t have unpleasant smelling body odors while others’ can be very strong and offensive. What makes the difference? [tweet_quote]Diet, lifestyle, body weight, body care routine, and genetics can all influence how a person’s underarms smell.[/tweet_quote]

Diet, lifestyle, body weight, body care routine, and genetics can all influence how a person’s underarms smell. Sometimes, after years of antiperspirant use, body odor actually worsens because sweat isn’t routinely released.

Deodorants and antiperspirants use chemicals to prevent the underarms from doing what they naturally would: sweating and, occasionally, stinking. These chemicals don’t just sit on the surface of your skin, they are absorbed into the body. Antiperspirants also purposefully clog the sweat glands, which can become irritated from the lack of ability to release sweat.

The list of chemicals commonly found in deodorants and antiperspirants is long, and the most common ones include:

Aluminum
Parabens
Propylene glycol
Talc
Triclosan
Silica
Steareth

[tweet_quote]Deodorants and antiperspirants use chemicals to prevent the underarms from doing what they naturally would: sweating and, occasionally, stinking. These chemicals don’t just sit on the surface of your skin, they are absorbed into the body.[/tweet_quote]

The problem with these chemicals is that they can cause issues that range from an excess toxic burden in the body to hormone disruption to even the potential for cancer. Not only do we lose out on the release of toxins when we prevent sweating, but we increase the burden when we slather on deodorants and antiperspirants that are loaded with synthetic fragrances, toxic ingredients, and talc.

In our modern lifestyle, sweat has become an enemy. We want to always be dry, clean, and fresh, so we gravitate to products that claim to achieve these things. In reality, we can be sweaty without being stinky, but it might take a little help to get there.

5 Signs You Need an Armpit Detox

While it seems like a fad, armpit detoxes are emerging as a way to address body odor without resorting to chemicals. It allows the body to sweat naturally while decreasing the heavy odor that can be associated with the excess protein breakdown in the armpits.

How do you know if you could benefit from an armpit detox?

You rely heavily on antiperspirants and/or deodorants.
You have a strong body odor, even when wearing deodorant.
Your armpits are itchy, irritated, or bumpy.
The lymph nodes in your armpits are swollen or tender.
You have tried natural deodorants but they don’t work, or you have itchy reactions to them.

Unlike other forms of detox, an armpit detox doesn’t actually pull toxins from the liver. The purpose of an armpit detox is to help break the skin’s reliance on antiperspirants and to essentially cleanse the surface of the skin to calm irritation and lessen excessive sweating.

Just like we can build a dependence on antacids, which causes digestive upset if we don’t take them, relying on antiperspirants can lead to excessive sweating when we miss a regular application. Our bodies are very easily conditioned to rely on outside sources, but we can reverse the process and allow it to return to a more natural state.

When you do an armpit detox, you’ll break your dependence on deodorants. You might be able to go comfortably deodorant-free, or only need it on very hot days. Check out how to detox your armpits below. It’s easy!