Everything You're Doing Wrong With Your Deodorant

From Esquire

One of life's cruel ironies is that those ugly yellow underarm sweat stains aren't caused by your sweat so much as they're happening because of your antiperspirant. Here's why: One of the most commonly used active ingredients in antiperspirants is aluminum. When combined with sweat, which is a protein, the aluminum causes a reaction that leads to those hideous yellow swaths. As summer approaches, matters of sweat and smells and the maintenance of pristine white T-shirts become more important, which makes this a great time to confront the fact that the stuff that keeps you from perspiring is also the stuff that makes your shirts look so foul. Of course, you can't just abandon the stuff altogether…or can you?

Yeah, actually, you can. Here's how to do it-plus a few more solutions.

Straight-up Deodorants

This is going to sound like a really dicey proposition, but abandoning antiperspirants is absolutely a solution that works for many, many men. Don't you worry, though, because you don't need to go entirely au naturale-there are plenty of deodorant options out there that don't contain antiperspirants.

While the active ingredient in many antiperspirants is aluminum, deodorant tends to rely on alcohol to do its thing. It's very common to use the term "deodorant" to describe combination antiperspirant-and-deodorant products, but it's actually helpful to think of them as separate entities because of the difference in ingredients.

Given that, you might want to give a straight-up, antiperspirant-free deodorant a try and see if the switch proves less ruinous to your shirts. If the idea of opting out of antiperspirant makes you feel uneasy, that's entirely understandable-but it's worth noting that many people report that they actually feel drier when they make the switch to deodorants without antiperspirant. Odd but true! Brands run the gamut from convenience-store picks like Brut and Old Spice to higher-end options from Baxter and Malin + Goetz. Also look out for Crystal, which is a good option for folks who find scented deodorants to be a bit too much.

Prescription-grade Deodorant & Antiperspirant

Let's say that you've tried making the switch to deodorant-only products and you're a wreck-still sweaty, even more uncomfortable, and ready to go right back to your old brand, yellow stains be damned. Before you go back to your old product, you may want to consider trying something stronger, in the form of a prescription-grade deodorant and antiperspirant.

Now then, these aren't going to solve our aluminum problem because they are full up on aluminum. But, because they're applied before bedtime, rather than in the morning before getting dressed, they're less likely to foul up your shirts. Two brands to look out for are Certain Dri and Drysol.

There are a few things you should know if you're going to go the prescription-grade route. The first is that the products may sting a little and given that, if you have very sensitive skin, this may not be the right solution for you. The formula can also be a bit harsh on textiles, so if you sleep in a T-shirt or nightshirt or some other sleeved thing, make sure it's something you don't care about, lest your anti-stink balm eat clear through your nightwear. But, for all this trouble, after a few weeks or months of use you may find that you only need to apply the product one or two nights a week to continue getting results. So that's sort of nice!

The Hippie Dippie Stuff

But maybe all of that sounds too toxic for your tastes and you want something a little more natural. Sure thing! There are loads of options for you to consider, most of which will not involve aluminum.

The problem is that a lot of deodorants that bill themselves as all-natural just don't work very well. But there are two brands that have gotten high marks for keeping that on-tour-with-Phish smell at bay: Soapwalla and Lavilin.

There are also supplements, such as Wellements Daily Detox capsules or fenugreek extract, that can help to reduce perspiration and may even make a dent in how smelly your smell situation is. It is, of course, always important to check with your doctor before you adopt any sort of new supplement routine, especially if you routinely take other forms of medications.

Needle-y Things

Speaking of things to talk to your doctor about! Increasingly these days, Botox is being used to curb excessive sweating. It is, of course, not without its drawbacks-beginning with the fact that you're shooting yourself up with botulism. It can also be spendy, with out of pocket costs in the $1,000-$1,500 range (check with your health insurer to see if some or all of the treatments can be covered by your policy).

Then there's the matter of how well it works, which varies so wildly that the only way to find out if you're one of the lucky ones for whom Botox is an effective treatment for overactive sweat glands is to try it. Some people find that the effects are fleeting, lasting maybe only three months, while others have found that the effects lasted from six months all the way up to four years. Oh right, and then there's one more thing to know about Botox: Some people find that the injections curb the amount of sweat coming out of their armpits…but notice that the perspiration just comes out of other places.

If all that sounds like way, way too much for you but you're a person who is really keen to perforate himself, how about acupuncture? People swear by it!

The most important thing to take away from all of this is that there are loads of options. And that's a good thing, because our bodies all operate differently and what one person finds to be a "miracle cure" another will find doesn't work at all. This means some trial and error is in order, but hopefully you'll find the right combination of products and procedures to help you feel dry and keep your shirts from looking like your pits excrete mustard.