Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant: Which is Better for You?

Sweating is natural, and not a big deal, right? The answer to that question really depends on how much you sweat and how bad you want to solve the problem.

Most people sweat normally, but some go through high levels of perspiration throughout the day (on their back, bottom, legs, feet and underarms)—even when the body is at rest.

Almost 8 million Americans suffer from a medical condition known as hyperhidrosis, where one sweats 4X to 5X more than normal. According to the popular consumer health website WebMD, "Hyperhidrosis is a common disorder which produces a lot of unhappiness."

Hyperhidrosis generally affects three percent of the population. It happens when you have super-active sweat glands that keep going into overdrive. The two main glands that lead to sweating are....

1. Eccrine Glands: These are responsible for producing most of your sweat—especially the watery type. Although you find them all over the body, they are highly concentrated in your armpits, on your forehead, soles and palms.
   
   
2. Apocrine Glands: Mostly found in the groin/breast area, and the armpits, these glands are often linked to body odor. Due to their close proximity to hair follicles, they naturally lead to a foul smell.
   

The fact is, excessive sweating is a real, frustrating problem for many. Because It can actually hinder your daily life and put you in embarrassing situations. After all, who wants to have pit stains showing on their first date or during an important office meeting?

Now, when dealing with sweaty issues, you can either use deodorant or an antiperspirant. What you choose depends on what you’re trying to achieve, really.

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant: How do they Differ?

The main difference between deodorant and antiperspirant is this: Deodorant prevents body odor and antiperspirants block sweat. They both have completely different functions, and each of them is regulated differently. You can’t interchange them.

If your goal is to bring down B.O. and start smelling fresh, then deodorant helps you do just that. But, if you’re sick and tired of sweating too much all the time, then what you need is a strong antiperspirant. It may not make you smell like flowers, but it will most definitely put a stop to any excessive sweating.

It’s also important to note that deodorant is often seen as a cosmetic product because it simply helps you hide your body odor and makes you smell better. Whereas antiperspirant is termed as a drug since it directly affects the functioning of your skin when you apply it and actually blocks the flow of sweat.

How Deodorant Helps You Fight Body Odor

If sweating abnormally can put you in awkward, embarrassing situations, then so can the mighty body odor. But contrary to popular belief, sweat and body odor aren’t interconnected. In fact, your sweat doesn't even have a scent of its own. B.O. occurs only when the protein and fat already present in your sweat mixes with your skin bacteria.

Your armpits and groin area are a breeding ground of bacteria. The hair that grows in these parts holds on to sweat along with the bacteria. These are usually your focus areas when fighting body odor. While you obviously can’t and should not use deodorant in your pubic area, you can use it to control the stink emanating from your underarms.

But remember, your deodorant's job is to only eliminate body odor, not block sweat. Which it effectively does by getting rid of the smell-causing bacteria on your skin. When you manage to kill enough bacteria sitting on your skin, you don’t smell, but still sweat. It’s as simple as that.

Deodorant works two ways: it lowers the number of odor-causing bacteria on your skin, and also covers the unpleasant, sweaty smell with the fragrance of your choice. So if you want to smell like a million bucks and mask your natural scent, deodorant will help you do just that. However, you have to make sure you’re choosing the right one.

Why Choosing Natural Deodorant Makes Real Sense

When you go deodorant shopping, you can either choose from the conventional ones or go all-natural. You’re free to make a choice, but if you want a healthier option, then natural deodorants are always a safer bet. They are chemical-free and contain organic ingredients such as... 

• Lavender
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Witch hazel
• Mineral-rich clay
  

Unlike chemicals, organic ingredients are never harsh on the delicate skin of your underarms. Which generally means less irritation, fewer razor bumps and more smoothness. In short, going the natural route can help you improve the condition of your armpits while keeping away the stink.

As for choosing the right natural deodorant, don’t be hasty and do your homework. While there are a few good, organic deo brands in the market, one that we highly recommend is Wellow’s natural deodorant. Mainly because it’s truly natural and gives real-world results when you use it regularly.

When it comes to getting rid of offensive body odor (and being confident in front of others), deodorant works great guns. However, if you happen to suffer from hyperhidrosis and want to desperately stop the sweat in its tracks, then you need more than deodorant. You need an antiperspirant that helps you stay dry and happy throughout the day or the week.

How Antiperspirants Help You Block Sweat

We just talked about how deodorant kills body odor by destroying the stinky bacteria associated with it. Getting rid of excessive sweating is a different ball game, which is why your deodorant seldom helps you in that area.

The sweat glands on your body have one function: to produce sweat. When your body sweats, it removes any extra heat through your skin, helping you keep your body temperature in check. Sweating is often triggered by things like physical activity, anxiety and warm weather conditions. But when you start to sweat all the time, with no apparent reason, you need to put a break on it.

Sweating abnormally can and will eventually affect your lifestyle, unless you take the necessary steps to control it. Using an antiperspirant is a good start as it can immediately block the sweat and give you your life back. You’ll have dry, comfortable armpits all day long using them as these products are specifically designed to combat excessive amounts of sweat. 

What Makes Antiperspirant So Effective? 

The active ingredients you find in antiperspirants, such as aluminum chloride, do a pretty good job in putting a lid on your body’s sweat ducts. No, they don’t stop your body from producing sweat. Your sweat glands still work, but the sweat is unable to reach the skin’s surface due to the barrier created by the antiperspirant.

The best part about antiperspirants is they don’t limit you like deodorant. Whether it is your armpit, back, chest, hands or face, you can apply it wherever you sweat the most. Wait... what about the groin area? We advise you to have a chat with your doctor before applying antiperspirant to any sensitive areas of your body.

So if you finally want to wear that shirt you always wanted to, without worrying about sweat stains, you need a good antiperspirant that effectively reduces sweating and perspiration. 

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant: What’s the Final Verdict?

Making a choice between antiperspirant and deodorant is not just about what feels right to you. It’s about your core needs and the impact these products will have on your health in the long run.

On the surface, we know that you need to opt for a deodorant if you want to reduce or kill body odor. And if you sweat a lot and want a solution that works, then going for an antiperspirant will almost always give you relief. 

But is that it? Or there’s more that you should look into?

While there’s no doubt that antiperspirants can help you solve your “heavy sweating” problem, they’re also deemed unsafe by some. 

You see, antiperspirants are able to block sweat from appearing on the surface of your body with the help of  aluminum salts. But there’s a growing concern about how frequent use of aluminum can potentially lead to life-threatening diseases such as breast cancer. Are these rumors true? Your guess is as good as ours.

Regardless of whether these claims hold water, many people out there don’t want to take any chances and are opting for all-natural antiperspirants and deodorants. If buying a natural deodorant is on top of your list, you should check out Wellow’s natural deodorant for lasting results.

Antiperspirant vs. Deodorant: Can You Use Both?

Now, in all likelihood, you suffer from bad body odor and excessive sweating, both. Even if you don’t suffer from hyperhidrosis, you may still want to keep your armpits dry and odor-free at all times. After all, it’s only good hygiene.

Many people use antiperspirant and deodorant together without any problem. It’s not like you have to choose one over the other. But your results depend on how well you use both the products. If you think applying them together at the same time will give you great results, you’re wrong. In order to function properly, you need to apply them at different times.

If you’re like most people, you apply deodorant right after you get out of the shower. However, antiperspirants don’t work like deodorants. An antiperspirant needs enough time to activate on your skin—without any external hindrance in the form of sweat, moisture or any other residue. 

The best time to apply antiperspirant is during the night, right before you hit the sack. Or at least a few hours before you take a shower or apply deodorant. The effectiveness of your antiperspirant and deodorant combo depends on how careful you are in applying them both.