Aluminum Chlorohydrate

  

Aluminum Chlorohydrate 

Lauren Besant

 

 

            Have you ever been wondered what the difference is between deodorant and antiperspirant and how they work? Antiperspirants contain a chemical compound called ALUMINUM CHLOROHYDRATE. This chemical works by forming a temporary plug within the sweat duct in your armpit which reduces the flow of sweat on your skin’s surface. Antiperspirants also work by creating a skin environment which is hostile to the growth of malodor-producing bacteria resulting in the reduction of underarm odour (Tom’s of Maine, 2023). Deodorant only reduces the odor produced by sweat and does not actually reduce the amount of sweat being produced. 

Now, I know what you are probably wondering, aluminum on your skin … isn’t that bad for you? Aluminum can be absorbed through the skin, but multiple studies that have been conducted, have concluded that the actual penetration rate of Aluminum Chlorohydrate following an individual’s application of antiperspirant is extremely low at 0.01% and if the skin of the armpit is damaged, the penetration rate is slightly higher at 0.06% (Klotz et al, 2017). The dermal and oral LD50 is also relatively low at >2000mg/kg (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2023). If you are nervous about applying antiperspirant to your skin because it contains Aluminum Chlorohydrate, there are some alternatives you can use including: witch hazel, baking soda or cornstarch, lemon juice, rubbing alcohol, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil and crystal deodorant (Hubbard, 2021). Recipes for these natural deodorants can be found through a quick google search. 

            Aluminum Chlorohydrate is used in many other things besides antiperspirants that you may be unaware of. The chemical can be found in urban drinking water, urban sewage and industrial wastewater treatment, the paper industry as well as other cosmetic raw materials (Shandong IRO Polymer Chemical Co. ltd., 2022). Aluminum Chlorohydrate is an inorganic salt and is made using a complex chemical process (Ziegenhain, 1981). The process starts by forming aluminum methoxide from aluminum alkoxides using methanol (Ziegenhain, 1981). Following this, the aluminum methoxide is recovered as a solid precipitate and washed to remove higher alcohols (Ziegenhain, 1981). Then the aluminum methoxide is dried to recover a powder which is reacted with dilute hydrochloric acid to form aluminum chlorohydrate (Ziegenhain, 1981).

            There are quite a few interesting myths and controversies surrounding antiperspirants and whether or not they can negatively affect your health that you might have heard about. The first being that using antiperspirants can increase your chances of developing breast cancer. This however is untrue as there has not been any studies done that can back up this claim (Tom’s of Maine, 2023). Another myth is that using antiperspirants increases your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is also false, as there is no substantial evidence or studies to back up this claim (Tom’s of Maine, 2023). 

 

Citations

Hubbard, A. (2021, January 7). Natural deodorant alternatives for happy, healthy pits. Healthline.https://www.healthline.com/health/deodorant-alternatives

Klotz, K., Weistenhofer, W., Neff, F., Hartwig, A., Thriel, C. V., & Drexler, H. (2017). The health effects of aluminum exposure. Deutsches Arzteblatt International. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0653

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2023). Compound summary: Unii-hpn8mzw13M. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/71586946

Shandong IRO Polymer Chemical Co. ltd. (2022). Aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH). https://www.iropolymer.com/Water/Aluminum-Chlorohydrate.htm

Tom’s of Maine. (2023). Aluminum chlorohydrate. https://www.tomsofmaine.com/our-promise/ingredients/aluminum-chlorohydrate-

Ziegenhain, W. C. (1981). Method of making aluminum chlorohydrate. United States Patent. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/3a/1d/24/704d653b65d9e3/US4267161.pdf