Deodorant vs Antiperspirant – Difference and Comparison

What is Deodorant?

Deodorant is a cosmetic product that helps to eliminate body odor. The deodorant is classified as a cosmetic product, meaning it is used for cleaning or beautification.

Deodorants use two techniques to mask body odor. They have antimicrobial elements that kill the bacteria that cause bad odor. And fragrance that masks any odor.

The deodorant does not reduce the sweat amount but reduces the smell. It contains germicide, absorbent, and fragrance.

Deodorants can be organic, vegan, and 100% natural. Deodorants contain parabens, a group of chemicals that controls the growth of fungi, bacteria, or yeast. Some believe that parabens can cause cancer in the human body. But scientists have found no evidence of this.

The apocrine glands, located primarily around the underarms and groin, cause most body odor. The sweat they produce contains proteins and fat. Deodorants are used around the armpits, where bacteria grow the most. As a cosmetic product, it does not require special permission to produce and sell deodorants.

Some deodorant comes in a liquid form in a container with a rolling ball on top, and some come as a spray.

What is Antiperspirant?

Antiperspirant is a skincare product that can help control sweating and body odor. As a skincare product, it is considered a drug and requires necessary permission to produce and market.

Antiperspirant blocks out the pores or eccrine glands that cause sweating. To block out these glands, antiperspirant contains aluminum salts. This way, antiperspirant stops both moisture, visual wet marks, and the smell of sweating.

Antiperspirants are prescribed for patients with excessive perspiration or hyperhidrosis. The prescribed forms of antiperspirant contain higher concentrations of aluminum chloride or a stronger variant called aluminum hexahydrate.

But it can be used without any prescription too. These nonprescription variants contain low concentrations of aluminum salts, like aluminum zirconium, aluminum chlorohydrate, or aluminum chloride.

These aluminum salts make antiperspirants risky for people with kidney disease. Aluminum salts can cause further damage to a damaged kidney. So it is recommended to consult a doctor before using antiperspirant for a kidney patient.

Difference Between Deodorant and Antiperspirant

Both deodorants and antiperspirants have a common use, to eliminate body odor. But while Deodorant only masks or eliminates body odor, it is not the main purpose of antiperspirants.

Deodorants are made for eliminating body odor. It contains parabens and antimicrobials to eliminate odor. But it does not reduce sweating. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, reduce sweating by blocking out the pores and sweat glands. This also leads to reduced body odor, but it is not the main purpose of antiperspirants.

The key ingredient of deodorant is antimicrobials and fragrance. Antiperspirants contain various kinds of aluminum salts, which block sweat glands.

Those who don’t want to use chemical products on the skin can use natural deodorants. But Antiperspirants are made of chemical ingredients.

Some scientists and people think that antiperspirants can pose somewhat more health risks in contrast to deodorants. In some cases, antiperspirants are prescribed as ointments, hence giving them medical use. But Deodorants are strictly a cosmetic products and are not prescribed.

Comparison Table Between Deodorant and Antiperspirant