What's all the Stink About?

Over the past few years, e-mails have been circulating about deodorants/ antiperspirants causing breast cancer. According to the Canadian Cancer Society these rumours are FALSE. But we know there are many sides to every story.

Why do you care?

• In 2007, an estimated 22,300 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 will die from it. That's an average of 415 diagnoses of breast cancer each week.1
• Parabens, a synthetic chemical used as a preservative in many cosmetics and personal care products, mimics the female hormone estrogen. Abnormal levels of estrogen are linked to the growth of cancer.
• A 2004 study, published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, reported that researchers found traces of parabens in the tumours of 19 of 20 women who had breast cancer. Researchers questioned if deodorants were the source.2
• Deodorants can also contain small amounts of ingredients that are known or suspected carcinogens. In some cases ingredients can be safe in themselves, yet harbor or produce small quantities of known or suspected carcinogens - through contamination, break-down, or reaction with other substances present in the product.3
  
  

The Know How

• The cosmetic industry insists that their ingredients are regulated and safe and that most deodorants no longer contain parabens.4
• The Canadian Cancer Society and its US counterpart, have issued statements and fact sheets debunking the specific details on the emails circulating and on deodorants and parabens.
• The Breast Cancer Fund documents its response to the research on parabens and breast cancer.
• There are those that recognize the research indicating that several types of parabens can act as weak environmental estrogens and the preliminary results of this above noted study do support the need for more vigorous research in this area.
• Bottom line - there are many sides to this debate.
  
  

Know and Tell

• Well - we subscribe to the "Common Sense Theory". Some of the chemicals in deodorant and anti-perspirants may cause health problems.
• When we shave our armpits, we are potentially having areas of nicks and open cuts on the surface of our skin.
• Putting chemicals on top of these raw and sensitive areas that are then absorbed into our body, just doesn't make sense.
• With Patti's breast cancer history - it makes less sense.
• Patti and Tamey choose to use natural deodorants and are continually looking for best one that works with their body chemistry.