Why Would You Ever Detox Your Armpits?

Reasons to Detox your Armpits

If you have ever noticed your armpits a bit smellier than normal, dark, or irritated with a rash or bumps? Those are signs you need to detox your armpits! According to Medical News Today, detoxing your armpits can help the body get rid of any toxins that have built up on the skin. Doing this can also help to reduce sweat glands and the amount of odor they produce. Did you know that regular deodorants contain chemicals and antiperspirants that build up over time? Your armpit is an entry and exit point of your body. This means that your body expels sweats from your glads through your armpits. Sweating is a healthy process of ridding itself of toxins.  Deodorants are designed to mask the smell, and antiperspirants stop the sweating.  When one stops using the brands of deodorants that are full of chemicals the armpit expels toxins allowing them to leave the body. The detoxing process may cause excess sweating, odor, and some skin irritation.  This is all part of the detoxing process. 

Why do my armpits smell?

According to the Wiley Online Library, there are three types of sweat glands present in the skin; the apocrine, eccrine, and apocrine sweat glands.  The main reason for body odor is due to bacterial digestion of sweat created by the apocrine gland. Similarly, eccrine sweat glands are found deep in the palms, soles, and armpits. These glands are responsible for temperature regulation resulting from sweating. When active, these glands result in abundant amounts of abnormal sweating known as “hyperhidrosis”. In today's society, we try to mask or cover up the smell of sweating with chemical antiperspirants and deodorants as a form of personal hygiene. When in reality we are clogging the pores that are used to excrete toxins and other chemicals with the deodorants full of chemicals.

Is my deodorant Harmful?

Antiperspirants are aluminum-based salts that block sweat glands. Deodorant changes our skin pH levels and minimizes the amount of bacteria present. Both of these things are bad news for our health. Antiperspirants and deodorants have been linked to causing breast cancer according to ControlYourImpact.com.  More about Aluminum and its harmful effects to come…

Beginning the armpit detox. 

Healthy and Natural World provides a simple yet effective recipe for easy armpit detoxing. Most armpit detoxing requires the use of baking soda or bentonite clay.  Healthy and Natural World provides a recipe for both so you can choose which works best for you or what you prefer. Bentonite clay has been used for centuries for common health issues. According to Gallbladder Attack, Bentonite is a type of clay that has high concentrations of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium & silica. Its been used internally by indigenous cultures for the flu, fever, diarrhea, colds, etc. it can also be used externally for more common uses such as face masks, toothpaste, and even shampoo. Armpit detox with baking soda

• Before you start, use a loofah or a scrubbing flannel and give your underarms a good scrub while you shower.
• With your armpits still wet, apply the aluminum-free baking soda and then use your natural deodorant.
• If you smell an unpleasant odor from your armpits, repeat the procedure: wash and then apply the baking soda, followed by your natural deodorant.
• Initially, you might need to do this quite frequently, but the number of repetitions should decrease as days go by.

Armpit detox with bentonite clay maskIngredients:

• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay 
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• Mix the clay and ACV together. It should look smooth like sour scream. Use a glass bowl for mixing and a wooden or non-metal spoon (avoid metal). In order to achieve the proper consistency, you may need to add a teaspoon or two.
• Spread a thin layer on your armpit and leave it for a few minutes. Let the body adjust. Start with shorter periods and then increase to 20 minutes or more.
• If you feel any pain in either armpit, remove the mix immediately. 

Some redness is normal, as the blood flow to the area is increased, and it should disappear quickly.

• Remove the mask gently with a washcloth and have a warm shower.
• Repeat daily until you can see that the body has adjusted to the natural deodorant and the unpleasant odor is gone.

Allow at least a week for your armpit cleanse and don’t let some initial discomfort deter you. It might sound weird, but it will do your body a lot of good.Well, there you have it!  I hope you learned a bit about detoxing your armpits! Check back for a continuation of the Harmful Effects of Aluminum.Resources:

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319624
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-2494.2007.00387.x
3. https://www.controlyourimpact.com/antiperspirants-aluminum-breast-cancer/
4. https://www.gallbladderattack.com/blog/bentonite-clay-healing-from-the-inside-out/
5. https://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/detox-your-armpits/