Should You Use a Whole-Body Deodorant? (2024)

For many people, applying deodorant under the arms is a daily practice, just like brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Now, companies like Lume and Mando are advertising whole-body deodorants that can be applied in other places that produce body odor, such as the feet and groin area.

“Whole-body deodorants are not necessary but an option to use if you are concerned about body odor,” Susan Massick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical associate professor of dermatology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Verywell.

Body odor is commonly associated with the groin, armpits, and feet, but “these products are designed to be used anywhere that you feel may carry an odor,” Massick said.

Some whole-body deodorants can also reduce sweat, Michele Green, MD, a New York-based board-certified cosmetic dermatologist, told Verywell.

But ingredients found in some whole-body deodorants may cause irritation to people with sensitive skin, and it can also be dangerous to apply too much of the product at once, experts said.

Do Whole-Body Deodorants Work?

Whole-body deodorants are thought to be safe and, generally speaking, effective, Green said. However, the degree to which they’re effective depends on the individual, Massick added.

Your body odor can be influenced by certain conditions, she explained. “Factors that may be contributing to your body odor [include] stress and anxiety; genetics; hormonal changes; obesity; and medical conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, and hyperhidrosis,” Massick said.

“The effectiveness [of whole-body deodorants] depends on the individual—it can help some but may not help all when it comes to decreasing body odor,” Massick added.

How to Use a Whole-Body Deodorant

If you want to try a whole-body deodorant, start using it on a small test area first to make sure you don’t have a bad reaction to the product, Massick said. You should test it on a generalized area, avoiding sensitive areas, like the groin, until you know how your body will react.

Though some whole-body deodorants are marketed as products that can be used in the groin area, they should only be used externally.

“[People] should not use these products all over the body at the same time,” Green explained. “Sweat is a normal body secretion used to cool the body when body temperature increases, and if sweat production is over-inhibited with deodorant usage, the body can potentially overheat.”

Though whole-body deodorants and antiperspirants are generally safe, there are some risks to be aware of, experts said.

It’s important to watch out for skin irritation, skin sensitivity, or rash when trying a whole-body deodorant, Massick said. “You can develop skin irritation and sensitivity to different ingredients, even if they are considered ‘all-natural,’” she said. “Common culprits include the very ingredients that mask odor, [such as] fragrances, essential oils, and scents.”

What Ingredients Are In Whole-Body Deodorants?

When you’re picking out a whole-body deodorant, you’ll want to look for products that include the following, Green said:

• Sodium bicarbonate
• Corn starch
• Mandelic acid
• Tea tree oil
• Peppermint oil
• Eucalyptus oil

“These ingredients contain antibacterial properties to destroy surface bacteria and eliminate odors,” Green said.

You should avoid products that include the following, Green added.

• Fragrances
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Propylene
• Sodium lauryl sulfate

These can cause allergic reactions or skin irritation, and it’s especially important for people with sensitive skin to avoid these ingredients in whole-body deodorants, Green explained.

Can Whole-Body Deodorants Also Combat Sweat?

Deodorants—both whole-body deodorants and those used strictly under the arms—do not prevent sweat formation, Green said.

However, some traditional deodorants and whole-body deodorants are also labeled as antiperspirants, and they can reduce sweat. “Antiperspirants contain active ingredients to plug and block sweat glands to prevent sweat secretion,” Green explained.

While deodorants do not require approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), antiperspirants do, Massick said.

Antiperspirant products should contain the following ingredients, Green said:

• Aluminum chloride
• Aluminum chlorohydrate
• Aluminum zirconium

These ingredients “form a gel on the skin to plug sweat glands and reduce sweat production temporarily,” Green explained.

Though some have questioned whether products with aluminum are safe, both Green and Massick said they are not concerned about the presence of aluminum in deodorant or antiperspirant products.

“I do not believe that aluminum in deodorant carries any risk of causing breast cancer or showing any link to Alzheimer’s dementia or other medical conditions,” Massick said.

“While there are many floating concerns regarding aluminum in deodorants, the National Cancer Institute currently states that there is no evidence supporting a link between breast cancer and aluminum-containing deodorants,” Green explained.

“Some believe that aluminum may cause or contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, [but] this idea is controversial, and more research needs to be done to uncover any link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s,” Green added.

Proven Ways to Prevent Sweat and Body Odor

There are multiple ways to improve odor and sweating outside of whole-body deodorants, Massick said.

She recommended the following techniques:

• Showering daily using antibacterial soaps to wash target areas (like the underarms, groin, and feet)
• Wearing loose-fitting clothing
• Wearing cotton underwear
• Showering and putting on new clothes after working up a sweat
• Eating a well-balanced diet
• Avoiding excess consumption of garlic, onion, and pungent spices

If these tips don’t help, some treatments can target sweat production, Green said. For example, some people who experience excessive sweating have benefited from botulinum toxin (Botox) injections.

For this reason, you should make an appointment with a healthcare provider to address concerns of lingering body odor or excessive sweat, Massick said. A primary care provider can refer you to a board-certified dermatologist who can help you create a treatment plan.