Summer Heat + Sweat + Eczema = Hell

Sweating is my number one least favourite thing about summer. Unfortunately, it is something I did a lot of. One might say excessively. Apart from being a unique experience of discomfort, the excessive sweating aggravates the heck out of my eczema. I wondered if reducing my sweating would reduce the severity of the flare-ups I have been tormented with the past few summers.

Aluminum and antiperspirants

Luckily I was right! When I tried my first 'heavy duty' antiperspirants, my results were still minimal, but I had hope - so I soldiered on! I was determined to find the holy grail of sweat reduction. After a bit of research on the topic, I learned that aluminum (mainly aluminum chloride hexahydrate) was the key ingredient that stops sweat glands in their tracks.¹ I had noticed a theme when researching that suggests that aluminum-based products are dangerous.

Is aluminum dangerous?

I was a bit concerned as the claims I had heard linked this chemical to breast and other cancers.² What I found instead was that aluminum-based products had received bad press from those who adhere to more 'crunchy' ways of living in recent years. Thankfully this chemical compound is unlikely to cause such serious side effects in healthy people, and the link to cancer is not evidenced by available research and data.³ If an individual is immunocompromised, they may be advised by their doctor to discontinue their use of aluminum-containing products.

Why is there hesitancy and fear?

Although I do not feel these concerns are entirely scientifically warranted, the hesitancy is certainly understandable. Concerns I saw online mostly centered around ingesting 'toxins,' chemicals,  and genetically modified organisms.

These fears have come to center stage for many folks who have felt deceived or distrustful of products marketed by mainstream pharmaceutical/health/wellness and food-based corporations.

Given many global-scale corporations' tendencies to commit all manner of purposeful oversight when selecting ingredients, it is often a distrust that's well earned.

Shifting the comparisons

The plain ol' truth is products that contain aluminum chloride are a super effective and safe treatment for sweating. With all things medical I find it most advisable to exchange the good v. bad comparison with benefits v. risks. In this case, specifically mine, the benefits far outweigh the risks. At least for me, they have continued to outweigh them even to this day!

It would be imprudent of me not to outline the risks of using products that contain high concentrations of aluminum chloride alongside the benefits. Thankfully the risks are quite benign for the everyday person.⁴ However they may cause quite a bit of discomfort for someone with eczema.

It's all about application

The downsides to this sweat-reducing treatment relate mostly to improper application. Applying to skin that is not completely dry will cause itchy and/or painful irritation. That can often last for hours!⁴

This consideration should also be given to the potential for an aluminum chloride solution to aggravate atopic dermatitis symptoms in general. However, I have not personally had this type of product cause a flare-up…yet. I have not had my hyperhidrosis return in the places I used the product one year since my last application. For me, this has been a life AND sanity saver.

My struggle with sweating

When my skin is sweating excessively, I am more likely to experience chafing, which can lead to ulceration, often leading to a skin infection. I have had a drastic reduction in skin infections compared to last summer, and I am beyond grateful. When trying new things in pursuit of symptom relief, exercise caution, especially with products that were previously by-prescription only.

Which was previously the case for aluminum chloride-containing products. Luckily, they have been available over the counter and even as general merchandise in pharmacies and other stores for some time now.

So where do we stand?

So, if sweating is becoming disruptive in your life and fuelling increased eczema flare-ups discussing aluminum chloride-containing products with your healthcare provider may be something to consider.