Long story short: traditional deodorants contain a couple “no-no” ingredients that have consumers worried. This is because any topical ingredient we put on our skin is inevitably absorbed into the body.

Let’s dissect the three ingredients that have generated the most concern: parabens, phthalates, and aluminum.

“Parabens have estrogen-like qualities, but no study to date has linked them with breast cancer. They are, [however], known to cause allergic reactions and many people are sensitive to them. For that reason, you should probably avoid them,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. “As for phthalates, they have garnered a lot of attention because of their potential link to various diseases such as asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, autism spectrum disorders as well as male fertility issues. The studies have shown inconsistent findings here, as well.”

Read the full story here: