Deodorant Myths

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Dr. Papantoniou was recently interviewed by Glamour magazine to read more see here: http://www.glamour.com/lipstick/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2015/06/best-time-to-put-on-anti-perspirant

Is there a right way to put on deodorant to make it the most effective? Some say put on at night but I hear that is a myth. 

It is important to first find out what kind of deodorant you are using. There are 2 different types of deodorants: those that are used to only mask odors, and then there are deodorants that contain antiperspirants to stop sweating. Some people like to apply deodorants in the morning and will repeat application during the day, but this is mostly for the pleasant scent and masking of odors, and less so for the actual reduction of sweating. So, if you are trying to get control over both sweating and odor use a deodorant that contains antiperspirant.

 The science behind why an antiperspirant works best if applied in the evening is that the area will be more likely to be dry and will penetrate in to the sweat ducts better in order to prevent perspiration in the area, and the ingredients will have stayed in place through the night giving better results for the next day. This is especially true if you shower in the morning, the underarms will be damp and the antiperspirant may not be as effective. In fact the prescription strength antiperspirants that Dermatologists prescribe are recommended to be applied at night for the same reasons. For patients that have difficulty getting control of their sweating I will recommend a prescription strength antiperspirant to be used at night, and then application of a regular deodorant in the morning. If there is still stubborn sweating I will recommend Botox injections every 3 to 6 months, or the Miradry which is a new treatment that has provided a permanent solution for uncontrolled sweating in the patients I have treated.

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