What to Expect When You Stop Wearing Deodorant
Wellness & SelfcareSkin Care

What Happens When You Stop Wearing Deodorant?

What Happens When You Stop Wearing Deodorant?
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By
Rachel Lapidos
Updated on November 4, 2025
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If you’ve worn deodorant before, you may have considered stopping. This could be because you feel that no deodorant works or simply because you forgot to put some on that day.

When you stop wearing deodorant or antiperspirant, you’ll still sweat, and your natural odor may become more noticeable. This is because skin bacteria break sweat down into odorous compounds that deodorants mask.

You can take steps to minimize this odor, though. Start by finding out how deodorants work, and then learn about alternatives to them that you can try.

How Deodorant Works

Deodorants mask the odor that occurs when we sweat, says Caren Campbell, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in San Francisco. They contain antibacterial ingredients that limit the chemical compounds that cause odor.

They’re different from antiperspirants, which temporarily block sweat ducts to prevent moisture.

“Antiperspirants work by blocking wetness from reaching the surface of the skin,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “These contain aluminum salts that form a plug or blockage within the sweat glands to physically prevent sweat.”

Some products are marketed as antiperspirant deodorants that prevent moisture and conceal body odor.

If you stop using any of these products, you may notice more odor at first as the bacteria under your arms adjust. The same is true if you move from an aluminum-based product to one with “natural” ingredients.

You also will continue perspiring, which could lead to moisture near sweat glands. Dr. Campbell says that it’s also possible to have an “overgrowth” of bacteria and fungi if you stop using antiperspirant.

Dispelling Deodorant Myths

Although some deodorants and antiperspirants may cause issues for people with sensitive skin, they are generally considered safe to use. Some people, however, have stopped using them because of theories about how they affect the body. Many of these theories aren’t true, with research inconclusive on others.

Myth: Aluminum in Antiperspirants and Deodorants Causes Cancer

Research hasn’t found a link between use of antiperspirants and deodorants and cancer. Studies have looked at how our skin absorbs the aluminum in these products and whether it affects the estrogen receptors in breast cells, leading to breast cancer. They have found, however, that the amount of aluminum absorbed is minimal — less than we get from food — and have not determined a link between it and cancer.

Myth: Using Deodorant After Shaving Causes Cancer

Similarly, researchers haven’t found that chemicals in deodorants or antiperspirants are more likely to enter your body if you apply them shortly after you shave, leading to cancer.

 Shaving nicks can lead to skin irritation or infection, and some underarm products might make symptoms worse. But no research has found that they allow significant amounts of cancer-causing substances into the body.

Myth: You Need to ‘Detox’ Your Armpits

If you stop using your deodorant or antiperspirant or change the type of product you use, you won’t necessarily purge your body of toxins. We do remove a small amount of toxins when we sweat. But sweat itself is 99 percent water, and its main job is to cool the body. “Unblocking” sweat glands after stopping the use of aluminum-based deodorants or antiperspirants has no effect on the amount of toxins your body removes, according to research.

How to Manage Odor Without Deodorant

If you decide to skip deodorant, you can still minimize the odor your body creates.

1. Wash With Antibacterial Soap

Using an antibacterial soap daily under your arms and in other spots where you may have body odor could have a similar effect as deodorant. Scrubbing with a soap or wash may counterbalance bacteria, just as using an antiperspirant might, and its scent may mask odor.

“The bacteria and sweat on the skin interact to create body odor, so reducing sweat, bacteria, or both is the best way to combat body odor,” Campbell says.

2. Try Benzoyl Peroxide

Use of benzoyl peroxide on the skin is typically a way to address acne issues, but it also can help reduce bacteria linked with body odor, Campbell says. Be aware, though, that it can stain or bleach clothing and cause dry or irritated skin.

3. Go for a Gentle Acid

Using a product that contains glycolic acid or salicylic acid could help reduce bacteria.

“It creates a more-acidic skin environment to offset the alkaline pH often caused by soaps, which makes it inhospitable for bacteria related to odor-causing skin flora to take hold,” says Alicia Zalka, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut. “It also reduces sebum oil deposits on the armpit skin, which further reduces the odor process, and works as a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and other clogging elements.”

These acids alone don’t affect perspiration or mask body odor, though. Skin irritation also is a possible side effect.

4. Consider Trying a Stronger Dermatological Treatment

Botox is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address excessive sweating, known as hyperhidrosis. Getting injections of it may reduce underarm moisture by 82 to 87 percent for 3 to 12 months. It also may reduce odor.

“It works by blocking the nerve signals that instruct the sweat glands to become active,” Campbell says.

A stronger, FDA-cleared treatment called miraDry may go a step further by using thermal energy to destroy sweat glands altogether, Campbell says. It also can reduce sweating by as much as 82 percent, but results may vary by person.

Neither option is cheap, though, and your insurance plan may not cover these types of treatments. You can ask your doctor if either option might be right for you.

5. Live With It

It’s possible that you may be a person who doesn’t produce much sweat or body odor, regardless of using deodorants and antiperspirants. Campbell says that sweat and body odor also may be the result of various factors, including:

  • Genetics
  • Anxiety
  • Medications
  • Heat
  • Food and beverages, including those with caffeine and alcohol
In addition to exploring lifestyle changes that can address things that make you sweat, you also can simply get to know your unique scent. Research has shown that we may be drawn to others because of their natural body odors.

When to Call the Doctor

If you notice a rash or similar skin irritation that won’t go away, see your doctor or dermatologist to find out the cause.

Deodorants or similar underarm products may cause skin conditions such as contact dermatitis, says Jaimie Glick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist for New York Dermatology Group.

“The armpit skin is rather thin and is more prone to sensitivities and allergic reactions,” she says.

Other products that contain fragrances or acids also may be the cause of the irritation.

You may feel as though no deodorant works for you, but your symptoms may be the result of another issue. An increase in sweating or body odor also can be the sign of a more-serious condition such as hyperhidrosis, which may require medication to treat. Talk with your doctor if you start sweating more than usual or for no clear reason, or if you have a sudden and unexplained change in body odor.

The Takeaway

  • Stopping the use of deodorants or antiperspirants may lead to an increase in underarm odor and moisture, which you can address in other ways.
  • No scientific evidence has linked deodorants to cancer, and stopping their use will not rid your body of more toxins.
  • Alternatives to underarm products include washing with antibacterial soap, incorporating products with gentle acids, and even Botox or miraDry treatment.
  • Call the doctor if you notice unexplained and excessive sweating or an increase in body odor, as these may be symptoms of medical issues.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Di Cicco F et al. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting Axillary Odor Variation. A Comprehensive Review. Physiology & Behavior. October 15, 2023.
  2. Armpit Detox: Does It Really Work? Cleveland Clinic. June 16, 2022.
  3. Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer Risk. American Cancer Society. October 19, 2022.
  4. Cancer Causes: Popular Myths About the Causes of Cancer. Mayo Clinic. March 8, 2024.
  5. Martin T et al. Benzoyl Peroxide. StatPearls. March 1, 2024.
  6. Karwal K et al. Topical AHA in Dermatology: Formulations, Mechanisms of Action, Efficacy, and Future Perspectives. Cosmetics. September 19, 2023.
  7. Can Botox Help You Sweat Less? Cleveland Clinic. November 1, 2021.
  8. MiraDry. International Hyperhidrosis Society.
  9. Ravreby I et al. There Is Chemistry in Social Chemistry. Science Advances. June 24, 2022.
  10. Sweating and Body Odor. Mayo Clinic. May 3, 2025.
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Ross Radusky, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Ross Radusky, MD, is a practicing board-certified dermatologist at the Dermatology Treatment and Research Center in Dallas. Originally from New York City, he graduated summa cum laude from the City University of New York and then received his MD from the New York University School of Medicine. There, he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and served as chapter president for two years. He completed his residency in dermatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center, and at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Radusky practices general and cosmetic dermatology with a focus on the early detection of skin cancer, and provides patients with a personalized approach to looking their best at any age. He has authored articles and textbook chapters on the clues that our finger- and toenails may provide us about internal disease, as well as on comprehensive therapies for cosmetic dermatology and reversing the signs of skin aging.

Complementing his medical practice, Radusky has a strong passion for the cultural arts, particularly in expanding access to youths and seniors. He previously served as an artist instructor for the Rockaway Artists Alliance, a New York City nonprofit arts and education organization, and then served as both a board director and treasurer of the organization throughout his medical school training.

Radusky enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife Robyn, son Oliver, and poodle Lucy, where he can usually be found preventing photoaging and reducing the risk of skin cancer beneath an umbrella in a wide-brimmed hat. He is also the proud inventor of Sunshotz, the world’s only sunscreen measuring cup, designed to help patients of all ages apply the proper amount of sunscreen needed to enjoy all the sun without the burn.

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Rachel Lapidos

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