I Didn’t Know That

Q: I read on the Internet that antiperspirants cause breast cancer. Is that true?

A: Like many health scares propagated on the Internet, this one is absolutely false, according to several organizations that are involved in breast cancer research. Apparently, some people think perspiration is a way for the body to rid itself of “toxins.” Actually, it is simply a mechanism to regulate body temperature, and the fluid secreted by the body’s 1.5 million to 3 million sweat glands contains only natural body wastes like water, urea, salt and fatty substances. One theory about the origin of this rumor is that breast cancer cells are often found in lymph glands under the arm. In fact, they are found there because those are the closest glands to the breast.