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BCUK Fact Sheet | Aluminium-based antiperspirant salts

Why is aluminium used in

antiperspirant?

Aluminium salts are the active ingredients used in

antiperspirants. The salts used include aluminium

chloride, aluminium chlorohydrate and aluminium

zirconium chlorohydrate complexes [1].

Antiperspirants are applied under the arm to

control sweating [2]. The aluminium compounds

act by blocking the top of the sweat ducts under

the arm to prevent sweat from escaping onto the

skin surface [3]. This reduces the moist

environment in which bacteria, that generate the

smell, thrive.

Antiperspirants should be distinguished from

deodorants, which are used to either mask or stop

the smell. Perfumes are used to mask the smell

and, since it is bacteria on the skin’s surface that

generate smell from sweat, antibiotics are used to

kill bacteria so no smell is generated [4].

Where are aluminium salts found?

There are more than twenty-five aluminium

compounds used in cosmetic products. They are

used in lipsticks, toothpastes and antiperspirants.

They can be used in aerosols, sticks, rolls ons or

cream. It is possible to buy underarm cosmetics

that contain only deodorant, in which case they

should be labelled ‘aluminium free’.

Antiperspirant salts are also used in other

personal care products to control perspiration in

other parts of the body.

Aluminium is also found in our diet [5], through

use of antacids [6] and through use of aluminium-

based adjuvants in vaccinations [7].

Why should we be concerned?

Aluminium is not a normal component of

biological systems and has many known adverse

properties linked to human diseases, especially

neurological diseases [8].

Aluminium has been shown to be absorbed

through intact skin from application of

antiperspirant under the arm [9]. Laboratory

studies have shown that six-fold more aluminium

is absorbed through human skin when the skin is

damaged in a procedure similar to shaving [10].

Both the USA and the EU [11] include statements

of caution that antiperspirant should not be

applied to broken, damaged or irritated skin but

current cultural practices can include shaving

before antiperspirant application.

Breast Cancer UK Ltd, BM Box 7767, London, WC1N 3XX | www.breastcanceruk.org.uk | 0845 680 1322

Charity no: 1138866 | Company Number : 7348408

Registered Address: BCUK Ltd, Solva, Southwick Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 6LA

Aluminium salts are used in ‘antiperspirant deodorants’ to block sweat ducts under the arm.

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How are aluminium salts linked

with breast cancer?

Whilst no studies have shown a direct causal link

between breast cancer and aluminium, recent

opinions have questioned or challenged their

ascribed safety for use in underarm cosmetics.

[12,13,14].

Usually antiperspirants are applied to the

underarm and upper chest area and are left on

the skin which allows for continuous exposure to

the aluminium salts. This is the region of the

breast where the majority of breast cancers start

In the UK, for example, over 50% start in the

upper outer quadrant of the breast near the

underarm[15].

Recently, aluminium has been measured in

several human breast structures including breast

tissue [16,17], breast cysts [18] and nipple

aspirate fluid [19] all at higher levels than in

blood. In nipple aspirate fluids, levels of

aluminium were higher in women with breast

cancer than those without [20]. In the breast

cysts, levels were higher in the type 1 cysts, which

are those cysts more likely to be indicative of

cancer to come [21]. Other laboratory studies

show that human breast epithelial cells can be

turned into a cancerous phenotype by exposure

to aluminium chloride [22].

Lifetime exposure to oestrogen is an established

risk factor for breast cancer and aluminium has

been shown to act as a metalloestrogen, capable

of interfering in oestrogen action [23].

Mortality from breast cancer results mainly from

tumour spread and this depends on the cancer

cells developing the ability to move away from

the site of origin to distant sites. Exposure of

human breast cancer cells to aluminium chloride

and aluminium chlorohydrate can make the

breast cancer cells more motile [24].

These concerns have been collated in a recent

scientific review [25].

Antiperspirants and breast cysts

Although breast cancer is given the highest

profile, it equates to only about 5% of breast

diseases. Gross cystic breast disease is the most

common benign breast disorder. On the basis that

aluminium salts are designed to block sweat ducts

under the arm and that breast cysts arise from

blocked breast ducts in the adjacent region of the

body, it has been suggested that breast cysts

might be caused by antiperspirant if sufficient

aluminium is absorbed into the underlying breast

tissue from long-term usage [25-27].

Breast Cancer UK Ltd, BM Box 7767, London, WC1N 3XX | www.breastcanceruk.org.uk | 0845 680 1322

Charity no: 1138866 | Company Number : 7348408

Registered Address: BCUK Ltd, Solva, Southwick Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 6LA

BCUK Fact Sheet | Aluminium-based antiperspirant salts

Aluminium has been measured at higher levels in women with breast cancer

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Breast cysts are also more frequently located in

the upper outer quadrant of the breast close to

the underarm region for which an explanation is

lacking [25-27] and aluminium has been measured

at raised levels in breast cyst fluid [28].

Although cysts are not life-threatening, finding a

breast lump causes anxiety and treatment is

invasive. Some types of cysts can also be

indicative of increased risk of later development

of cancer. Several women have attested that

stopping use of antiperspirant can resolve the

formation of cysts [29].

Links with other diseases

As well as breast cancer, exposure to aluminium

has been linked to numerous human neurological

diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and

Parkinson’s disease [30].

What is the current regulatory position?

Aluminium chlorohydrate is limited to 25%

weight/volume (=25grams per 100ml) by the Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) of the USA and

aluminium zirconium chloride hydroxide

complexes are limited in cosmetics to 20%

weight/volume (=20grams per 100 ml) by the FDA

and in the European Union under the European

Union Cosmetics Directive (EU Cosmetics Directive

76/768/EEC) [31].

Risk assessments linked to the use of aluminium

in cosmetic products have recently been

performed by the French Agency in charge of

cosmetic products [32], by the Norwegian

Scientific Committee for food safety [33] and by

the German Institute in charge of cosmetic

products [34]. These reports concluded that,

based on current knowledge, aluminium in

cosmetic products cannot be considered safe. A

more recent review from the European Union

Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

acknowledges gaps in our knowledge which

impede risk assessment (SCCS/1525/14 dated 27

March 2014) [35].

Breast Cancer UK position:

Breast Cancer UK supports a ban on the use of aluminium compounds in cosmetics designed to be left on the skin and, in particular, on their use in under-arm antiperspirants.

Breast Cancer UK supports an extension of EU Article 60 (3) of the REACH Regulation, to ensure EDCs (including aluminium) are, by default, classed as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), for which no safe thresholds can be determined (23).

Breast Cancer UK supports the inclusion of such chemicals to the REACH list of most harmful chemicals (Article 57 on SVHC), and support bans of these chemicals where safer alternatives exist. (Article 60.3).

Breast Cancer UK Ltd, BM Box 7767, London, WC1N 3XX | www.breastcanceruk.org.uk | 0845 680 1322

Charity no: 1138866 | Company Number : 7348408

Registered Address: BCUK Ltd, Solva, Southwick Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 6LA

BCUK Fact Sheet | Aluminium-based antiperspirant salts

We would like to thank Dr Philippa Darbre, Associate Professor at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, for her input and assistance in putting together this fact sheet.

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1.Laden K, Felger CB. (1988) Antiperspirants and deodorants: cosmetic science and technology series vol 7, Marcel Dekker, New York. 2.Ibid. 3.Ibid. 4.iIbid. 5.Exley C. (2009) In: Molecular and Supramolecular Bioinorganic Chemistry: Applications in Medical Sciences. (Ed. A.L.R. Merce, J. Felcman, M.A.L. Recio), Nova Science Publishers Inc. New York, p 45-68. 6.Ibid. 7.Tomljenovic L, Shaw CA. (2011). Aluminium vaccine adjuvants: are they safe? Current Medicinal Chemistry 18: 2630-2637. 8.Exley C. (2009) op.cit., 9.Flarend R, Bin T, Elmore D, Hem SL. (2001) A preliminary study of the dermal absorption of aluminium from antiperspirants using aluminium-26. Food Chem. Toxicol. 39: 163-168. 10.Pineau A, Guillard O, Fauconneau B, Favreau F, Marty MH, Gaudin A, Vincent CM, Marrauld A, Marty JP. (2012). In vitro study of percutaneous absorption of aluminium from antiperspirants through human skin in the Franz diffusion cell. J. Inorg. Biochem. 110: 21-26. 11.Food and Drug Administration, Federal Register vol 47 (No 162) (1982) 36492-36505; Food and Drug Administration, Federal Register vol 68 (No 110) (2003) 34272-34293; EU Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1976L0768:20100301:en:PDF] 12.Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety. (2013). Risk assessment of the exposure to aluminium through food and the use of cosmetic products in the Norwegian population (http://www.vkm.no/dav/a729a67e65.pdf). 13.Bundesinstitut fur Risikobewertung. (2014). Aluminiumhaltige Antitranspirantien tragen zur Aufnahme von Aluminium bei. (report in German) (http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/aluminiumhaltige- antitranspirantien-tragen-zur-aufnahme-von-aluminium-bei.pdf). 14.European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). (2014). Opinion on the safety of aluminium in cosmetic products SCCS/1525/14. (http://ec.europa.eu/health/ scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_153.pdf). 15.Darbre PD. (2010). Environmental oestrogens and breast cancer: evidence for combined involvement of dietary, household and cosmetic xenoestrogens. Anticancer Research 30: 815-828. 16.Exley C, Charles LM, Barr L, Martin C, Polwart A, Darbre PD.(2007). Aluminium in human breast tissue. J. Inorg. Biochem. 101: 1344-1346. 17.House E, Polwart A, Darbre P, Barr L, Metaxas G, Exley C. (2013). The aluminium content of breast tissue taken from women with breast cancer. J. Trace Elem. Med. Biol. 27: 257-266. 18.Mannello F, Tonti GA, Darbre PD. (2009). Concentration of aluminium in breast cyst fluids collected from women affected by gross cystic breast disease. J. Appl. Toxicol. 29: 1-6. 19.Mannello F, Tonti GA, Medda V, Simone P, Darbre PD. (2011).

Analysis of aluminium content and iron homeostasis in nipple aspirate fluids from healthy women and breast cancer-affected patients. J. Appl. Toxicol. 31: 262-269. 20.Mannello et. Al. (2011) ibid. 21.Mannello et al. (2009) op. cit., 22.Sappino AP, Buser R, Lesne L, Gimelli S, Bena F, Belin D, Mandriota SJ. (2012). Aluminium chloride promotes anchorage-independent growth in human mammary epithelial cells. J. Appl. Toxicol. 32: 233-243. 23.Darbre PD. (2006). Metalloestrogens: an emerging class of inorganic xenoestrogens with potential to add to the oestrogenic burden of the human breast. J. Appl. Toxicol. 26: 191-197. 24.Darbre PD, Bakir A, Iskakova E. (2013). Effect of aluminium on migratory and invasive properties of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture. J. Inorg. Biochem. 128: 245-249. 25.Darbre PD, Mannello F, Exley C. (2013). Aluminium and breast cancer: sources of exposure, tissue measurements amd mechanisms of toxicological actions on breast biology. J. Inorg. Biochem. 128: 257-261. 26.Darbre PD. (2001). Hypothesis: Underarm cosmetics are a cause of breast cancer. Eur J. Cancer Prev. 10: 389-393. 27.Darbre PD. (2003) op. cit., 28.Mannello et al. (2009) op. cit., 29.Darbre PD. (2003) Review article: underarm cosmetics and breast cancer. J. Appl. Toxicol. 23: 89-95. 30.Exley C. (2009) op. cit., 31.Food and Drug Administration, Federal Register vol 47 (No 162) (1982) 36492-36505; Food and Drug Administration, Federal Register vol 68 (No 110) (2003) 34272-34293; EU Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1976L0768:20100301:en:PDF] 32.Afssaps (2011) Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé. Evaluation du risqué lié à l’utilisation de l’aluminium dans les produits cosmétiques. 43 pages (report in French) (http://ansm.sante.fr/var/ansm_site/storage/original/application/ad548a50ee74cc320c788ce8d11ba373.pdf) 33.Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety. (2013). Risk assessment of the exposure to aluminium through food and the use of cosmetic products in the Norwegian population (http://www.vkm.no/dav/a729a67e65.pdf). 34.Bundesinstitut fur Risikobewertung. (2014). Aluminiumhaltige Antitranspirantien tragen zur Aufnahme von Aluminium bei. (report in German) (http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/aluminiumhaltige-antitranspirantien-tragen-zur-aufnahme-von-aluminium-bei.pdf). 35.European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). (2014). Opinion on the safety of aluminium in cosmetic products SCCS/1525/14. (http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_153.pdf).

For further information and more web resources please visit our website www.breastcanceruk.org.uk

Breast Cancer UK Ltd, BM Box 7767, London, WC1N 3XX | www.breastcanceruk.org.uk | 0845 680 1322

Charity no: 1138866 | Company Number : 7348408

Registered Address: BCUK Ltd, Solva, Southwick Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 6LA

BCUK Fact Sheet | Aluminium-based antiperspirant salts References