Confusion about the safety of alum often arises because the press talks about aluminum being bad for us. Aluminum is the third most abundant element on the planet and we ingest it in large proportions every day in food and water. In fact, in some parts of the world, their presence in water is the only thing that makes it safe to drink. Aluminum is not particularly good for living organisms in the body, which is why for years humans have developed a system to allow naturally occurring aluminum and its salt derivatives to pass through the body without effect.
However, when the press talks about aluminum as dangerous, it is often referring to specific types of man-made aluminum, rather than naturally occurring forms; Aluminum chlorohydrate for example. Aluminum Chlorohydrate is designed to be absorbed and block the pores under the arms, to prevent perspiration. It is believed that aluminum chlorohydrate can enter the bloodstream in this way. There have been some claims that there may be a connection between aluminum chlorohydrate and breast cancer, but no real concrete proof as of yet. There is also speculation about links between long-term use of aluminum chlorohydrate and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
When it comes to differentiating between aluminum chlorohydrate (the active ingredient in most antiperspirants) and alum (the raw material in crystal deodorants), many people get a bit confused.
Much is said that these two ingredients are the same, but it is not. Aluminum chlorohydrate is a group of salts created synthetically using any number of aluminum-containing raw materials, such as metallic aluminum, which react with hydrochloric acid. However, alum (known as potassium aluminum sulfate) is a naturally occurring mineral compound. It is aluminum potassium double sulphate. Alum occurs as scales in rocks and is mined and used in natural deodorants in its natural form.
Alum differs from aluminum chlorohydrate not only in form but also in use. Alum has been used for many thousands of years in the Far and Middle East as a deodorant and for other topical applications. Alum is used in deodorants for its antibacterial properties, which helps inhibit the growth of body odor-causing bacteria on the skin. Some people find that alum also performs a basic antiperspirant function, as it is somewhat astringent. Alum molecules are too large to pass through the skin, so they don’t get in and block the pores. Instead, the alum leaves a thin layer of salts on the skin.
