A Lesson I Learned About Deodorant - The Hard Way

Hey guys it's Floyd. It's about 5:30 am here and I have been up for about 45 minutes already. I thought I would share about a lesson I learned about deoderant.

After getting a staff infection in both of my under arms a little less than a year ago, I was told by my doctor to switch to a deoderant that was a spray and had no anti-perspirant in it. Apparently anti-perspirant contains aluminum and after a while that can block the pores, allowing bacteria and infection to set in. Prior to this revelation, I had used the same deoderant with anti-perspirant for over 10 years. (Just to be clear, it was not the same stick of deoderant for 10 years, but the same brand).

So after taking medication and changing to a spray variety minus the anti-perspirant, I have been issue free. (For those that are interested, I have been using one made by right guard that comes in a copper can. When you spray it, you will feel like you are back in your junior high locker room, but you get used to it after a while). For this trip to Uganda, I thought I might need something a little stronger as I didn't want to be sweating in abundance. So I acquired a "high endurance" type of stick and began using it the day we left. And there in lies the issue - I probably should have spent a few weeks testing this new deoderant before taking it with me to Uganda. As it turns out, I have had an allergic reaction to this deoderant with side effects including severe itching, skin peeling, and redness.

Now I know what most of you are thinking. I should just switch back to the spray can I brought with me. Oops.... I might have inadvertently left it out of the bag. I have a memory of looking at the can and saying, "I don't want to forget to pack that". Well I guess I forgot to pack that...

Anyway, I did learn when I was researching how to control teenage body odor, as I have two boys that are constantly producing it, that Listerine can be used under the arm to eliminate bacteria. Apparently it works the same under your arm as it does in your mouth - it kills the bad stuff. And I must say that after having the boys do it prior to putting on their deoderant, it makes a dramatic difference in the amount of spare oxygen one needs when around them. So I decided to try it in order to help with the reaction, since I didn't have any kind of allergy cream or anything. Surprisingly, it removed the issue within 24 hours. Now this was great but I am still left being in Africa minus a deoderant I can use. So I am now having to use an extra one my daughter brought and I guess getting closer to my femenin side at the same time. No reaction to it so far so.....lesson learned I guess.