# Does Your Body Acquire a Tolerance to Anti Perspirents? ts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644 "2008-09-29T01:05:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/1 "2008-09-29T01:05:55Z")
I fund that my anti-perspirements seem to stop working afeter 2 months use. I then switch to a different brand, and use that one (till it stops working). Anybody have the same experience? Why should this happen? ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/2 "2008-09-29T01:48:14Z")
Yes, I have the same experience. I have no idea why this happens. I’d love to know… ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/3 "2008-09-29T02:09:21Z")
We were talking about this just last night. My guess was that the olfactory just gets used to the deodorant. Seems like that would happen within half an hour or so, though, so I’m not sure. Consider this a friendly bump. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/4 "2008-09-29T02:47:25Z")
Similar but very much milder experience in my case over the last decade or so, I’ve had to every few years switch my aluminum [N-]chlorohydrex formulation for a different value of [N]. FWIW, right armpit goes first…😕 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/5 "2008-09-29T04:46:43Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I then switch to a different brand, and use that one Unless you are carefully finding a different brand with a different formulation (most use basically the same active ingredient, aluminum salts (Aluminium Chlorohydrate or Aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex)), you are probably just imagining this result. Confirmation bias has an extremely persuasive effect, so that nearly all accurate scientific research uses double-blind studies. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/6 "2008-09-29T13:41:50Z")
Actually, I am “carefully finding a different brand with a different formulation” when one stops working. And the new one then does work. And actually I don’t think the deodorant portion stops working, only the anti-perspirant part. Altho of course it is hard to smell one’s self. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/7 "2008-09-29T13:52:10Z")
I can’t use Sure deodorant any more. They changed the formulation or something in my body chemistry changed somewhere in college and it actually goes sour on me now. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/8 "2008-09-29T14:04:44Z")
I used to suffer from the same thing in my teens - switching to new deodorants every year or so. But ever since I found Axe, the clear stick, I’ve not had any problems sweating at all, throughout the entire day usually. Even at the end of the day I still smell the deodorant. I’ve been using this same one a few years now. I just hope it keeps working and stays in production. ---
**Author:** ![Solfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Solfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solfy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/9 "2008-09-29T14:05:15Z")
I’ve noticed this same thing. I postulate that it’s not one’s own body that becomes acclimated, but the particular blend of bacteria on one’s skin. Brand X kills bacterias A, B, and C well, but allows bacterias D, E, and F to slowly flourish. Population of D E F slowly increases, Brand X no longer as effective. Switch to Brand Z. (Because brand Y smells too flowery) Brand Z kills D E and F now living in underarm. Bacterias A B and C gradually return over months. Time to switch brands again. I have no factual basis for this, but I do find I have to switch between two brands every few months to maintain effectiveness. And it’s not that a brand quits working altogether, but more a case of the product losing its “staying” power throughout the day. ---
**Author:** ![Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lo-Slung_Denim)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/10 "2008-09-29T16:29:08Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Similar but very much milder experience in my case over the last decade or so, I’ve had to every few years switch my aluminum [N-]chlorohydrex formulation for a different value of [N]. FWIW, right armpit goes first…😕 I’m working on a theory about this, I think the hand you write with makes that armpit sweat more… But yeah, I have to switch brands after a couple of months too. Nothing to do with smell - you can FEEL the sweat, not just smell it! ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/11 "2008-09-29T17:31:30Z")
> [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](#): > > But yeah, I have to switch brands after a couple of months too. Nothing to do with smell - you can FEEL the sweat, not just smell it! Exactly my experience, too. I don’t notice the smell–I notice that my underarm is all wet. I have to rotate between sprays, roll-ons, gels, etc. ---
**Author:** ![steadierfooting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@steadierfooting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steadierfooting)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-body-acquire-a-tolerance-to-anti-perspirents-ts/465644/12 "2008-09-30T21:48:36Z")
I never understood this. I’ve used the same deodorant for like 13 years, slap it on, BAM no problem. Before using it, I had to switch around a bit to find one that worked well (when I was like 14). Before you feel it fails, how long do you put up with it until you buy a new one? I’m wondering if you’re affected seasonally or based off temperature/humidity?