How aluminum salts reduce underarm wetness
Sweat reaches the skin through narrow channels called sweat ducts. In the underarm, antiperspirants use aluminum salts that dissolve in moisture and move into the openings of those ducts. There, they form a temporary gel-like barrier that narrows or blocks some channels, so less sweat reaches the surface.
The effect is local and partial. The body continues making sweat, and ducts that are not blocked can still carry it out. Antiperspirant therefore reduces wetness where it is applied; it does not switch off the body’s cooling system.
Why the effect wears off
The barriers are temporary. As the outer skin naturally sheds and the product is washed away, blocked ducts reopen and sweat can flow to the surface again. That is why antiperspirant needs to be reapplied to maintain its effect.
Deodorant works differently: it targets odor rather than the amount of sweat. Many products combine deodorant ingredients with an antiperspirant, but the two functions are distinct. The practical result is that an antiperspirant can leave the body’s sweating process intact while reducing the visible dampness at the skin.
