Peeling Armpits?!?

[northern_sunshine]

About a week ago I made the move from regular deo/anti-perspirent to more natural deo. I'm using Tom's of Maine currently. I do a BS scrub and ACV spray in the shower. Then I apply the Tom's. If I'm short on time and can't do the BS/ACV, I swab my armpits with rubbing alcohol before applying Tom's (maybe once or twice a week).

This morning I was getting ready to get in the shower and saw that my armpits are peeling! They were itchy (but they are always itchy, though it's gotten better without the regular deo) and I looked and they are super flakey, peeling big flakes of skin!

I did my normal routine this morning and when I dried them the skin continued to peel. It also has a vaguely chemical/old regular deo smell to it. Is this just my body sloughing off the buildup of old deo? Am I allergic to the Tom's? It was a bit shocking, to say the least!

[KMK_Mama]

It's funny this came up now because I just got home from Sprout's and while I was there I had this same conversation with the salesperson.

I get this! I got it when I was using Degree and Ban and then when I switched to an ALUMINUM (yuck, I know) product it went away completely! When I decided to go more natural about a year ago, I bought the TOMS Natural and they started to peel again so I went back to an aluminum based product again and it went away. I have been using Dove ever since and when I went to Sprouts I asked the lady and she said that when you switch to a more natural product sometimes your body reacts this way while your pits detoxify and then you'll be fine.....well, mine did this with NON-natural products so I don't think that was my problem.

Anyhow, I just bought the Crystal deoderant spray to try. I'm : It works and doesn't leave me chapped.

Good luck!

[northern_sunshine]

Ok, I'm glad I'm not the only one with freaky pits!! It's not painful in the least, only a bit itchy. But I am glad it's winter so no one but me (and my DH) sees my armpits.

Gonna try and wait it out and see how long the peeling lasts.

[Ruthla]

I think your routine might be too drying. Vinegar is pretty drying if you don't rinse it off. Ditto on the rubbing alcohol.

Also, do you shave your armpits? That can irritate your pit skin as well.

[northern_sunshine]

I do rinse the ACV. I only use the alcohol sparingly if I don't get a shower that day.

I do shave, but haven't for probably 3 weeks or so now cause I'm lazy and it's cold and no one sees them anyway.

[KKmama]

I have a pretty intense (and painful) allergic reaction to ToM deo.

[blizzard_babe]

I had this problem with the Tom's of Maine LAVENDAR deodorant. I switched to Tom's lemongrass version and have had no issues.

Seriously, it was PAINFUL. It was summer, and I was sweating a lot, so whatever reaction I was having was intensified. I to this day have no clue what happened... I've never, before or since, had a reaction to deodorant, natural or otherwise. I tried to give it some time, thinking I'd adjust, but no dice. Every time I'd sweat heavily (walking the dog, etc), they'd become red and painful. The pain went away as soon as I'd shower off the deodorant and sweat, but the nasty, ugly, angry red marks remained. The after-effect red marks went away around... um... November???... and I stopped using it in July.

Never quite figured out what it was that was bothering me, but it was clearly something to do with whatever they put in the lavendar. Perhaps the lavendar itself? *shrugs*

[northern_sunshine]

I have the Honeysuckle Rose version, but I was wondering if it was the Tom's or not. I might pick up some Jason's and ditch the Tom's if it doesn't clear up in a couple days.

[KMK_Mama]

Mine wasn't painful at all either when I was using Degree or the Toms....it wasn't even peeling in the area I shaved all that much, but mostly down further where there is no hair......I had it for years though until I switched to Secret and Dove. I was also going to try the Jasons brand but decided to try the spray instead. Let me know how the Jasons brand works, I love Jasons soap!