Natural Deodorant Cause Swollen Lymph Nodes?

[peace-love-and-suds]

I have a deodorant recipe that is all organic and aluminum free.

Coconut Oil
Baking Soda 34.96% of recipe by weight
Arrowroot
Bees Wax
Lavender EO


Two of my customers have been using my deodorant for the last couple of months and have both broken out with swollen lymph nodes in the armpit. I've never had this happen to any of my other customers. They both had this experience happen at about the same time using the same batch of deodorant. I know that swollen lymph nodes are usually a sign that the body is fighting an infection of some type. I can't imagine this could be coming from my deodorant though there is a seemingly strong correlation. Some people can be allergic to baking soda (though one of the customers had been using my deodorant for a while now with no issues). When they stopped using the product, the lymph nodes started to return to normal. What in the world could be causing this?

I was thinking perhaps a yeast infection but I don't think yeast infections cause swollen lymph nodes (though they are correlated).

 

[Dahila]

I do think your percentage of baking soda is too high. When I add 2-3% of baking soda I am ok, otherwise it causes major iritation for me. Hm lymph nodes do not swell due the deo...

 

[peace-love-and-suds]

I'm definitely toeing the line with the baking soda but I think it's still within acceptable levels for most people. Is it possible for that deodorant formula to develop certain strains of bacteria?

 

[Obsidian]

My lymph nodes swell from store bought deodorant. I did find some info on plugged sweat glands being the culprit, maybe it the beeswax in your recipe.

 

[peace-love-and-suds]

I don't think it would be the bee's wax as it allows the skin to breathe. It also creates a barrier of protection against other irritants.

 

[cmzaha]

I am with Dahlia with the baking soda, I use it at 7%. Beeswax is 22% in my deodorant and has cause no problems that I have be notified of

 

[CanaDawn]

Do you know for sure it was the lymph nodes and not another cause of localised swelling like sweat glands or sebaceous glands?

 

[Susie]

Axillary lymph nodes swell for many reasons. Even nail biting can cause swelling according to one of my nursing textbooks. If they went to an actual MD and had a diagnosis of swollen lymph nodes(which is the only way I would believe them), then that MD would have taken steps to identify the cause.

Here is a link to a partial list:

http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/symptoms/enlarged_axillary_lymph_nodes/causes.htm

Common Causes: Enlarged axillary lymph nodes

Some of the possible common medical causes of Enlarged axillary lymph nodes may include:

Carcinoma breast
Infection of the arm
Ascending lymphangitis
Infectious mononucleosis
Chicken pox
Herpes zoster
AIDS
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Cat scratch disease
Other Causes: Enlarged axillary lymph nodes

Some of the less common causes of Enlarged axillary lymph nodes may include:

Lung cancer
Leukaemia
Measeles
Mumps
Sporotrichosis
Typhoid vaccine
Small pox vaccine
Allergic reactions
Iodine
Rubella vaccine
Sulpha drugs

This is probably not the most complete list available, it does serve to give you an idea of the very slim possibility that it could be the deodorant unless they are allergic to something in it.

 

[CanaDawn]

That it happened to two people with the same batch and for whom removal of the deodorant caused remission of symptoms does suggest the possibility something is connected, however I, too, would want to know for sure it was a lymph node issue before I started to suggest specifically what it could be. I think a good start to an investigation would be a diagnosis and report. And keep in mind that all things have SOMEone that won't tolerate them, and it might be coincidental (although that often feels unlikely)

 

[Susie]

All she has is the verbal complaint from two people of swollen lymph nodes. No objective proof of said swollen lymph nodes whatsoever.
The fact that it was more than one person actually makes it less likely to be the deodorant. Especially after looking at her ingredients. You would be amazed at how easily suggestible people are when one person complains of some symptom.

I am sorry to offend anyone, but my nurse's BS meter is pegged out on this one.

 

[CanaDawn]

All she has is the verbal complaint from two people of swollen lymph nodes. No objective proof of said swollen lymph nodes whatsoever.

Which is why I said " I think a good start to an investigation would be a diagnosis and report."

And you have no reason to believe the two customers know about each other's reaction, do you?

As it's a new thing, from the same batch, it is well worth investigating, especially if any of the ingredients were a new bottle/bag/jar...

 

[Susie]

I refuse to indulge your predilection for sniping at people for having an opinion contrary to yours in order to start a battle. I am as entitled to state my opinion as you are entitled to state yours.

 

[CanaDawn]

And now we both have.

peace-love-and-suds, I hope you find out what's going on, as it must be a bit upsetting to think it could be your product that has caused the problem. I can't see anything specific in your ingredients that immediately looks like it would cause the symptoms they describe.

 

[green soap]

I have been experimenting with deodorants and one of my first prototypes had baking soda, a similar % as you are using. I used this deodorant for a couple of months with no issues, but then I started to react to the baking soda. It was a while ago, so I don't remember if my lymph nodes felt swollen, but my skin in the underarm area developed a rash and felt badly.

Just a heads up that it is possible to develop a reaction to baking soda after prolonged use, even if all was fine when one started using it. Not sure about the medical explanation, but it did happen to me. I just discontinued use and it went away.

I reformulated completely and now my herbal deodorant works well and feels fine, at least to me. My baby sister prefers the one with the baking soda though, and she never had any reaction to it. Effects to different deodorant ingredients are very individual, no one thing works on everybody. Deodorants are one of the trickiest products IMO.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

How many other people are using this batch with no reaction? Just to get an idea of the % we are looking at. If only these 10 people are using it then it is different than if 100 people are using it.

Has the customer who stopped using it started using it again? If the symptoms then return, it is again an indicator.

 

[Jaccart789]

I think it is a reaction to the baking soda. I too am a RN in school to be a nurse practitioner, but its hard to diagnosis when there are few details. You can get a reaction the more you are exposed, so even though they didn't have a problem before and suddenly now leads me to this conclusion, especially since you have not changed your recipe. However, I am no doctor and just a RN in school. The best thing is they go see a physician.

 

[Dahila]

I know that a lot of people react to baking soda after some time of using. I have a few kinds of deos to switch in that case. Some of them are free of baking soda and work pretty good.
If I had swollen glands I would never think about going to store or the seller to complain. I would call and make an dr appointment to find out what is going on.
Does anyone goes to store to return the face cream which caused some irritation ? I do not think so.
I am not nurse but would not ignore it either

 

[CanaDawn]

If I were a vendor, I would be grateful to know of possible reactions to my products, even if it turned out to be something that only a few people encountered. It might alert me to problems with a new supplier, or a new formulation or some other change, and I could address the customers' concerns directly so they would be less likely to complain to others, and would be satisfied with customer service, etc.

 

[LBussy]

If the people are not related/came to her independently then it does increase the likelihood it's related.

I wonder if the batch is not infected/spoiled somehow? It seems more likely the application of an active bacteria would cause this than two people having the same allergy all of a sudden.

 

[CanaDawn]

yeah, it's odd. That's why I would want to know...even if it's not bacteria, if something has changed, this would be one possible outcome (reactions where there weren't any before). These can be super frustrating things to track down (I've had similar mysteries in the lab where an experiment that has worked for years suddenly just....doesn't. ARgh.....)