A dramatic increase in the usage of antiperspirants has led to complaints of rashes and itching in areas where such products have been used, Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital doctors said.
Doctor Huang Yu-hui (黃毓惠) said that antiperspirants and deodorants contain aluminum chlorohydrate, which causes cells in sweat glands to swell, causing the cessation of perspiration.
Continued use of deodorants and antiperspirants before sleep or after bathing could cause such effects, Huang said, adding that use of such products on multiple occasions each day or after shaving could irritate skin, causing inflammation or swelling.
The hospital recently attended to a 25-year-old woman who manifested such symptoms after using antiperspirants multiple times each day due to weather conditions, Huang said.
Use of deodorant should be avoided immediately after sweating substantially or after the body emits a lot of heat, Huang said, adding that it should be applied locally and not across the entire body.
Meanwhile, Customs Administration statistics showed that from 2011 to last year, imports of antiperspirants grew by 20 percent from NT$121 million to NT$146 million (US$3.68 million to US$4.44 million).
The Food and Drug Agency said that buyers should only purchase such products that are marked with wording indicating that they have been inspected by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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