5-Day® Deodorant is a brand name for a type of extra-strength antiperspirant product. It is one of the stronger antiperspirant brands that can be acquired without a prescription. Like most antiperspirants, it contains a high degree of aluminum to shrink pores and prevent sweating.
DSE Healthcare Solutions, an American company based out of Edison, New Jersey, produces 5-Day® Deodorant. It was started by two Johnson & Johnson executives. DSE Healthcare Solutions specializes in acquiring and marketing products for specialty health conditions. Other products in its line include Anti-Monkey Butt, a powder which prevents chafing while riding a motorcycle, and Cystex®, for ringing in the ears.
Despite its name, 5-Day® Deodorant products do not always last for up to five days. It can, however, prevent the armpits from sweating after an application for far more than 24 hours. It is most often used by people who sweat excessively due to a health problem and are self-conscious about it. For this reason, even though it is primarily meant to be applied under the arms, 5-Day® Deodorant has also been recommended for use on sweaty palms.
There is a following for 5-Day® Deodorant among those who sweat normally. It is used by models and other appearance-conscious people whose fashionable clothing or public outings would be marred by sweat. Some athletes use it in order to remain more comfortable during strenuous workouts.
Two different applicators are found in 5-Day® Deodorant products. There is a roll-on stick similar to other brands of solid deodorant on the market. There are also deodorant pads, soft pads of cotton infused with the antiperspirant. The pads are meant to be used by wiping under the armpits to apply the antiperspirant, then thrown away.
5-Day® Deodorant products are classified as "antiperspirants." This differs from other deodorant products in that they contain ingredients that actually prevent sweating rather than just cover up the smell of perspiration with scents. Like all antiperspirants, the product contains aluminum, which tightens pores and shrinks sweat glands to prevent sweating for several days.
Recently, there has been concern over the possible health risks of using antiperspirants. Exposure to aluminum was tied to an increased risk for Alzheimer's and breast cancer. A study stated that there was not a definite risk for breast cancer from using antiperspirant. Further research into the connection between the use of antiperspirants and the development of Alzheimer's remains inconclusive.