Working in bra garment industry along with the statistic of  1 in every 3 women contract breast cancer you can imagine my alarm when after getting my annual routine mammograms over the last 13 yrs.  and clearing them up to February, 2018.  My 2018 routine mammogram, (first 3-D screening I had ever had), revealed a few suspicious spots in my right breast.  I had been told since age 40 that I have “dense” breast tissue.  This means the tissue is more fibroglandular and seeing breast cancer is hard to see in dense breasts.  Upon having a further ultrasound screening in follow-up to the 3-D mammogram conducted, the testing facility felt that the spots (3-4 of them) were nothing to be concerned with at the time and should just be watched.  My instructions were to just come back next year for my annual routine mammogram.  I had my 2018 annual visit with my OB-GYN physician following both the mammogram and ultrasound.  I expressed my concern with technicians seeing these spots on my mammogram and I hadn’t had anything found in my breasts in past mammograms.  My OB-GYN felt I shouldn’t be concerned but he told me if I wanted to seek a second opinion from a breast surgeon I could do so in order to set my mind at ease.  I had also noticed some pain in this same side but not specifically in my breast but more in my armpit area.  I attributed the discomfort to lifting hangers of clothes samples above my head up and onto a rolling rack at my job at the time.  I had met a breast surgeon a few years earlier who I really admired and found her to be so knowledgeable.  I decided to obtain a second opinion from her.  She conducted an ultrasound as well, confirming the couple of small spots and agreement with the size of them.  However, she also found another spot that was under the armpit about 3-4 inches below my armpit area.  She explained to me that she was a bit concerned upon locating it due to it being marble size, hard and solid.  Benign cysts with women who have fibrocystic breast condition typically are fluid filled and they move is what I had been told in the past.  She took several biopsy samples and placed a tag marker  the size of rice piece that would stay in that area where the cyst was located.  She told me it would allow them to find the location of this cyst more readily in the future.  The surgeon also asked me to cease using antiperspirant and to try a natural deodorant product.   The biopsy results came back benign after a few weeks and I was so relieved.  My surgeon scheduled a follow-up appointment in May, 2018 to see if there were any changes in the cyst she had found and biopsied.  Upon her conducting the follow-up ultrasound in May we found the cyst had pretty much disappeared or shrunk down to a spot barely detectable on the ultrasound.  The location of this cyst was in a very perplexing place within my body.

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We talked further about what she thought was going on.  We determined that the use of an antiperspirant containing “aluminum oxide” may have caused this build-up or toxic deposit, as I refer to it, causing the cyst.  When I ceased using the antiperspirant  product and switched to natural deodorant  between the biopsy date and the May follow-up date it seemed the toxins trapped and secreted in my pores and glands had cleared themselves.  Odd story I know,  but I so believe we are really supposed to perspire and rid our pores from the harmful chemicals, toxins and metals we place on our skin to prevent natural perspiring.  Therefore, my switch to all natural ingredient based deodorants and forego attempting to prevent perspiring keeps me safe, healthy and well.  I  continue to research  this situation regarding antiperspirant product use and seeking  the best natural deodorant product to use.   So long to the days of antiperspirant use!!  I feel blessed for being able to share this with all of clients and followers.