No need for deodorant?

angeleyes67

Hello. I had a bilateral mastectomy in March and will be having delayed reconstruction due to complications with my left expander. My question is a simple one. I noticed that aside from feeling numbness on both my left and right breast area that I don't seem to be sweating under my arm pits and haven't had the need to apply deodorant. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm wondering if this is temporary or permanent. I won't see my breast surgeon again until August.

Moderators

Hi angeleyes and welcome to Breastcancer.org!

We're sure someone surely will be by soon to weigh in with their thoughts and experiences. Strange phenomenon, for sure! We have heard of something similar if there was radiation therapy to the area -- have you had radiation treatment?

--The Mods

Denise-G

I had an UMX on left breast 6.5 years ago. To this day, I have not needed deodorant on that side. Even on the hottest days, I don't seem to sweat there.

My mom had a lumpectomy on her right breast. She has not needed deodorant either - she had no nodes

removed.

No one has really been able to give me an explanation for it.

One of my symptoms the summer before diagnosis was severe body odor especially under my arms.

rgoossen

angeleyes- while I only had a lumpectomy and node removal, follow up by radiation...I also have no sweating or need for deodorant in that armpit.

octogirl

I am still using deodorant, perhaps just out of an abundance of caution, but have noticed that I need it much less. I recently went out of town for a few days, forgot to pack the deodorant, and realized I was fine without it.

To be honest, until I saw this post, it didn't occur to me that it could be bc related. Rather, I wondered if it was a function of getting older....

Icietla

Hi angeleyes67, and welcome to BCO. I am so sorry about your complications holding up your reconstruction procedures.

I expect that the diminution in your perspiration there is related to some nerve branch damage or incapacitation. I understand Botox is used to temporarily incapacitate nerves in that area to get excessive underarm perspiration under control for the time that the Botox has its effect on them. So you are kind of getting the benefit as would come with Botox treatment, but for no additional charge.

ksusan

My underarm odor came back about 2 years-ish after surgery.

Jujube43

I'm almost 5 years post-mastectomy on the right side...I never have to apply deodorant on that side. I was left with a large hollow there as they removed 17 nodes, all mixed with cancerous tissue. I do have to use deodorant on the left side...

Spookiesmom

My ROs nurse said I wouldn’t need it on the rad side. She was right. I don’t need it on the other side either. I had BMX. It’s hot and humid here almost year round, I don’t even get damp.