What Causes Dark Underarms, and how they are Treated
Our underarms are of the same skin tone as the rest of the body, but sometimes they can turn into a dark tone. We can say that it is discoloration, like what happens to other parts of the body. Darker underarms are not anything serious but can be a source of embarrassment, especially in swimsuits and many other occasions.
Many of us feel embarrassed and avoid wearing sleeveless tops, swimming suits, and tracksuits due to the darker tone of our armpits. It’s a natural process and happens to everyone, but let’s explore the reasons and how we can treat them.
Causes of Dark Underarms:
1. Shaving (abrasion and irritation).
2. Tight clothes (friction).
3. Smoker’s melanosis (hyperpigmentation).
4. Acanthosis nigricans (a sign of abnormal hormone levels, diabetes, or obesity).
5. Melasma (dark patches on the skin).
6. Deodorants and antiperspirants (chemical irritants).
7. Dead skin accumulation.
8. Erythrasma (a bacterial infection affecting the skin)
9. Addison’s disease (decreased functionality of adrenal glands on kidneys)
How to Lighten Underarms:
Here are few tips to lighten your armpits.
1. Firstly, you have to change the brand of your antiperspirant. Some people also use baking powder or apple cider vinegar or stop using these deodorants.
2. Use a facial exfoliator or a body scrub for almost 2-3 weeks.
3. Stop smoking.
4. Wear loose clothes.
5. Do waxing instead of shaving your armpits.
Home remedies to lighten dark underarms:
Here are some easy home remedies to lighten the dark armpits:
Potato treatment:
1. Peel a potato and squeeze some juice from it. Apply the juice to your underarms and rinse with cold water after 10 minutes.
Cucumber treatment:
2. Rub the thick slices of cucumber to your dark underarms and after 10 minutes rinse them with cold water.
Turmeric treatment:
3. Turmeric is the master of all remedies. Take a small bowl, add enough turmeric to it and mix it with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Apply the paste and after 30 mins rinse it.
Orange peel treatment:
4. Get some powdered orange peel and mix 1 tablespoon of rose water and milk in it. It will become a thick paste. Scrub it on your armpits. Leave it for 15 minutes and rinse it with cold water. Repeat this recipe 2-3 times every week.
Lemon treatment:
5. Apply the thick slices of lemon on your armpits and rinse them after 10 mins, then apply a soft moisturizer.
Tea tree oil treatment:
6. In 8 ounces of water, mix 5 drops of tea tree oil in a small spray bottle. Every day after bathing spray it on your armpits.
Egg oil:
7. Massage egg oil on your dark underarms just before bedtime. The next morning, wash your underarms with body wash.
Coconut oil:
8. Massage with coconut oil on your armpits. With the help of lukewarm water, wash your underarms. Repeat this 2-3 times a day.
Some medical treatments:
Here are some of some medical treatments which your doctor will advise. It will be better if you discuss your condition with the doctor:
• Lotions containing tretinoin, hydroquinone, azelaic acid, corticosteroids, or kojic acids.
• To exfoliate skins, use chemical peels with beta hydroxyl acids.
• To remove pigments, use laser therapy.
• Use microdermabrasion to cleanse the skin.
Discuss with your doctor about the dark tone of your armpits than the rest of your body. The doctor will also provide the instructions or some medicines to lighten your dark underarms.
As we said before, the dark tone of your armpits is not anything serious. The underarms, elbows, groin, knees, and back of the neck are the common areas of darkened skin, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about a natural process.
By using some of these remedies and the doctor’s instructions, you can lighten your dark armpits. From now on, no embarrassment! You can wear your favorite clothes with freedom.
