8 ways to improve Dark underarms. What causes it ?

What does it mean to have dark armpits and will you have them forever?

Well in words of dermatologists whom we met , “the cause of a dark underarm in one person is not  one-size that fits-all “. Infact  the reasons you could have dark underarms might surprise you. Here is the list :

1. There are few overlooked external factors that can cause darkening in the area . Using Deodorants and antiperspirants have ingredients  that can irritate the skin, and any inflammation can lead to a thickening and darkening of the skin over time. ” many of them contain alcohol as an ingredient  that, irritates the skin.” Other ingredients to look out for are fragrance and aluminium, both of which can be harsh on your skin .
2. Another source of irritation: your razor. Shaving, especially on dry skin or with a dull blade, can cause the skin to darken and thicken over time. Hair removal methods like depilatory creams , waxing ,threading  which irritate & darken your skin . So please check if You are shaving wrong !
3. The biggest DIY mistake professionals see is “over-exfoliating”. While scrubbing with raw sugar might seem like a good idea, it’ll only further irritate the area, which will cause more thickening if you do it excessively.
4. Sometimes the black  brown patches are due to  “certain fungal or bacterial infections “ As said by dermatologist Dr Monali.
5. Tight fitting clothes rubbing against your skin , bringing irritation
6. Intake of Drugs like Oral contraceptive pills , growth hormone, insulin ,nicotinic acid can cause darkening through complex ways
7. “Darkening of the armpits alone is a simple cosmetic issue,” but “if the texture is changing, becoming thicker or more velvety, then you should bring it to the attention of your dermatologist. It could be Acanthosis nigricans (neck , armpit , thigh fold ) & has to be treated by an dermatologist .
8. Weight gain due to sedentary life styles . even in children during covid times .For last 2 , your dermatologist will ask you to do some hormonal test to reach diagnosis.
9. Certain cancers.

If you are looking to brighten the skin under your arms, you’ve likely come across a few videos on Instagram of quick, do-it-yourself hacks, like lemon masks and sugar scrubs, charcoal scrubs etc.  But are those hacks  actually effective? We turned to dermatologists to answer all our armpit hyperpigmentation questions, ahead.

1. Loose , not too tight fitting clothes. 
2. Use roll on bars instead of alcohol based deodrants.
3.  Staying away from harsh, in-store scrubs that have sharp-edged particles, which could cause micro-abrasions
4. Treat if there is infection.
5. AN then meet doctor immediately.
6. If you want the area to be hair-free, consider getting hair removed by laser which eliminates irritation from excessive shaving. If a series of laser appointments is out of your budget and you still want to get rid of the hair under your arms, you can reassess the way you shave. It’s important to moisturize the hair and skin with a conditioning shaving cream to reduce pulling and friction. You also want to avoid dull razor blades that require repeated swiping, and make sure to shave in the direction of the hair growth, which is most often upward, so that you aren’t tugging at the follicle.
7. Home remedy : Exfoliate once a week using paste made out of curd plus oats (lactic acid is bleach , oats mild scrubbing ) by keeping for 15 min & washing that off .  Having said that, don’t be too harsh while exfoliating the skin as this can also irritate the skin

OR 

you could mix Honey with ripe papaya pulp , both of which have detanning properties for 15min  & wash.

With an abundance of skin care products on the market today choosing the most effective product can be an expensive and time draining trial and error ‘ You may seek dermatologist opinion in chosing Creams with exfoliating agents like glycolic , lactic , urea .

Avoid applying  haldi , tomato .lemon which irritate skin .

If still your problem is not sorted , next level is to visit dermatologist  for procedure like chemical peels under good guidance Q switch lasers. Hope you found this article to be useful.