How to Lighten Underarms: Effective Treatments and Tips

When you are invited to a summer party and you have the perfect sleeveless dress that you know you’ll pull off all ready in glam, you notice this one big part about you in that dress that doesn't seem quite right. It’s your underarms. They appear a little darker than the rest of your arms and although you shaved the night before, the pigment draws a bit of attention that you may not be the most comfortable with. There’s so many ways you can effectively target this concern of how to lighten underarms with either natural or medicated products.

Why Are My Underarms Dark?

To target and resolve any problem you must identify the root of the problem first and when the problem at hand is “why are my underarms dark”, there are several factors that could be a contributor to this concern such as:

Now it wouldn't necessarily be fair to call it wrong especially if the hair removal method you use currently is one you are most comfortable with. but suppose for instance you are using a razor that may not be the best, as you frequently get cuts from it or concerns like ingrown hairs are also frequently common.

In that case, chances are overtime your underarms will turn dark as more melanin is produced while healing from micro-injuries. A good razor with a proper aftershave routine can help overcome it.

These are especially common in women with hormonal imbalances, obesity, and insulin resistance where a condition called acanthosis nigricans can lead to darker patches in areas like underarms, and nape of the neck.

People of colour are especially prone to hyperpigmentation, and people with sensitive skin who react harshly to certain products may also be more prone than an average person to develop hyperpigmentation.

People most often turn to methods such as waxing and sugaring to avoid shaving which they assume would help resolve the problem concerning hyperpigmentation.In reality, this isn’t always effective. The inflammation caused by waxing can further trigger hyperpigmentation.

Certain chemicals in depilatory creams or products contain alcohol and fragrances such as deodorants can also contribute to dark underarms.

There may be a chance that you are not cleaning the area well enough and thus dead skin cells have accumulated making your underarms appear darker.

As your skin rubs through the fabric of your clothes it creates friction which can lead to irritation and then further root to hyperpigmentation.

How To Lighten Underarms?

If you are too looking for remedies on how to get rid of dark armpits, you have the option of doing it both naturally or through over-the-counter dark underarms treatment products. You will start to notice a slow but gradual progress.

Reduce Friction With Proper Clothing Choices

Minimise friction between the skin and your piece of clothing. Try to switch to loose clothes and fabric that is more breathable like cotton or linen to avoid that skin-to-skin contact that over time might begin to irritate you.

Tip: You can also try applying barrier creams such as petroleum jelly, or moisturising natural products like shea butter or cocoa butter. If greasiness is a concern to you you can switch to anti-chafing sticks.

Shaving Tips for Smoother Skin

If shaving is your go-to hair removal method you might as well do it right. If you are prone to cuts, the problem may either lie in the product or it may simply just be a skill issue. Have a proper pre and after-shave routine where you exfoliate with gentle scrubs to help you remove dead skin cells and make your shaving experience smoother.

Other than that, remember to use a fragrance-free lubricating or shaving cream which does not contain irritating chemicals. You should also switch to a single-blade razor if you have sensitive skin as they are much less abrasive than the multi-blade options.

Choose the Right Deodorants and Antiperspirants

If you think deodorant is something you cannot live without, but if it may be contributing to another concern of yours like hyperpigmentation in underarms, it may be time you start considering other options to smell fresh and nice in the market.

For sweat control, you can try exploring the option of antiperspirants with aluminium chloride which will further reduce the skin irritation caused by sweat. But if you find yourself sensitive to aluminium as well, consider options for a deodorant with triethyl citrate (usually found in Vanicream deodorants) which ultimately reduces pH and has antimicrobial properties without heavy fragrance.

Effective Treatments for Hyperpigmentation

To directly counter the concern for hyperpigmentation you can consult a dermatologist to get on certain products such as high-concentration retinol, tretinoin, or hydroquinone, as they can be immensely irritating if used incorrectly. Other than that, if you want to do some at-home skincare you can find gentle products with lower concentrations of retinol, glycolic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin B5.

Natural Remedies for Underarm Lightening

You can also turn to some remedies that are more natural and don’t contain harsh chemicals to help you lighten your underarms. Usually what you need for these remedies is a quick trip to the kitchen and a little patience as the results usually tend to show up after some time.

1. Potatoes are one of the richest sources of vitamin C and antioxidants. You can extract potato juice and apply it in your underarm region to help effectively target the production of melanin.
2. You may apply lemon to your underarms, but one thing you should know about lemons is that they are highly acidic. So it is best that you either dilute lemon juice and apply or add a few drops with either a carrier oil like coconut or curd for further skin lightening and moisturising benefits.
3. Turmeric is that yellow ginger-like spice. You can do so much more than just add it in your curries. The curcumin found in turmeric is known for some its amazing benefits, including skin lightening. Add turmeric with flour and water before applying so you have a workable consistency of the paste to work with and so it doesn’t leave the yellow stains.
4. You can apply egg oil as an overnight treatment, where you massage the oil in your underarm region for 10 and leave it on overnight. In the morning wash the area off with warm water and soap to balance out the pH levels.

Adopt Better Hair Removal Methods

Now that we covered the ways to combat dark underarms, let's understand this problem at a deeper level. Your armpit grows hair. Now there are several grooming habits you can adopt to remove hair and maintain proper hygiene.

The reason you want to remove the hair from underarms is not only because they cause friction and irritate skin, but they trap sweat which also contributes to dark underarms. Employing a good hair removal method ultimately becomes immensely crucial to tackle the problem of hyperpigmentation.

Where shaving is considered to be one of the quickest and most accessible hair methods, you may be doing more harm to your underarms than good. Because no matter how expensive or how your shaving kit is, ingrown and irritation as the hair grows back can seldom ever be avoided.

You can consider using an effective and reputable IPL device such as Ulike Air 10 where the device burns the hair off from the roots and when the hair finally grows back it grows much thinner and a lot more easier to manage. Requires barely any maintenance.

And over time giving you one of the most long-lasting solutions to hair removal than anything else. This also effectively targets the sweating situation making you feel fresh and confident all day long.

Conclusion

In the best case scenario, the skin usually darkens attributed to the reason of excess melanin production, especially in the case of underarms. Now in this case whatever method you choose to opt for skin lightening will likely not give you that instant quick fix.

Remaining consistent with whether you choose to do a natural remedy or treat underarms with prescribed medication is incredibly stressed upon. Yes, it does require a lot of patience, consistency, and commitment, but lighter underarms are certainly achievable.