Home Beauty Dark Underarms: Causes and Home Remedies

Dark Underarms: Causes and Home Remedies

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A young lady showing her underarms

Are you not able to buy all those fabulous sleeveless outfits, or is your closet full of them, but you can’t just wear any. Does it feel awkward while working out because you can’t wear just a sleeveless? There is no need to be bothered anymore about your dark underarms. Read our in depth article and you will get to know the causes and natural home remedies to dark underarms. Follow the instructions and boost your confidence by mitigating all your problems related to dark underarms.

What are the causes of dark underarms?

Dark spots under your arms can be a result of a medical condition called acanthosis nigricans. It can be caused by various other reasons such as:

1. Shaving:

Shaving removes the hair visible to us, from the surface, and the hair follicles just below the skin are the reason for these dark spots. Too much shaving leads to skin darkening and even hardens the shaved area. While waxing removes hair right from the root. It leaves skin soft and even removes dead skin from the surface. Waxing is a little clumsy but far better than shaving in this regard. If the discoloration in your armpits is due to shaving, switch to waxing now.

2. Excess use of deodorants:

In spite of the fact that deodorants are a life saviour for fighting against bad body odour their excess use leads to darkening of the underarms. Alcohol based anti perspirants and deodorants are harmful to the skin. The chemicals present in them are responsible for the blackness of the armpits. Avoid applying these harsh and harmful chemicals directly on your skin.

3. Accumulation of dead skin cells:

Our body sheds dead skin cells regularly. The shedding gradually reduces with age. That’s why a baby has soft skin and we don’t. The shedding is by itself in some people while in some other the skin do not flake away which leads to its accumulation. The accumulated dead skin cells makes the skin appear dull and dark. There is a need of properly cleaning and exfoliating the skin so that the dead skin is removed. Most of the people ignore the underarms while cleaning which leads to dead skin accumulation and the so the dark spots. So, exfoliate.

4. Regular use of hair removal cream:

Excess use of hair removal cream leads to darkening of the underarms due to the chemicals present in them. It removes hair only superficially and not from their root. So, stop using these creams if they are the reason of your dark underarms.

5. Wearing tightly fitted clothes:

Wearing tightly fitted clothes leads to rubbing of the skin with the fabric. The friction between the cloth and the sensitive areas like underarms leads to their darkening. To avoid the darkening caused due to this reason, wear loosely fitted clothes specially during summer.

6. Acanthosis Nigricans: [1]

Acanthosis Nigricans is a medical condition in which brown to black patches develop around the body folds. It is hyper-pigmentation of the skin and is usually caused in folds of the neck, armpits, etc. It may be genetically inherited or may be caused by obesity also. The discoloration caused due to this reason can be kept in check by consulting a doctor and taking the necessary precautions.

Now, after looking at the main causes of dark underarms, lets see how to remove these dark patches using natural home remedies.

Home Remedies

1. Lemon:

Procedure:

  • Rub a slice of lemon on your armpits for a few minutes.
  • Let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse off thoroughly with cold water.

Another way is to make a lemon scrub and applying it on your underarms:

  • Mix a pinch of turmeric and honey or yogurt to the lemon juice.
  • Apply this paste to the affected area.
  • Leave it for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse off with cold water.

Routine:

Repeat a few times a week or at the time of bathing.

Precaution:

  • Lemon can dry out the skin. Apply moisturiser after rinsing off the lemon juice.
  • If you have recently removed underarms hair, application of lemon can irritate your skin.

Why Lemon works?

Lemon is an excellent bleaching agent. It helps in shedding of dead skin and so whitens the underarms area. Lemon possess anti bacterial and antispetic properties, so it is a good cleanser and acts as a natural deodorant and is good for skin.[2]

2. Potato:

Procedure:

  • Grate one potato and extract its juice.
  • Apply it on the underarms with the help of cotton balls.
  • Leave it for 15 minutes and rinse.

Alternatively, you can rub slices of potato in the affected area.

Routine:

Do it twice a day for best results.

Why Potato works?

Potato possesses bleaching properties which helps lighten the skin tone.

3. Cucumber:

Procedure:

  • Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on your underarms.
  • Alternatively, extract its juice and apply it.
  • Leave it for 15 minutes and wash.
  • Cucumber can be combined with a little lemon juice and pinch of turmeric for better results.

Routine:

Repeat it daily.

Why Cucumber works?

Cucumber has natural bleaching properties which helps lighten the skin tone. It has antioxidant properties which help reduce irritation. It has anti microbial activity due to which it cleanses and soothes the skin.[3]

4. Baking Soda:

Procedure:

  • Mix a thick paste of baking soda with water.
  • Apply it on your underarms amd scrub it gently for some time.
  • Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
  • Alternatively, you can just dust your under arms with baking soda to give it a white shade and for removal of bad body odour caused by excessive sweating.

Routine:

Repeat it a few times a week.

Why Baking Soda works?

Baking Soda is a natural bleaching agent. It exfoliates the skin of underarms and removes the dead skin. It prevents body odour too so it can be a replacement of deodorants which is a major cause of dark underarms.[4]

5. Orange Peels:

Procedure:

  • To make orange peels scrub, first dry the orange peels in the sun.
  • Grind to form its powder.
  • Mix milk and rose water to form a paste.
  • Scrub the underarms with the paste for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Rinse with cold water.

Routine:

Repeat it two to three times a week.

Why Orange Peels works?

It exfoliates the skin and removes the dead skin cells from the underarms. Orange Peels and rose water leaves a fragrant smell as well.

6. Milk:

Procedure:

  • Mix two tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoon of yogurt, and one tablespoon of flour to form a paste.
  • Apply this paste on your armpits.
  • Leave it for 10-15 minutes.
  • Rinse off with cold water.

Routine:

Repeat it daily for best results.

Why Milk works?

Milk contains vitamins and fatty acids which are good for skin. The Lactic acid present in the yogurt helps in skin lightening.

7. Coconut Oil:

Procedure:

  • Before taking shower, massage coconut oil in the underarms area gently.
  • Let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
  • Rinse off while taking bath with a mild soap.
  • Altenatively, Vitamin E oil can be used for the purpose.

Routine:

Repeat daily for best results.

Why Coconut Oil works?

Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E which is very effective in skin lightening.[5]

These natural and simple home remedies are wonderfully effective in getting beautiful underarms. Now you can flaunt yourself in that amazing sleeveless dress. We would love to hear, which method worked the best for you!

References:

  1. Acanthosis nigricans
  2. 15 Amazing Benefits Of Lemon
  3. Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber
  4. Baking soda for your skin
  5. Vitamin E in dermatology

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