Categories: Grooming

How To Get Rid Of Dark Arm Pits

All of us have experienced dark arm pits at some point in our lives. They can be annoying, look awful, and be extremely frustrating to get rid of. It can stop us from wearing tops that we want to for fear of embarrassment of our dark armpits. There are lots of possible causes for our dark arm pits. It can be everything from the chemicals in our deodorants, to shaving, to lack of exfoliation, to constant friction, to even different skin-pigmentation-related health concerns.

Whatever the cause may be, we just want them to be gone. Well, not to worry, here are some remedies you can do to help get rid of your dark arm pits.

First, rule out any basic causes

Before you jump right into the remedies, it’s important to see if there are any basic causes for your dark arm pits. If you can narrow it down this way, then the fix will be easier than you thought, and there will be no need for trying all the remedies.

Healthline has a great article about dark arm pits and how to help rid yourself of them that you can check out. In the meantime, here are the basic points from the article about the basic causes you that you can check for:

Exfoliating – Sometimes our skin just needs a little scrub and exfoliating to get rid of the extra dead skin that is causing the discoloration. Give this a try to see if your skin just needed an extra boost.
Changing your deodorant/antiperspirant – Some deodorants have chemicals in them that can be harmful to our skin and cause it to deteriorate and have these color changes. These deodorants can also have ingredients that your skin could be allergic to which you do not want to keep applying. Most people switch to natural deodorants that have alternate ingredients that still keep you dry and smelling great. You can also not use deodorant at all if that’s something you’re interested in.
Avoid smoking – Believe it or not, smoking has been scientifically proven to have a significant impact on the health of your skin, especially the color pigmentation. If you are a smoker, your armpits might not be the only skin issue you have, but it definitely might be affected the most since this skin is already sensitive and prone to discoloration. Stop smoking and watch your skin return to its natural healthy state.
Take a break from shaving – Shaving can strip the skin and leave it dry and therefore vulnerable to becoming raw from constant friction resulting in the dark color. People who have switched to waxing instead of shaving have seen improvement for their underarms.

Try natural remedies first

If you ruled out any basic causes for your dark arm pits and still have some discoloration than it’s time to move on to remedies. It’s important to use natural remedies before jumping straight to medical solutions for several reasons. Medical options can be costly, have harmful effects on your health, and you don’t want to put more chemicals on your body than you need to. Natural remedies are cost-effective, easy to do on a daily or weekly basis at home, and save you from putting unknown chemicals in your body.

There are several natural remedies that you can try, and the internet is full of them. It’s important to find one that you think will work best for you. The websites Healthline.com and MedicalNewsToday have some great suggestions for natural, at-home remedies you can try that seem to have the most effect and success. Here are the basics from the articles for natural remedies:

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Lemon slices – Cut large lemon wedges and rub them on your underarms and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and apply lotion or other moisturizers.
Potato juice – Obtain the juice from a potato after slicing it. Rub the juice on your underarms and leave on for about 10 minutes and rinse off with cold water.
Cucumber slices – Cut up thick slices of cucumber and rub them gently on your underarms. Rinse in cold water after 10 minutes.
Tea Tree Oil – Use about 5 drops of this essential oil into about 8 ounces of water and rub on your arm underarms. You can also put this into a spray bottle and spray your pits after you shower and let it dry naturally.

Medical remedies: the last resort

Medical remedies seem to be the big gun people bring in when all else fails. I get it, if you just can’t stand your dark arm pits, it can be very frustrating when you can’t get rid of them. Most medical remedies are harmless and easy to use. However, some can be costly and actually quite painful. Remember, our underarms are a very sensitive area and therefore need to be treated with care.

Again, Healthline.com and MedicalNewsToday.com have some great descriptions for medical options for dark underarms. Here are the basics for medical remedies from the articles:

Retinoid cream – Helps to thin and lighten skin.
Retinoid pills – Help treat skin conditions.
Chemical peels – Usually with Trichloroacetic acid to lighten the skin and remove dead skin cells.
Laser therapy – Can reduce the thickness and therefore the intensity of the discoloration of the underarms. It can also remove hair and reduce hair growth.
Dermabrasions – Thoroughly cleanses the skin.

Keeping an eye on your underarms

Dark arm pits can be a sign of underlying health issues, sometimes serious. This skin condition can also just be a cosmetic issue that is very common and can happen to anyone. Either way, you want to keep an eye on your underarms and treat them in a way that not only works best for you but makes you feel comfortable and beautiful. Don’t be afraid to do some research, speak to a health care professional, and try different remedies.