The worry of anyone seeing your dark underarms should not force you to keep yourself covered under various layers. Got a new sleeveless top, but embarrassed to wear it in public? Want to dance at your best friend’s wedding, but afraid to lift your arms in front of guests? Waiting for winters so that you can hide your dark underarms under your clothes? It’s time to stop worrying about your underarms. There are various medical and natural treatments to get rid of dark underarms. Want to know how to whiten underarms? Let’s start.
How to Whiten Underarms
Dark and discolored underarms are not a medical condition. It can be caused due to many reasons like the accumulation of dead skin, shaving, improper ventilation, sweating, and usage of some deodorants or medicines. If you want to know how to lighten underarms, try these safe, natural, and cost-effective remedies. But, before that let us see what causes dark underarms.
- Antiperspirants and deodorants
- Shaving
- Accumulation of dead skin
- Wearing tight clothes
- Hyperpigmentation
- Melasma
- Erythrasma
First Step on How to Whiten Underarms
The first response to the question, “how to lighten armpits” is to address some of these causes:
- Change your deodorant. Some people stop using deodorant whereas some choose natural alternatives like apple cider vinegar or baking soda.
- Instead of shaving, opt for laser hair removal or waxing
- Start wearing loose-fitting clothes
- Quit smoking
How to Whiten Underarms Naturally
Most of the people choose natural underarm whitening products to get rid of dark armpits. There are plenty of natural bleaching products that can be helpful. Few of them are
- Potato – Known for treating dark circles, potato is also great for dark underarms and pigmentation. All you have to do is grate a potato, squeeze the juice from the grated potato, and apply this juice to your underarms. After keeping it for 10 minutes, wash using cold water. You can repeat this process until you get the desired results. Potato will smoothen as well as soften the skin. Alternatively, you can rub the potato slices on your underarms like a cucumber.
- Cucumber- Cucumbers are filled with essential vitamins and minerals. It is a natural skin whitener. Cut thick slices of cucumber and then rub these slices on your armpits. After keeping it for 10 minutes, wash it with cold water.
- Lemon juice- Cut a lemon into two halves and rub one slice on the underarms. Keep it for 15 minutes and wash with cold water. After drying them, apply a moisturizer.
- Orange peel- Mix 1 tablespoon of rose water, 1 tablespoon of milk and powdered orange peel to form a thick paste. Scrub your armpits gently with this paste and then leave it for nearly 15 minutes before washing it with cold water. Repeat this medical treatment for dark underarms twice a week until you get desired results.
- Turmeric- Take a small bowl. In that, take 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with enough turmeric to make a smooth paste. Apply this paste evenly on your underarms. After 30 minutes, wash it.
- Egg oil- Want to know how to whiten underarms using egg oil? Just before going to bed at night, massage your underarms with egg oil. Once you get up in the morning, wash it with a pH+ balanced soap or body wash.
- Coconut oil- Take a few drops of coconut oil on your palm and apply it to your armpits. Keep it for 15 minutes and wash with lukewarm water using a mild soap. Repeat this process at least two to three times a day.
- Mix Olive oil and sugar- Take 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sugar in a bowl and mix. Wet the armpit area and scrub this mixture for at least one or two minutes. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes and wash with cold water. Sugar is an excellent exfoliating agent. When it is mixed with nourishing and hydrating olive oil, it produces great results. This mixture is one of the best ways to lighten underarms.
- Combination of baking soda and rosewater- Add a tablespoon of baking soda to rosewater. Mix them evenly. Apply this mixture onto your underarms and leave for about 10 minutes before washing it off using lukewarm water.
- Aloe Vera Gel- Popularly known as the natural sunscreen, the antibacterial nature of aloe vera soothes inflamed skin. It is also great for treating discolored armpits. What you must do is open a fresh aloe vera leaf and extract some fresh gel from inside. Apply a layer of this gel on your armpits and leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes to dry. Wash with water. Follow this treatment every alternate day for the best results. If possible, always use the organic aloe vera gel.
- Use Multani Mitti- Rather than using expensive underarm whitening products, use Multani Mitti or fuller’s earth to lighten your armpits. Mix 2 tablespoons of Multani Mitti, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Add water to make a thick paste. Apply it on your underarms, allow it to dry for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash with lukewarm water. If you apply it daily, natural remedy works great in exfoliating and lightening the dark armpits.
- Toothpaste for dark underarms- There are many who ask how to get rid of dark underarms with toothpaste. If you too have the same question, then here is the answer. Toothpaste has bleaching properties that help in whitening the dark underarms. However, you must only use white toothpaste as colored variants may contain harmful chemicals that can cause skin irritation. You can also mix Matcha green tea with toothpaste and then apply on the underarms.
How to Prevent Dark Armpits?
As far as preventative measures are concerned, it is everything about avoiding irritation. It is significant to treat the underarms like how you would treat the skin on your face and other body parts. So, if you have a sensitive skin in your armpits, choose natural deodorants without any aluminum, alcohol, and fragrances.
If you want to remove the hair in your underarms, then go for laser treatments. With this treatment, no need of shaving your hair. If laser treatment is costly for you, then you can continue shaving. However, make sure you apply a moisturizer after shaving. Also, avoid dull razor blades and always shave in the direction of hair growth, which is usually upward, so that you do not harm the follicle.
Dark underarms are nothing out of the ordinary, as most of the dermatologists have pointed out. If you want to lighten the area, which is your personal choice, remember that all skin conditions must be treated with the utmost care- including your underarms.
If you are concerned about your underarms and want to get rid of those dark patches, then follow these above-mentioned remedies and see the difference. There is no harm in trying these remedies as they won’t cause any side effects. However, if the color does not lighten, discuss your situation with your doctor. If your dark armpits are not caused due to any underlying condition that needs medical treatments, discuss with your doctor about some of the alternatives for lightening underarms. Now, as you know how to whiten your underarms, start following these remedies from today itself and see the difference.