Ways to Whiten Your Armpits

What causes armpits to become dark?

The most common cause of darkening of the armpits is in the anatomy, the rubbing of the armpits against each other.

Another common cause: shaving and plucking. Every time you shave or pluck, you cause micro abrasions. When healed, these wounds cause darkening. You may not be aware of these, but you can easily confirm it by putting alcohol on your underarms after you pluck or shave. It's going to be very painful because of the abrasions. Shaving and plucking can also cause armpit hair to stand straight up and enlarge hair follicles, making your armpit take on the appearance of chicken skin.

Waxing can also cause trauma to the skin, although the burn may be slight.

Some deodorants also cause an allergy and irritate your skin which results to dark armpits.

There are also other less common causes, like skin asthma. Extra weight also aggravates pigmentation and darkens some areas of the body, including the nape, underarms, and back of the knees.

So, what is the most effective and safest way to treat dark underarms? The best answer would be to visit your dermatologist, because you need an expert to tell you what's causing the darkening and the most effective way to achieve white armpits.

Armpit peeling is just one of the treatments being done by the dermatologist. A peeling solution is used to remove the outer layer of the skin. After the peeling is done, you need to put bleaching agents for applying every night at home.

Another treatment is armpit bleaching. Some people go straight to this treatment, but it is strongly recommended by dermatologists that one has to undergo peeling first before the bleaching.

If you want an inexpensive natural whitening agent, use lemons. These are natural sources of vitamin C. Alum also works for controlling sweat and may lighten the skin a bit. But use this with caution as it may irritate the skin of some women. Below are some techniques:

• Leave-on Lemon and Alum - Cut lemon crosswise and remove seeds. After taking a bath, rub the lemon on the armpit. Then, using a circular motion, rub powdered alum on armpits. Leave on.

• Lemon and Honey with Alum - Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon honey. Apply mixture to the armpits. Let it stay for about 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Do this before taking a bath. You may also pat on some powdered alum afterward.

Your underarms may go back to its normal skin tone with treatments like bleaching, but to maintain it, you will have to eliminate all the other factors causing skin to darken. If your deodorant is irritating your skin, ditch it in the trash can now. Laser hair removal is also an option to avoid plucking and shaving, and it promises to rid you of unwanted hair for the rest of your life. It can even smoothen underarm skin.