Are all your sleeveless dresses gathering dust inside your wardrobe? And are you constantly irritated because of the dark patch in your underarms? If yes, then welcome to the club because we all have been through that inconvenience. While fulfilling the demands of our hectic lives, we often forget to tend to little needs like taking care of our dark underarms. But luckily there are various ways through which we can lighten our dark underarms and bring those dresses back to flaunt our clean even-toned underarms.

Factors and causes leading to dark underarms are

• Shaving armpit hair can lead to dark underarms. It only cuts the hair off the surface and the hair follicles right below the surface make the skin appear darker.
• Using certain deodorants or antiperspirants can also harm the delicate skin because of its chemical composition.
• Wearing tight clothes causes friction and thus leads to discoloration.
• Apart from all this, there are various other skin conditions that can also cause darkness. Among them, hyperpigmentation is a common phenomenon. It happens due to deposition of excess melanin on the skin and leads to dark spots under the arms.

In spite of all these reasons, dark underarms can be successfully treated in various ways.

Taking certain precautions in your daily routine and switching to safer options can reduce darkening significantly

• Tight clothes vs. loose clothes

Avoiding to wear tight clothes regularly can help to reduce pigmentation. Opt for light and breezy cotton clothes that reduce friction and unease.

• Waxing vs. hair removal vs. shaving

Waxing instead of using razors or hair removal creams prevents to cause discoloration. Moreover, waxing results in the reduction of armpit hair overtime. As a result, you need to put less effort into waxing with the passage of time.

• Roll-ons vs. Deodorants vs. Natural deodorants

Avoid using roll-ons or highly concentrated deodorants. Go for natural deodorants & detox masks that minimize pigmentation while taking care of body odour.

• Exfoliation

A scrub with exfoliating properties works well to remove dead cells. The presence of sweat glands makes underarms sweat a lot more than other parts of the body.  To eliminate accumulated dry sweat and dirt, invest in a good detox mask which deep cleans the skin. Look out for ingredients like activated charcoal and tea tree oils which detoxify skin and deodorize.

• Homemade recipes

Several DIY recipes are helpful in treating dark underarms organically. The four best ingredients for that purpose are: -

• Milk
• Turmeric
• Cucumber
• Lemon

Cucumber has skin lightening properties that can treat dark eye patches and dark armpits. For its proper application, cut the cucumber into two slices. Then rub it in the armpit area for about 2 minutes. After that wait for another 10 minutes so that the juice is properly soaked into the skin and then rinse it off with water. Use this process daily to see the best results. Foods can even help you to slow down skin ageing, so proper diet can make your skin better.

Lemon is also applied similarly but it should be used for 3-4 times a week only. It is an excellent natural bleaching agent as it contains a high amount of citrus acid, but it should be used wisely as it can cause mild discomfort or itching for certain skin types. There are many acids that are  good for skin and can improve your skin quality.

Milk and turmeric together are a great combination for reducing darkness on the skin. The curcumin pigment in turmeric and the lactic acid in milk helps in the whitening process. For its application, mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 teaspoon of milk and add one teaspoon of honey (for moisturizing & softening properties). Apply it on your underarms evenly and rinse it off after 10-12 minutes. Using this twice a week is suitable for visible results. You must know which moisturizer is best for your skin and then use them for better results.

• Underarm products

If you do not want the hassle of preparing a recipe then there are many products like underarm whitening cream and detox masks available in the market that can help to get rid of dark underarms. One such example is Dot & Key’s Underarm Colour Correction Serum which can show great results when used efficiently for 3-4 weeks. Along with the serum, their Underarm Charcoal Detox Mask also works well for taking care of rough pigmented underarm skin & body odor.

So, do not let dark underarms ruin your wardrobe choices this summer. Consider a combination of the above solutions to bid them farewell, for good.