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There are a multitude of factors that lead to underarm discoloration, but the most common cause is skin friction, according to the board-certified dermatologists we talked to. \u201cConstant friction between the skin or with tight clothing can cause hyperpigmentation due to the irritation it causes,\u201d says Mina Amin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles. \u201cThis condition, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), is a result of an increase in melanin production as the skin responds to inflammation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another cause can actually be your current underarm care routine. According to Dr. Camp, the deodorant or antiperspirant you\u2019re currently using can lead to irritation or an allergic rash. \u201cA reaction to a deodorant or antiperspirant can cause contact dermatitis, which can result in discoloration,\u201d he says. Another discoloration-inducing tool in your pit regimen is your razor. \u201cIrritation as a result of shaving can cause inflammation in the underarms, which leads to hyperpigmentation as it heals,\u201d says Dr. Camp.<\/p>\n
There are also medical conditions, like acanthosis nigricans, which can lead to underarm hyperpigmentation. \u201cThis condition can result in dark and thickened skin, typically in body folds such as the armpits, neck, and groin,\u201d says Dr. Amin. \u201cAcanthosis nigricans is often associated with insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. High insulin levels trigger skin cells to reproduce more rapidly, leading to dark thickened plaques.\u201d<\/p>\n
Good news: There are quite a few over-the-counter avenues you can take to improve your pits\u2019 skin tone. \u201cSeveral skin-care ingredients can help reduce underarm hyperpigmentation by lightening dark patches and promoting even skin tone,\u201d says Dr. Amin. The best armpit brightening cream will contain retinol or exfoliating acids, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids, for their brightening properties.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegular exfoliation combined with brightening agents can help improve the appearance of underarm hyperpigmentation over time,\u201d she says. However, when using active ingredients like exfoliating acids and retinol, Dr. Amin says it\u2019s important to introduce them gradually and, if you\u2019re exposing skin during daylight hours, always follow up with sunscreen, as they can increase photosensitivity.<\/p>\n
In short, no. But, depending on the root cause of your darkened underarms, you can<\/em> make changes that keep your skin looking brighter in the long term. Namely, if friction or shaving make your pits\u2019 pigmentation worse, you can use products that prevent chafing or shave less frequently (or even opt for laser hair removal instead). \u201cWhile discoloration can often be improved substantially, maintenance treatment is usually required,\u201d Dr. Luftman says. \u201cIf the underlying cause continues, pigmentation often returns over time.\u201d So, in most cases, you\u2019ll need to continue using brightening products in order to sustain your results.<\/p>\n In-office treatments for dark underarms (and not one of the medical conditions we mentioned above) include prescription-strength topicals\u2014which usually contain hydroquinone or retinoids\u2014as well as chemical peels, and laser or pulse light sessions, says Dr. Luftman. Ultimately, your derm will need to diagnose the underlying cause of your pigmentation before determining which treatment is best for you. \u201cBecause the underarm skin is thin and sensitive, professional evaluation helps minimize the risk of irritation or worsening pigmentation,\u201d Dr. Luftman explains.<\/p>\n When Allure<\/em> tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that\u2019s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.<\/p>\n For our list of the best armpit brightening creams, we considered each product\u2019s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors\u2014along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.<\/p>\n A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure<\/em> wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors\u2014in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon\u2014is essential to reaching that goal.<\/p>\n After all, can we really<\/em> say a skin-care product is the \u201cbest\u201d for people over 50 if the only testers we\u2019ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it\u2019s never been tested on curls? We\u2019re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Frequently Asked Questions What causes underarm discoloration? There are a multitude of factors that lead to underarm discoloration, but the most common cause is skin friction, according to the board-certified dermatologists we talked to. \u201cConstant friction between the skin or with tight clothing can cause hyperpigmentation due to the irritation it causes,\u201d says Mina Amin, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sasgai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How do dermatologists treat dark underarms?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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