Summer ready! But underarms still dark? Do you dread not getting to wear your favourite sleeveless dress? Have you too tried rubbing lemon slices and baking soda for clear-toned underarms?

Well, do not fret, because we're here with a few skin-friendly do's and don’ts to get lighter, toned and summer-ready underarms, shared by a dermatologist. Let's get into it!

1. Clean Often

Being non-airy and covered, our armpits harbour sweat and bacteria. Incorporate the use of mild anti-bacterial soaps containing tea tree oil. Honey, raw potato slices and cucumber juice are safe home remedies for cleansing as well.

2. Be Gentle

Do you know that your underarm skin is as sensitive as the skin around your eyes? So, use gentle, hydrating chemical exfoliators instead of physical exfoliation with harsh scrubs or brushes. Friction only adds to pigmentation.

3. Fabric Matters

Synthetics increase sweat and friction. Choose loose and soft cotton fabrics that allow your underarms to breathe.

how-to-lighten-underarms

Image Courtesy - Freepik

4. Who Says Don’t Smell Good?

Antiperspirants are tempting but full of harsh chemicals. Pick good quality perfumes and mists that you can spray on your clothes rather than applying roll-ons or spraying directly on your skin.

5. Depilate The Right Way

Shaving and waxing will only cause more pigmentation. Hair removal creams have hydroxide chemicals that not only dissolve your unwanted hair but also react with amino acids in the skin and cause nasty discolouration. Switch to laser hair reduction.

how-to-lighten-underarms

Image Courtesy - Freepik

6. Protect & Care

Consult a dermatologist for the right topicals to lighten your underarms. Azelaic acid, lactic acid, urea are some of the ingredients you should look for. Go slow and never be overzealous! Anything that irritates the skin can further discolour.

Protect and nourish your underarms by frequently applying aloe vera gel and body oils.

Also Read: A Dermatologist's Take On Skin-Care And Face Masks

7. Are You Alright?

Skin is a mirror to your inner health. Dark underarms can be a sign of obesity and disorders of insulin resistance like pre-diabetes, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). In severe, stubborn cases, do not hesitate to consult your dermatologist or physician.

8. What Works

Shedding a few kilos always helps in overcoming insulin resistance. Chemical peels and skin lightening laser treatments work better and keep you away from long exfoliation struggles and ghastly rashes.

Your underarms are important too. Tend to them and care for them to get closer to healthy, discolouration-free underarm skin!

About The Author

Dr Harsimran Kaur

Consultant Dermatologist & Cosmetologist

New Delhi

Reach Out @ harsimran.kaur.688@gmail.com

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