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Glycolic Acid For Underarm Whitening

What does glycolic acid do on the skin?

Glycolic acid is an exfoliant. Here is how an exfoliant like glycolic acid works on the skin:

Old cells from the layer of skin have to fall off regularly to make way for the younger cells.
But some of these old cells don’t fall off. Instead, these old cells that don’t fall off join together and form a thin layer on the visible layer of the skin.
This thin layer of old cells gives skin a dull complexion and a rough feel.
When applied to the skin, an exfoliant like glycolic acid breaks the bonds between these old cells.
Once the bonds break, the old cells fall off. The younger cells replace them.
This instantly brightens skin.

How does glycolic acid work on underarms?

Here is how glycolic acid works in the underarm area:

In the underarm area, glycolic acid exfoliates the skin….the same way it works on the other parts.
By exfoliating the skin in the underarm area, it brightens the skin.

So it brightens the underarm. Is this the same as whitening underarms?

No. They are not the same.
Here’s the difference:

By ‘whitening,’ we assume glycolic acid can eliminate underarm darkness. Glycolic acid cannot.
So, we can rule out the assumption that it whitens the underarms.

Glycolic acid brightens the area by getting rid of old cells. It does not whiten the area. This can reduce the rough feeling in the area.
This brightening effect can also make the darkness in the region slightly less prominent (slightly).

By whitening, if we are hoping the skincare product can change the skin tone, it is important to remember that any skincare product that claims to whiten the skin is not good for the skin’s health.

Brightening skincare products add a glow to the skin….a shine.

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So, it brightens. It doesn’t whiten.
But does it make underarms dark?

Yes, it can. Here is how it can make the underarm area dark…

Glycolic acid can be irritating to the skin. Irritation on the skin will eventually lead to pigmentation.
Pigmentation is when an area of skin is darker than its surroundings. The darkness that can occur in the underarm area is pigmentation.

Skin in the underarm area is as delicate as the skin on the eyelid.
So, if we use glycolic acid products in the underarm area, the irritation will be huge – much, much higher than it would be on the face.
A high level of irritation means pigmentation. Pigmentation in the underarm area is nothing but dark underarm.

It doesn’t stop there.
The underarm area has folds. Suppose you use a leave-on glycolic acid product in the underarm area and go about your day. In that case, glycolic acid rubs against the folds and creates heat.
Heat makes glycolic acid more potent (heat on an acid equates to a more powerful acid).
More potent glycolic acid means more irritation and more pigmentation (darkness).

If you have a darker skin tone, any irritation on the skin will lead to more pigmentation than it would for others.
So, darker skin-toned people must be highly cautious with glycolic acid skin care products.

So, if glycolic acid can make underarms dark, should you even use it?

You can use it because glycolic acid is a good exfoliant. It can brighten your underarm area.

But you need to be mindful of a few important points:

Don’t use leave-on glycolic acid skincare products for underarm areas. Instead, opt for glycolic acid washes. This way, you wash it away after using the glycolic acid wash. It doesn’t stay on the delicate underarm area for long.
The percentage of glycolic acid should not be very high. Up to 7% should be okay. Below 5% is better.
If you have sensitive skin, avoid glycolic acid. Other less irritating exfoliating ingredients are lactic acid or mandelic acid.
If you have a darker skin colour, be cautious. Make sure the percentage is low.
After using a glycolic acid wash, apply some calming ingredients to the underarm area. This will soothe the skin and reduce the irritation.
Finally, don’t use glycolic acid in the underarm area as a deodorant. This will result in dark underarms.