What is hyperpigmentation in underarms?
When a portion of the skin in the underarm area is darker than its surrounding area, this is called hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation in the underarm area is commonly called underarm darkness.
What causes this underarm darkness?
In the deeper layers of the skin, there is a pigment called melanin.
Melanin plays an essential role in maintaining the overall health of the skin.
When the skin in the underarm area is inflamed or red, it starts producing more of the pigment melanin.
The skin does this because once there is inflammation, it recognises a problem and produces more melanin to protect itself from further inflammation.
Some of this melanin is in excess. This excess melanin travels up to the visible layer of the underarm skin and deposits itself there.
And these deposits have a darker colour because of the colour of melanin.
These deposits are hyperpigmentation, also called underarm darkness.
What can you do to avoid hyperpigmentation/underarm darkness?
So, the trick to avoid/reduce underarm hyperpigmentation is to reduce inflammation.
Exfoliate underarms the right way. Exfoliating with scrubs, using leave-on chemical exfoliants, or rubbing the exfoliant aggressively in that area will lead to inflammation.
Shaving is another common cause of darkness in the underarm area, but it doesn’t have to be. If we avoid the problem ingredients and take certain precautions with shaving razors, underarm darkness from shaving can be prevented.
Ensure your antiperspirant/deodorant does not contain aluminium, denatured alcohol, fragrance, essential oils, or other ingredients you could be allergic to.
Be cautious of natural deodorants. Don’t assume it should be safe because of the word ‘natural’.
Check the ingredients and make sure it does not have baking soda. Baking soda is a common ingredient in many natural deodorants. It can cause severe reactions in the underarm area.
If you have a rash in the underarm area, get it treated by a doctor quickly. If untreated, a rash can result in hyperpigmentation in the underarms.
Finally, regularly apply some calming ingredients to the underarm area – especially after exfoliating and shaving.