It’s the dead of winter here in the U.S, but all over my timeline, everyone is talking about summer. The threads are buzzing about the trips we’ll be taking (safely of course!), the summer bodies we’re currently working on, you name it. In my death scrolling, I came across a slew of videos, all showing how to lighten your underarms (because maxi dresses are just around the corner) and a million different recipes for skin lightening concoctions. Turmeric, honey, lemon, yogurt, aztec clay; all great, all-natural ingredients for brightening hyperpigmentation. However the thought of sitting with my arms in the air until my armpit mask dried was unappealing, to say the least.
What causes dark underarms?
The darkening of the skin is called hyperpigmentation. This darkening happens when there is an excess of melanin that is caused to deposit in the skin (source). This excess melanin deposit it typically a response to trauma or irritation in the affected area. It is a very common occurrence for people of all ethnicities and complexions, however it is thought that those with more melanin can experience darker hyperpigmentation. While hyperpigmentation is not painful or harmful, but it sure is annoying and difficult to get rid of.
Lots of ladies are looking for a simple, no-hassle solutions to this common phenomenon. And while more severely hyperpigmented skin may require some type of topical lightening treatment (professional or at home), I’ve found that I was able to lighten my underarms with no treatments, simply by swapping out 2 simple routines/practices.
So without further ado:
2 Simple Things I Changed to Quickly Lighten My Underarms
I stopped using Deodorant containing Aluminum
This tip is somewhat anecdotal. So if you’ve experienced this as well, please comment below.
Most of my life, I used deodorant that contained aluminum because that’s what I had been told to use. As I got older, I began my efforts to “clean” up my beauty and hygiene products. One of the first items that I swapped out was my deodorant, as I decided to look for a more natural, aluminum-free version. After I began using aluminum-free deodorant, I began to notice that my underarms were lightening up after just 2 weeks!
It didn’t dawn on me until I had already made the switch and began seeing results that I have a metal allergy, and I could have been reacting to the deodorant. It’s possible that my hyperpigmentation was because I was having a mild reaction to the aluminum in my deodorant, but other chemicals in the deodorant could also cause irritation to those that don’t have metal allergies as well. Now, I don’t have scientific research to back this up, but it made complete sense to me. If my skin reacts to (and becomes discolored) from wearing fake jewelry, it’s possible that the aluminum in my deodorant was causing minor irritation and discoloration as well. I’m still conducting research on this, but I can’t deny my own results.
I Stopped Shaving and Started Waxing
This was my favorite swap of the two, believe it or not. I am someone who enjoys hairlessness, but absolutely hates shaving. One thing I noticed when I stopped shaving was that my underarms began to lighten. One thing that didn’t come to me until after I started waxing was that running a razor over my underarms several times a week could have been causing damage to the skin due to over-exfoliation, thus causing hyperpigmentation. When I sugar wax, I only have to wax once every 3-4 weeks. Also, while I’m sure sugar waxing removes some dead skin, it mainly focuses on removing the hair. By not continuing to damage the skin, my underarm skin began to heal itself and lighten up naturally.
Conclusion
Hyperpigmentation is natural and a lot of people experience this. While topical treatments are a great way to reduce hyperpigmentation (I use a few for my acne scars) it’s not always necessary. You too could brighten your underarms by simply changing a few practices.
What are a few tips and tricks that you’ve used to lighten your underarms?
