10 Effective Home Remedies for Dark Underarms

We pay great heed to taking care of our face, hands and feet, however, underarm skin may be one of the most neglected parts of our skin because it remains covered most of the times. However, if you like adorning flowy sleeveless dresses, dark underarms are something that you would not want to expose. If your underarms have darkened over the years, does that mean you should bid farewell to sleeveless clothes? Well, not anymore! Because in this post we shall discuss some effective home remedies for dark underarms that may help you in flaunting your beautiful sleeveless dresses.

How to Get Rid of Dark Underarms Naturally?

The underarm skin is very delicate and sensitive and thus is easily prone to various kinds of skin damage such as pigmentation, ingrown hair, harsh-effects of deodorants, skin infection etc. This small area of skin can undergo a lot and thus may lead to darkened skin. However, if you are interested in knowing how to get rid of dark underarms and brighten them up, we suggest that you follow some of our easy home remedies:

1. Aloe Vera

If you are looking for some natural ways of brightening your underarm skin, aloe vera is the answer!

What You Will Need

A fresh aloe leaf

How to Apply

• Take the fresh aloe leaf and slit it from the centre.
• Scoop out the aloe gel and place it in a bowl.
• Take liberal amounts of this gel and rub on your underarms and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Wash with tepid water and pat dry.
• Alternatively, you can use organic aloe gel too.

How This Works

Aloe vera gel consists of aloesin, a compound that inhibits the growth of the enzyme that is responsible for skin pigmentation. Aloe vera is also antibacterial and is hence excellent for soothing and removing any skin of inflammation.

How Often to Repeat

You can apply aloe gel every alternate day till you see the skin getting brighter.

2. Turmeric Powder

Turmeric is an active ingredient in many herbal skin care products for its skin lightening properties, and thus it can help deal with your dark underarm woes too.

What You Will Need

• A teaspoon of organic turmeric powder
• A teaspoon of milk
• A teaspoon of honey

How to Apply

• Take all the ingredients and mix well.
• Apply on the underarms and leave for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash with warm water.

How This Works

Turmeric is a natural bleaching agent and thus helps in lightening dark underarms.

How Often to Repeat

You can apply this remedy twice a week.

3. Tea Tree Oil

This magical remedy not only helps in getting get of dark underarms but they smell great too.

What You Will Need

• 1 cup distilled water
• 5- 6 drops of tea tree oil
• A spray bottle

How to Apply

• Mix tea tree oil in water and pour it into the spray bottle.
• Shake well and apply on your underarms and let it dry.

How This Works

Tea tree oil is loaded with antioxidant properties that help in brightening the skin and antimicrobial properties help in fighting the sweaty smell, keeping your underarms dewy fresh too.

How Often to Repeat

You can use it every day.

4. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice work wonders for brightening your dark underarms.

What You Will Need

• One lemon cut into two halves

How to Apply

• Take the lemon and rub on your underarms.
• Wash with tepid water after 10 minutes.

How This Works

Lemon juice is a defoliant and a natural bleaching agent because it contains high amounts of citric acid in it.

How Often to Repeat

You can use lemon juice 3 to 4 times a week.

5. Fuller’s Earth or Multani Mitti

For centuries Multani mitti has been in use for brightening the facial skin, and this works well for underarms too.

What You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon fuller’s earth
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Few drops of water

How to Apply

• Take fuller’s earth and add lemon juice and water in it.
• Make a thick paste and apply this paste on your underarms until it dries off.
• Rinse well with water.

How It Works

Fuller’s earth is excellent for unclogging the pores and removing all the impurities from the skin. It also aids in the removal of dead skin cells.

How Often to Repeat

You can apply this pack twice a week.

6. Potato

Potato is one of the cheapest ways to get beautiful underarms.

What You Will Need

• One small potato

How to Apply

• Grate the potato and extract its juice.
• Apply this juice with the help of a cotton ball and let the juice sit on your skin for 15 minutes.
• Wash with tepid water.

How It Works

Potatoes are great for dark underarms as they not only help in brightening them, but they are also great for reducing patchiness and itching.

How Often to Repeat

You can use potato once or twice a day until you get the desired results.

7. Rose Water

Apart from toning your skin, the fragrant rose water is also ideal for brightening the underarms.

What You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon organic rose water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

How to Apply

• Make a paste using rose water and baking soda.
• Apply the rosewater-baking soda paste on your underarms and leave it for 6 to 7 minutes. Rinse well.

How It Works

Rose water is loaded with multiple skin benefits. It helps soothe your skin, improves blood circulation, brightens the skin, helps in maintaining the pH balance of the skin amongst various other benefits. The added advantage of skin exfoliation is achieved by adding baking soda.

How Often to Repeat

You can use the rosewater remedy twice a week.

8. Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is fantastic for your underarm skin as it contains high amounts of vitamin E in it.

What You Will Need

• Few drops of organic sunflower oil

How to Apply

• Take the oil and apply on liberally on your underarms.
• Massage gently and leave for 20 minutes.
• Wash with warm water.

How It Works

Sunflower oil is excellent for giving natural radiance and freshness to the skin because it contains ample amounts of vitamin E.

How Often to Repeat

You can apply sunflower oil twice a day for best results.

9. Cucumber

Cucumbers contain skin whitening and brightening properties.

What You Will Need

• Few slices of fresh cucumber

How to Apply

• Take the cucumber slices and rub all over your armpits.
• Allow it to remain on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse with water.

How It Works

The skin lightening properties of cucumber help in improving the colour of your armpits. Just the way cucumber helps in reducing dark circles or under-eye bags; it proves fruitful in brightening your armpits too.

How Often to Repeat

You can use cucumbers on a daily basis.

10. Toothpaste

It may sound strange, but toothpaste can actually help in brightening your underarm skin. If you wish to know how to get rid of dark underarms with toothpaste, go through this remedy.

What You Will Need

• Any toothpaste which contains baking soda and lesser amounts of fluoride.

How to Apply

• Take the toothpaste and apply a thin layer on your armpits.
• Leave for 10 minutes and then rinse with water.

How It Works

The same ingredients that help in making your teeth brighter help in removing tan or pigmentation from your underarm area too.

How Often to Repeat

You can use the toothpaste treatment two to three times a day.

FAQs

Following are some frequently asked questions or FAQs about dark underarms:

1. How Can I Prevent My Armpits from Getting Dark?

If your excess weight or some other health condition is causing your armpits to become darker than usual, then you should you take measures to control the situation. However, if the use of certain medication is causing it, you may ask your doctor to change the prescription. Also, darker underarms are more prevalent in people who shave their underarm hair. Shaving may make the area harder and darker. Therefore, you should opt for other methods of hair removal.

2. Does Waxing Remove Dark Underarms?

Waxing helps in removing unwanted hair from any part of the body. Along with hair, waxing also helps in getting rid of dead skin cells and skin tanning. Waxing is not exactly a remedy for brightening the underarms but getting rid of tan and dead skin cells may make your underarm skin appears lighter and brighter than usual.

3. Does Shaving Underarms Make it Dark?

Shaving is undoubtedly one of the easiest and painless ways of removing unwanted hair. However, it may not be an ideal method of removing unwanted hair. This is because shaving the delicate areas such as underarms causes excessive friction and trauma to the area. Repetitive friction may make the skin of that area thicker. Thicker skin may appear darker or may appear pigmented after a while.

4. Can Using Deodorant Cause Dark Underarms?

Deodorants usually contain harsh chemicals. Your underarm skin is very delicate and sensitive and exposing it to chemicals may cause irritation, pigmentation and skin discolouration of the skin. Therefore, if you use antiperspirants and deodorants on a regular basis it may lead to darker underarms.

Underarms can turn dark because of several reasons. There are several home remedial measures that you can safely adopt to get rid of this skin condition. Though the natural ingredients are safe for the skin, however, if you have sensitive skin or your skin is prone to allergies, a patch test is highly recommended. Also, skin exfoliation, regular cleaning, waxing instead of shaving, maintaining a healthy weight are amongst some other things that you can keep in mind too.

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