People tend to be concerned with the appearance of their skin and can spend loads of time and money on skin care products that lighten or brighten the appearance of their skin. Generally, a healthy person will have shades of the same skin color all over their bodies. Some areas, like the upper part of the forearm are naturally darker while some areas, like the lower part are naturally lighter.


These shade differences are not very acute and may not be noticed unless someone is scrutinizing your skin. Skin color is a product of the quantity of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a skin pigment which gives the skin its color.


Generally speaking, a darker shade of skin is caused by more melanin in the skin while lighter skin is caused by less melanin in the skin cells. Melanin concentration, and therefore skin color, is controlled by one’s genetics. A person’s skin color is determined by either or both of their parents. This is why a child of a couple where one is dark and one is light can have a medium skin tone.

Patches of skin on the body can develop different shades of color. This can happen when that particular area of skin is exposed to some sort of environmental factor which causes discoloration to occur. Discolored patches can be extremely embarrassing and can cause a person to cover that area of skin up. One of the areas where skin discoloration takes place is in the arm pits or the underarms.

Underarm discoloration can cause a person to avoid wearing sleeveless clothing. Underarm discoloration can occur due to the deodorant that is being used. Deodorants contain alcohol and other chemicals that can cause the skin to be affected. Try and change the deodorant you are using to something that is less harmful to your skin. Dermatologists would suggest better deodorants. Dark skin can also be a result of dead skin accumulating in the area. If it is accompanied by itching, you may have an infection.

Remedies for dark underarms are varied. You can ensure the area is thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis to prevent infection. You can treat the dark area with lime. Rub a sliced lemon into the pits while bathing. You can also try vitamin E oil which can be massaged into the area. A sandalwood soap can be used instead of your normal soap on the underarms while bathing. One can also apply a paste of turmeric and lemon juice on the area and wash this off in fifteen minutes.