There are many reasons for dark armpits and while it is not a life threatening issue it can cause a great deal of embarrassment to the person involved. It is usually more prominent in fair skinned people as the dark armpits do tend to stand out against the rest of the persons’ complexion. This makes them particularly easily visible through light colored clothes.


It will also hamper your dressing style.

One of the most common reasons that there is darkening in the area of the underarm is shaving with a razor blade to remove the underarm hair. The easiest way to resolve undesirable hair growth is to wax that area instead.


This prevents the skin from appearing dark as the time for hair to reappear is longer and the growth of the hair is less as opposed to when shaving. Another reason could be the perfume you use. Very often the presence of strong chemicals and alcohols that do not agree with your skin, can lead to an infection that can cause the darkening. In this case, visit your dermatologist to find out the reason and to identify natural or safe perfumes that would cause no such reaction. Usually, you can find herbal fragrances which are much milder in alcohol content that are safe to use. Yet another cause of dark armpits is the buildup of dead cells, which happens if the area is not washed properly and frequently. To combat this, one can ensure that the area of the underarm is scrubbed properly – you can use a loofah to help remove the dead cells or soaps with granules. Alternatively, regular waxing also helps in removing the dead cells.

You need to also check the type of clothes you wear. If the clothing you wear is tight, and the fabric is synthetic then it could lead to or aggravate the problem.  Try and stick to clothes that are made from cotton and are loose fitting. There is no special food regime that you can follow to prevent this, but there are some home remedies to help lighten the area. Cut a cucumber into thin slices and then squeeze a lime. You then need to insert the cucumber slices in 5 teaspoons of the lime juice. Apply these slices to your underarm area and keep them there for a period of half an hour to forty five minutes. Follow this regime on a daily basis for a month. If there is itching or burning in the area, stop immediately.