How to Get Rid of Dark Underarms:14 Natural Remedies

Dark underarms can be a source of embarrassment and insecurity for many people. They can make you feel uncomfortable in certain clothing and prevent you from wanting to raise your arms in public.

But dark underarms don’t have to be a permanent issue. With a few simple changes to your skincare routine, you can help to lighten and brighten your underarms and restore your self-confidence.

From natural remedies like exfoliation and lemon juice to over-the-counter treatments like creams and serums, there are various ways to get rid of dark underarms. So, if you’re ready to say goodbye to the darkness and hello to brighter days, keep reading to learn more about how to get rid of dark underarms.

Common causes of dark underarms

1. Poor Hygiene:

Poor hygiene is one of the most common causes of dark underarms. Not properly cleaning and drying the area can lead to bacteria and sweat accumulating, which can irritate the skin and cause darkening of the skin. It is important to keep the area clean by washing it gently with mild soap and warm water and drying it thoroughly.

2. Shaving:

Shaving or waxing the underarm area can lead to skin darkening, especially if done too frequently. To prevent this, it is best to use a sharp razor, use a light touch when shaving, and apply a moisturizer afterward.

3. Sweating:

Excessive sweating can cause darkening of the skin, as sweat and bacteria accumulate in the area and can irritate the skin. It is important to keep the area clean and dry to prevent this problem.

4. Deodorants and Antiperspirants:

Deodorants and antiperspirants may contain chemicals that can irritate the skin and cause darkening of the underarm area. It is best to choose an all–natural product that is gentle on the skin.

5. Tight Clothing:

Clothing that is too tight can rub against the underarms, causing irritation and leading to the darkening of the skin. It is best to wear loose–fitting clothing and never wear the same outfit for more than one day.

6. Sun Exposure:

Sun exposure can cause skin darkening, and this is especially true for sensitive underarm areas. It is important to protect the area from the sun with sunscreen or clothing with UV protection.

7. Hormonal Imbalance:

A hormonal imbalance can cause the skin to overproduce melanin, leading to the darkening of the skin. If you think you may have a hormonal imbalance, talk to your doctor about treatment options.

14 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Dark Underarms

If you want to get rid of your dark underarms with natural home remedies, here are some of the items that you should get from your kitchen:

1. Cucumber

Do you know why people always place chilled cucumbers over their eyes? This is because they would like to get rid of their darkened eye areas. Unsurprisingly, cucumbers contain some bleaching properties that can be highly effective in lightening the darkened portions of the underarm area.

• Chill some thin cucumber slices in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Rub the thin cucumber slice on your underarm area for a few minutes.
• Remember that you need to do this once or twice every day until you get your desired results.

Another way that you can use cucumber for your underarm is through this procedure:

• Grate the cucumber so that you can extract its juices.
• Mix the juice with turmeric powder.
• Add a bit of lemon juice to the mix.
• Apply the paste to the underarm area.
• Leave for half an hour.
• This should be done once every day to get desired results.

2. Baking Soda

Can you list down different things that you can do with baking soda? If you are fond of doing different home remedies, baking soda is always one of the items that will come up.

Baking soda can be used as an effective exfoliating scrub. This can get rid of dead skin cells, which are commonly one reason people get dark underarms.

• Mix your baking soda with water.
• Make sure that the paste you create is thick and not runny.
• Place the mixture on your underarms.
• Leave on the underarm area for a few minutes before rinsing off.
• Pat dry.
• This should be done about 2 – 3 times a week.

Baking soda is also effective for unclogging pores that are full of sebum.

3. Coconut Oil

This has always been known to be good for the skin, the hair, and different parts of the body. It is not surprising anymore that this can be good for whitening your underarms too.

Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E, which the body needs to have a lighter tone overall. The great thing about coconut oil is that you can use it as a natural deodorant too.

• Massage coconut oil on your underarms.
• Leave on the skin for about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Wash off with warm water. Do not forget to soap it well.
• This can be done about 2 – 3 times every day until you get the results you want.

4. Potato

Many people are fond of potatoes as food, but what many people do not realize is that they can be good as a home remedy.

Potato is a bit acidic, meaning it has some natural bleaching agents to help whiten some portions of the skin. You do not have to worry about using this on your skin because it is safe and natural.

• Slice the potato thinly.
• Use a thin slice of potato and rub it on your underarm area.
• Wait for the juice of the potato to dry for about 10 minutes before rinsing.
• Use lukewarm water in rinsing your underarm.
• Do this twice a day to get your desired results faster.

5. Lemon

Many people know how effective lemon can be in bleaching the skin and even the hair, so it is not surprising that lemon can bleach dark underarms. Aside from bleaching your dark underarm area, it can also kill the bacteria that may be causing your underarms to be darker.

• Rub a lemon wedge on your underarm for about 5 minutes.
• Allow the juice to dry for an additional 10 minutes before you rinse off the juice.
• Wash the area thoroughly.

Another option that you can do is to create a lemon scrub.

• Extract the juice of the lemon.
• Add a bit of sugar and turmeric powder.
• Mix thoroughly until you form a paste.
• Apply on the underarm area and leave for about 15 minutes.
• Wash off with water.

After you do this home remedy, do not forget to apply a moisturizer as your underarm area will tend to become too dry afterward.

6. Orange Peels

Orange peels should not be discarded immediately because it turns out that they can be useful for different areas of the skin.

It is not surprising that the orange peel can effectively lighten the skin, especially your underarm area. Orange peels can also exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells that may be causing your underarms to look darker than they actually are.

• You need to leave some orange peels under the sunlight for a few days.
• Once the orange peels have completely dried out, grind them.
• Add orange peels in powder form to milk and water and mix thoroughly.
• Use the paste as a scrub on your underarm area.
• Leave on the underarms for about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Wash the area with cold water.
• Do this several times a week.

7. Saffron

You probably never thought that Saffron is one of the ingredients you will use to whiten your dark underarms, but it can be used because of its properties. This is not only effective in whitening your underarms; it can also eliminate some unpleasant smells that your underarms may emit from time to time.

• Add a pinch of saffron to a moisturizer to place on your underarms.
• Mix it well before rubbing it on the underarms.
• You do not need to rinse the skin immediately.
• Do this a couple of times a day to get the desired results.

8. White Vinegar

If you want your dark underarms to go away but do not know what to use, you do not have to look any further. You can use white vinegar effectively.

This remedy can help lighten the color of your underarms and, at the same time, kill the germs and bacteria that may cause your underarm to smell unpleasant from time to time.

• You have to mix the vinegar with rice flour.
• Apply the paste on your underarms when you take a shower.
• Allow the paste to dry. It may take about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Rinse off with warm water.
• This has to be done several times a day.

9. Sandalwood

Sandalwood is best known for its skin-lightening properties, so the fact that this is a part of this list is not surprising.

This can cool down the underarms and, at the same time, lighten the underarms effectively. Sandalwood can help get rid of body odor too that people may get when they sweat too much.

• Add sandalwood powder to rose water. The ratio should be 3:2.
• Mix well to create a thick paste.
• Apply the paste to your underarms and leave it on the skin until it dries.
• Once dry, you can wash it with cold water.
• Remember to use this regularly on your skin to lighten your underarm skin color effectively.

10. Milk

Milk contains some vitamins and fatty acids that can lighten the color of your underarms. They can be effective in making the skin softer, too, which means that your skin will not only look soft, but it will also feel soft. In choosing the right milk to use, look for full-fat milk.

• Choose full-fat milk and add flour and yogurt. Mix well.
• Apply on the underarm area and leave for about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Wash off the skin with cold water once you feel it has fully absorbed it.
• Do this remedy every day until you are happy with the results?

This is why milk is always one of the main ingredients in a lot of skin products that you will find.

11. Olive Oil

Olive oil is known to be good for the skin. This can be effective in making your skin look beautiful, and at the same time, it has some components that can keep your skin looking young and fresh. Use your underarms and start to see the difference.

• Put a teaspoon of sugar with extra virgin olive oil.
• Apply the mixture under your arms.
• Leave on your skin for about 5 – 10 minutes.
• Do this twice a week.

12. Yogurt

There are many things that yogurt can do for the body, and when you apply it to your skin, you will reap some benefits.

Yogurt has properties that can help eliminate the skin’s impurities, causing your underarms to be darker than the rest of your body. Add a bit of honey to the yogurt, too, to make the mixture even more potent.

• Mix yogurt with honey and apply to your armpits.
• Rub the mixture on your armpits gently, and make sure that you will get to cover all areas.
• Wait a few minutes for the yogurt and honey to be absorbed by the skin.
• Wash with water.
• This can be done every day for the best results.

13. Papaya

If you search for whitening products, a lot of these products contain papaya enzymes that are well-known for lightening the skin. What if you could use papaya directly and apply it to your underarms? Will the effect be the same? It may be even more effective if you would follow this procedure:

• Get a piece of papaya and mash it.
• You can place the mashed papaya on your underarms.
• You need to wait for about 15 – 30 minutes before you can remove the mashed papaya.
• Rinse your underarms with water thoroughly.

14. Aloe Vera

There are a lot of things that Aloe Vera is used for. It may be very popular for the hair, but this is known to be effective for the skin. Aloe Vera can help eliminate the redness of your underarms due to using alcohol-based deodorants.

• You can extract Aloe Vera gel from the leaf.
• Place the gel directly on your underarms.
• Leave for about 15 – 20 minutes.
• Rinse off with water.
• You can do this regularly to lighten your underarms effectively.

How to Prevent Dark Underarms?

1. Avoid Irritants: The use of deodorants, antiperspirants, and other skin care products can irritate and darken your underarms. To prevent this, avoid using products that contain harsh chemicals and opt for natural or hypoallergenic alternatives.

2. Exfoliate Regularly: Dead skin cells can accumulate in your underarm area and cause darkness. To prevent this, you should regularly use a gentle scrub or exfoliating cloth. This will help remove the buildup of dead skin cells and reduce the darkness in your underarms.

3. Wear Loose Clothing: Tight clothes can cause rubbing and irritation in your underarm area. This can lead to the darkening of the skin. To prevent this, wear loose–fitting clothing to allow your skin to breathe.

4. Use Sunscreen: Sun exposure can cause darkening of the skin. To prevent this, you should use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 whenever you go outdoors. Make sure to cover your underarms as well.

5. Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated is essential for overall skin health. Drinking plenty of water helps moisturize your skin and prevents it from darkening.

6. Apply Natural Masks: Natural ingredients like yogurt, lemon juice, and honey can help lighten and brighten your underarms. To use them, mix the ingredients together, apply the mixture to your underarms, and leave it on for 15–20 minutes before washing it off.