13 Proven Remedies for Whitening Dark Underarms

Nothing dark is good, everything should be bright including your underarms. I know how embarrassing it is to have dark underarms. You cannot raise your hands even if you dare to wear a sleeveless top! Being cautious everytime means so much sacrifice of freedom.

Let's not do this. 

Your underarms may have gone dark due to some of your mistakes including shaving or using chemical laden hair removing creams and deodorants, let’s not leave them dark. After all, there are so many home remedies for whitening dark underarms. They may need your efforts and time as well as patience but you can sure get whitened underarms.

Home Remedies for Dark Underarms

1. Naturally Bleach Underarms with Lemon

Lemon is the first thing that comes to mind whenever you want to remove anything dark from your skin! Nothing is as good a bleach as lemon is. Lemon is not only a natural cleanser (why else would restaurants use washing bowls with warm water having lemon wedges in them!) but also has anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties. Its acidic properties help extensively in lightening your skin along with exfoliating dead skin cells. So, why not use lemon for lightening your dark underarms?

• Take a thick slice of lemon and rub your underarms daily before you go to have the bath. Apply some moisturizer after bathing as lemon also tends to make skin dry. You may also use lemon in a different way, as told in the next point, to ensure it doesn’t dry up your skin.
• Add a pinch or two of turmeric, honey or yogurt to lemon juice. This will give you something like a paste. Apply this to your dark underarms and leave for about 10 minutes. Now wash off with water.

[Also Read: 14 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Dark Neck]

2. Why Leave Potatoes Behind!

True. When you can use lemon for its bleaching properties, why leave potatoes behind. They too are good natural bleaching agents. More so for those who have sensitive skin because lemon’s acidic nature can irritate their skin a lot. Potatoes, due to their mild acids do not irritate the skin. And how to use potatoes for whitening your dark underarms? You know that well, you have read it hundreds of times. Still, I’ll write them down.

• Take a thin slice of potato and rub your underarms with it for about 5-10 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water.
• Alternatively, grate a potato and squeeze out the juice from the grated things. Apply this juice to your underarms with the help of your fingers or a cotton ball. Leave it for about 10 minutes and then wash off.

Use potatoes at least twice a day to see faster results which you can expect to see in seven days time with the lightened skin under your arms.

3. Use those Cucumbers too!

If it’s a competition among veggies, you’ll have to use those cucumbers lying in your refrigerator too because they too have skin lightening properties. What’s even better is that if you want to get the benefits of bleaching properties of lemon, you can do so by combining lemon juice with cucumber. While lemon works to bleach your skin, cucumber soothes the skin avoiding any itching or irritation.

• Mix lime juice with cucumber juice and add a pinch of turmeric to it. Lemon bleaches and removes dead cells, cucumber provides cooling effect and turmeric prevents discoloration. It is actually an ayurvedic remedy- so easy that you can do it every day without any hassle!
• You can also simply cut roundels of cucumber and rub your underarms with it.
• Or apply the pure juice of cucumber to your dark underarm. This can also lighten your skin there in few days.

4. Exfoliate Underarms with Natural Scrubs

Sometimes it’s nothing more than the accumulation of dead skin cells that causes your underarms look dark. In such case, you have to gently exfoliate your skin under your arms. A soft loofah is also sufficient but scrubs can give you really white underarms. I am talking about natural scrubs and not the harsh chemical laden commercial ones. Before telling you about some natural scrubs, I like to emphasize on the need of exfoliation for those who sweat excessively. They should more often exfoliate their underarms because it’s where most of the body sweat accumulates and sometimes doesn’t find the way to escape. However, excessive exfoliation too can cause harm and scarring which can lead to infection in hair follicles, pores, and sweat glands in your armpits. So exfoliate but gently and with care. Avoid using harsh scrubs and even things like pumice stones or brushes. Now have some recipes for natural homemade scrubs for your underarms.

• Take some lemon juice and add brown sugar or granulated sugar. Appy on underarms and leave for 5-10 minutes. Then with little-wet fingers, rub your underarms gently feeling the granules of the sugar. This will excellently exfoliate your skin along with lightening it. Wash off after few minutes. This scrub is particularly useful for you if you got your dark underarms as a result of shaving.
• Take some walnuts or peanuts and grind them to make powder. Now take 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon each of honey and powdered walnut or peanuts. Mix them to make a paste. Apply this to your underarms. Leave for 10 minutes. Wash off.

[Don’t Miss: How to Get Rid of Black Knees and Elbow?]

5.Take Help from White Baking Soda!

White baking soda can also make your underarms white. Baking soda can be used to make an excellent scrub for your underarms. In fact, if you use baking soda for underarms, you can avoid your chemically made deodorants and antiperspirants, another cause for dark underarms. Baking arms can prevent body odor too. Not only this, a scrub made with baking soda can also get you rid of the damaged and dead cell leading to unclogging pores. It also kills the germs to give you a clean odor-free and lightened underarm.

• Take some baking soda and water. Mix them to make a thick paste. Apply them to your underarms and gently scrub the area. Wash off and pat dry the skin.
• If you don’t want such an elaborate exercise, mix the baking soda with a little water and just wipe your underarms with this solution.

6. Orange Peels for Fruity Treatment of Dark Underarms

Yet another natural scrub for your underarms, and this time it’s fruity and fragrant because it is made with orange peels. Orange, belonging to the family of lemon, has bleaching properties that can be used for lightening your dark underarms. Here are the steps to make this scrub.

• Dry the orange peel in shade.
• Grind the peel to get its powder.
• Take some rose water and milk.
• Add the powdered orange peel to this rose water and milk and mix well to get a thick paste.
• Apply this paste to your underarms and gently scrub the area for about 10 minutes.
• Wash off with cold water.
• This scrub removes your dead cells, bleaches the skin and leaves you fragrant with the effects of rose water and orange itself.

7. Saffron’s Fragrant Remedy for Dark Underarms

Saffron is a bit expensive thing to use for underarms but it can give you priceless white underarms. You can even save money by not buying any deodorant because saffron can kill germs and bacteria that cause underarm odour.

• Take a little milk.
• Take a few strands of saffron and mix them with milk.
• Apply to your underarms.
• If you leave it overnight and wash off in the morning, it’s the best way to get the benefits of milk and saffron.
• If not, you can let the mixture sit there for 15-20 minutes and then wash off with water.

8. Milk for Milky White Underarms

Vitamins and fatty acids in milk are very effective in lightening the dark skin underarms. When mixed with curd, the lactic acid to do wonders for whitening your dark underarm.

You will need:

• Milk- 2 tablespoons
• Curd- 1 tablespoon
• Flour- 1 tablespoon

Directions:

• Mix milk, curd, and flour to get a paste.
• Apply to your underarms
• Leave for 15 minutes.
• Wash off with water

9. Oily Way to Get White Underarms

You might avoid oils for various reasons but there are many oils that are beneficial for our body including skin even underarm. You just need to know which oil and how to use it for whitening your underarms.

Olive Oil

Olive oil with all its antioxidants and other components is great for your skin.

You will need:

• Extra virgin olive oil- 3 tablespoons
• Brown sugar- 1 cup

Directions:

• Mix brown sugar and olive oil.
• Wet the skin under your arms.
• Apply the sugar-oil mix there.
• Leave for about 5 minutes.
• Wash off with water.

Use this remedy at least twice a week. You can even do this before you take a bath. This will keep you carefree about the oil damaging your clothes.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is good for skin in general. It can also lighten the skin due to its vitamin E contents. You need not know much about using this oil. Just rub a little coconut oil under your arms before taking shower and then wash off with a mild soap and lukewarm water. Some people think it to be a natural deodorant too. However, many people do not like its smell. If you are one of such people, there is pure vitamin E oil for you using which means you don’t have to use coconut oil.

Vitamin E Oil

There are good reasons for which doctors to depend upon vitamin E oil when it comes to skin treatments. This oil not only makes your underarms light but also make the skin there soft and smooth. Just rub a little oil daily for few minutes and wash off. You can even buy Vitamin E capsules, puncture one capsule at a time and apply the oil to your underarms. This will also ensure that you do not waste this expensive oil.

A Mixture of Multiple Oils

There are many skin friendly oils available and you can get benefits of each of these oils just by mixing them and applying them to your underarms.

You will need:

• Olive oil- 3 drops
• Jojoba oil- 3 drops
• Wheat germ oil- 3 drops
• Any citrus oil of your choice- 3 drops
• A little water

Directions:

• Mix all the oils and water
• Mix well
• Apply to your underarms
• Wash off after few minutes.
• You can even store this mixture by taking all the oils in greater quantity (which should be equal for all oils).
• You may then everyday use this mixture with a little water.

The beneficial vitamins and fatty acids of the oils moisturize your skin to keep it smooth and healthy whereas the citrus oil bleaches your skin for making it white without being harsh on your skin.

[Don’t Miss: 7 Tips to Lighten Your Dark Inner Thighs at Home]

10. Make Chickpea Flour Mask for Underarms

This is a great mask or packs whatever you like to call it for whitening your underarms.

You will need:

• Gramflour or chickpea flour- 2 tablespoons
• Yogurt – 1 tablespoon
• Lemon juice- 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric- 1 generous pinch

Directions:

• Mix gramflour, yogurt, lemon juice and turmeric.
• Mix them well to get a smooth paste.
• Apply this paste to your underarms.
• Leave it there for half an hour.
• Wash off with water.

This is a fine mask for your underarms as it cleanses, moisturizes and bleaches your skin all at once to give you a lighter tone of underarm skin. Use this remedy every day for the first two weeks and thereafter twice a week to get faster results.

11. Give Herbal Treat to Underarms

There are many herbs too that can come to your help in whitening your underarms. Use them for best experience regarding lightening your skin under your arms.

You will need:

• Licorice root extract
• Aspen extract
• Raspberry extract

Directions:

• Mix all the three herbal extracts.
• Apply them on your underarms.
• Leave for about half an hour.
• Wash off with water.

All these herbs have medicinal properties and with their mixed action, they stimulate the production of pheomelanin compound in the skin which helps in lightening your skin. Also because they do not have any side effects, you can use this remedy daily for the first couple of weeks and then once or twice a week to get rid of your black underarms.

If you want to save yourself from hassles involved in mixing and applying and then waiting etc. you may like to have herbal supplements in place of making these extracts mix. Cinnamon capsules or fenugreek are great remedies if you have them daily to cure your darkened underarms.

12. Don’t Do These Things

Prevention is always better than cure. If you are reading this article after seeing someone else’s dark underarms and want to know how to prevent this dreadful thing for your own arms, you better take some precautions by avoiding the causes of dark underarms. Here is a list of some “don’t” for those who do not want dark underarms and even for those who have successfully whitened their underarms and now don’t want it to recur.

• Don’t shave your underarms. Shaving only removes hair from the surface leaving an ugly stubble to give an appearance of dark underarm. Also, your skin becomes rough with time when you shave again and again. Instead, wax your underarms. Take help of some professional and everytime you need to clean your underarm, get waxing done at a parlor. Waxing removes hair from its roots as well as remove the dead skin cells to give your underarm a soft and brightened feel. When you start waxing underarms, you will feel intense pain but only for a couple of sittings. After that, your body, mind and skin become used to the procedure. If your skin is sensitive, ask your beautician to use some herbal wax or special wax formulation made for sensitive skins.
• Don’t use hair removal creams. Almost all of them contain harsh chemicals that are so unfriendly to your skin. They lead to rashes, itching, irritation and sometimes serious skin disorders. Prolonged use of hair removing creams and lotions can cause permanent damage to your skin. The best option is to adopt waxing to remove your underarms hair.
• Don’t do electrolysis. If you are not a woman with dark skin, you have the risk of hyperpigmentation due to electrolysis. Waxing again is the solution for you.
• Don’t use deodorants and antiperspirants. At least limit their use if you can’t totally stop using them. Their harsh chemicals can give you dark and rough underarms. They can even cause pigmentation resulting in permanently darker underarms. Those which do not contain parabens, PEGs, synthetic ingredients and hormone-disrupting fragrance and antibacterials, petrochemicals, alcohol or aluminium compounds. Even better, start using natural deodorants and antiperspirants like baking soda, coconut oil, sandalwood essential oil, rosewater etc.
• Don’t skip having a shower. More so if it’s hot weather. In fact, in such a weather, you should bathe more often. Not taking bath can lead to building up of bacteria-causing smelly sweat and pigmentation. You may like to mix few drops of certain citrus oil to your bathing water so that you smell heavenly all through the day and the citrus oil may prevent darkening your skin underarms.
• Don’t wear too tight clothes. If possible, avoid wearing synthetic clothes too. Tight and synthetic clothes lead to friction leading to rashes and then pigmentation. Synthetic clothes don’t let your skin breathe and trap the sweat inside to give birth to bacteria that may cause skin darkening. As far as possible, wear cotton or other skin friendly fabric. Keep your clothes lose enough to give your arms enough room to move without friction.
• Don’t let your weight go out of control. Lose weight if you are obese. Not only tight clothes, even fat of your body that gets accumulated under the arms rub against the clothes and lead to dark underarms.
• Don’t take birth control pills. There are other contraceptives that you can use instead of these oral ones. These pills sometimes lead to such hormonal imbalances that may lead to dark underarms.
• Don’t compromise with basic hygiene. When you do not properly clean your underarms, it leads to accumulation of dead skin cells under the arms causing bumps and dark spots there. Regularly exfoliate your skin under the arms too. However, be gentle while exfoliating your underarms because it is a thin skin and harsh scrubs or rough handling while rubbing may cause scars and rashes.
• Don’t let your diabetes go out of control. If you suffer from Type 2 diabetes, high levels of insulin can lead to overproduction such skin cells that may cause pigmentation.

13.Visit the Doctor if No Home Remedy Works, Know Why!

You may be suffering from the medical condition called acanthosis nigricans. This may be the cause of your dark underarms and this can not be cured with home remedies. Acanthosis nigricans can cause dark spots and marks on your body, especially around the underarms, groin, inner thigh and neck. You are at risk of this condition if you are obese or some of your glands are not working properly or even if you have type 2 diabetes.

s we have already listed this in ‘Don’t’s’ section, you should keep a check on your sugar levels. High levels of insulin can lead to pigmentation. If obese, you have to lose weight and if there is disorder in glandular level, you must consult some endocrinologist. Sometimes, acanthosis nigricans is inherited or may develop due to certain medications as well as oral contraceptives. All of these conditions can only be handled by your doctor and not by any home remedies for dark underarms. So, if you have tried any or every home or herbal remedy without any positive results, do go to your doctor to get rid of your dark underarms.

Most Common Question And Answers:

Q: What are the causes of dark underarms?

Ans: There are various reasons that result in the dark coloration of the skin in the underarm region. Don’t think it is a disease or a medical problem. It is just a skin’s response to the exposure to certain elements.

Here are some of the main causes of dark underarms are listed below…

• Regular usage of hair removing creams or shaving
• Poor ventilation of armpits
• Excessive sweating
• Accumulation of dirt or dead skin cells
• Use of alcohol-based deodorants and antiperspirants
• Pregnancy or hormonal imbalance
• Elevated insulin levels or diabetes
• Erythrasma (chronic bacterial infection)
• Obesity or overweight

Q: Can baking soda whiten your underarms?

Ans: Yes, baking soda is used as an excellent remedy for whitening your dark underarms. It exfoliates the skin to remove dirt, impurities and dead skin cells and thereby unclog the skin pores to get rid of dark discoloration in the armpits region.

Also, do you know that the usage of baking soda will make you avoid the use of chemical based deodorants and antiperspirants? So, the usage of baking soda not only clears dark discoloration of the skin but also kills germs and prevent body odor.

Here is the process on how to use baking soda for whitening your dark underarms.

• Take enough baking soda and water and stir well to make a thick paste.
• Apply this paste on the underarms and scrub it gently for a few minutes.
• Leave it for a couple of minutes and rinse off with clean water.
• Dry your skin gently and repeat the same process regularly until you get white underarms.

Note: Or simply mix equal quantities of baking soda and cornstarch and apply it as a dusting powder to neutralize the body odor.

Q: Potato juice mask to whiten dark underarms!

Ans: Potato contains mild acidic and natural bleaching agents that help to whiten your dark underarms without irritating your skin. It also gives relief from body odor, darkness and itching caused by skin pigmentation.

Here is a detailed method on how to use potato juice mask to whiten your armpits.

• Take a small potato and peel it off thoroughly.
• Grate it and squeeze it to extract its juice.
• Apply this fresh potato juice directly on the armpits as a mask.
• Scrub gently and leave it for about 10 – 15 minutes.
• Rinse it off thoroughly with lukewarm water.
• Repeat for twice daily until you get desired results.

Q: Do armpits get dark during pregnancy?

Ans: Yes, it is common to get darker skin during pregnancy and we call this condition as melasma or chloasma. At this time, you may develop dark patches on the cheeks, neck, forearms, genital areas, inner thighs and underarms.

Melasma is caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy that causes a temporary increase of melanin in the body and thereby causes dark underarms. Sun exposure will even add darker complexions to your skin.

Q: Why is baking soda bad in deodorant?

Ans: Baking soda has earned a somewhat bad reputation as a deodorant why because it causes rashes on the skin due to its alkaline nature (pH levels). Adding baking soda in a formula will make it sticky and make the skin look dry and dark.

In a study, it is stated that prolonged usage of baking soda on the skin will cause rashes, redness and dry, cracked skin. Also, remember that an expertly formulated deodorant may not cause any reaction on the skin when used at lower concentration why because the sweat is mildly acidic in nature and thereby neutralizes the alkalinity of baking soda without harming your skin.

Q: Is dark underarm a sign of diabetes?

Yes, elevated insulin levels in the blood (or diabetes) will definitely cause skin darkening like velvet in which we call this skin condition as acanthosis nigricans. If you notice these changes in your skin then consult your doctor for proper diagnoses.

Q: Can you wax your armpits and is it safe to wax?

Ans: Yes, you can wax your armpits regularly to clear the dead skin cells, dirt and germs accumulated in this area. It is safe but the only drawback it causes is pain, bruising and minor bleeding. Some people may experience minor burns if the wax mixture is too hot. Also, remember that repeated waxing can darken the skin and may cause the skin to lose its elasticity.

Q: How often do you have to wax your armpits?

Waxing your armpits is an effective way to prevent the ingrown hair in your armpits rather than shaving. Waxing can keep your armpits hairless for about 4 – 5 weeks.

Q: Why does my armpit itch all the time?

Ans: There are various reasons that make you experience itchy underarms. Armpits contain several blood vessels and lymph nodes with hair follicles and sweat glands. Here are some causes of itchy underarms which are listed below…

• Lack of hygiene
• Improper shaving
• Laundry detergent
• Intertrigo (rash occurs on skin folds)
• Miliaria rubra (heat rash caused by blocked sweat glands with trapped – in sweat)
• Axillary dermatitis (contact of allergens with the skin)
• Axillary folliculitis (when a hair follicle becomes infected by bacteria)
• Axillary hyperhidrosis (a disorder that prompts the armpits to produce too much sweat).
• Axillary lymphadenopathy (the lymph nodes in armpits gets enlarged due to benign disease)
• Tinea axillaris (ringworm of the armpits)
• Psoriasis or yeast infection
• Excessive usage of antiperspirants and deodorants
• Pregnancy, overweight or hormonal imbalance
• Certain types of cancers
• Dry skin or keratosis pilaris

Q: Best cream for whitening dark underarm?

Ans: Other than using natural remedies, you can use some best creams which are top recommended for whitening your dark underarms. Have a list of these top creams to whiten your dark armpits.

• Amaria Intimate Lightening Serum
• Xtreme Brite Brightening Gel
• Relumins Advance White Underarm and Thigh Cream
• Garnier Mineral Light Extra Whitening Roll-on Deodorant
• Meladerm Hyperpigmentation Cream
• Nature Republic Armpit Wash and Whitening Cream Set
• Belo Underarm Whitening Cream
• Secret Bright Skin Whitening Cream
• South Beach Skin Solutions for Underarms

Q: How to prevent dark underarms?

Ans: There are many natural remedies that help in dealing with these dark underarms like lemon juice, baking soda, potato, cucumber, aloe vera juice, orange peel, milk, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, sandalwood, etc.

Exfoliate your underarms regularly to clear dead skin cells, clean your armpits regularly and give them proper ventilation to get rid of armpits.

Q: My underarms are turning dark. Is it because I shave them?

Ans: Maybe why because excessive shaving of your underarms make them turn dark. So, prefer waxing rather than shaving your armpits to get rid of ingrown hair.

Q: What are the remedies for armpit itching after shaving?

Ans: The most common problem faced due to shaving your armpits is itching (or armpit rash). Here are a few best natural remedies for treating this armpit itching after shaving. They are tea tree oil, aloe vera gel, coconut oil, lemon, apple cider vinegar, cold and hot compress, oatmeal, baking soda, shea butter, Indian lilac, turmeric, etc. Try these natural remedies to get soothing relief from itchy armpits after shaving.