Can I Lighten My Underarms?
The skin around our armpits can change colour over time. This is called hyperpigmentation. Some people are born with it; others develop it later in life. There are several reasons why it happens. Some cases are hereditary, while others are caused by sun exposure, hormonal changes, certain medications, and even stress.
I am always surprised by the number of inquiries we get about this. Certainly, raising your arms and seeing darkened areas can be as embarrassing as having a pit full of hair!
Causes of Dark Underarms
Let’s first talk about what causes the discolouration (darkening) under your arms and in other intimate areas. This darkening is called PIH or Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. It can occur anywhere on the body. Hyperpigmentation is caused by increased melanin production from the melanocyte cell. PIH occurs from increased melanin when there is “trauma” to the skin.
Trauma can be anything from a cut, picking a pimple or from shaving, waxing or sugaring. One of your body’s protective response to these “traumas” is to send fibroblasts and increase melanin to the area. This melanin is produced from the melanocyte cell which is in your epidermis.
As a laser clinic, we can often tell that you were a previous waxer or sugarer because of the darkness in the areas where you were treated.
Certain skin types are much more prone to underarm darkening as well as genetics, hormones, age and sun exposure.
Ways to Lighten Underarms
1. Stop Shaving & Waxing
Stop shaving if you want to minimize underarm darkness. Shaving causes repetitive trauma, friction and irritation to an area of skin that is already thin and delicate.
Waxing and sugaring is making your underarms dark as well! Ripping hair away with wax is just as traumatic to the skin, and in grown hairs can cause permanent irritation and underarm darkening.
Laser hair removal addresses these issues, and is much less traumatic, albeit a bigger investment overall. But if you're interested in preventative steps, consider laser hair removal first and benefit from permanently throwing those razor and waxing dollars away.
2. Topical Creams for Underarm Lightening
The first line of defense and the most cost-effective way to treat or pre-treat hyperpigmentation is with a topical cream.
Hydroquinone is still the gold standard for treating hyperpigmentation. AlumierMD Lightening Lotion (available in our clinics) has a very effective 2% hydroquinone content.
If you are looking for a non-hydroquinone option, Intellibright by AlumierMD (available in our clinics) uses arbutin, kojic acid, licorice root extract plus other powerful pigment inhibitors as a skin-brightening product.
These topical ingredients work by different mechanisms to treat at the cell level to prevent production of new pigment and at the skin level to brighten. The use of products will greatly enhance results if you choose to use a laser to reduce pigmentation.
3. Laser treatment for Underarm Lightening
If further lightening is wanted, our go-to laser for treating hyperpigmentation, which is also safe for all skin types is our PicoWay photo-acoustic laser. This laser uses mechanical force to break up the pigmentation. This is a patented holographic fractional laser. What the heck do all those big words mean? Holographic; meaning all the business happens under the skin surface leaving the top layer of your skin intact. No damage, no downtime. Fractional; about a hundred tiny little beams as opposed to a larger solid beam.
We can choose the appropriate wavelength, beam size and power to appropriately treat whatever skin skin type or concerns you may have.
The laser takes care of the visible pigment and the skin products essentially put the melanocyte cells to sleep so they do not produce more pigment. This laser in conjunction with the recommended skin care products can effectively lighten any pigmented areas including the most private ones (not including anus).
More than one treatment will be required.
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