As a dermatologist, one of the most common questions I receive in clinic is how do I brighten my underarms? Treating hyperpigmentation is a specialty of mine, but I will admit that this problem humbles me. Early into my practice, I called a special meeting with my mentor Dr. Heather Lloyd-Woolery to discuss this exact topic. Below, I’ll share you a few of our combined pearls. 

Before we get into the how, I want to give you context of why this problem is a little tricky. Underarm skin is delicate. In terms of depth, it is analogous to eyelid skin. This means that it is very easy to irritate this skin, and unfortunately, irritation also produces additional pigmentation. Next, underarm skin folds onto itself. This increases the absorption of any product applied to the area. This is significant because all ingredients that help with pigmentation are (to some degree) irritating. So, a very delicate balance is required to achieve improvement without further irritation. 

I tell you this because I want you to understand more is not more. Many of the tips below will focus on minimizing irritation to the area. Patience and the will power to not do the most will be required to see results. As a rule of thumb, the longer the pigmentation has been present, the longer it will take to see significant improvement. 

If You Have an Undearm Rash, You'll Have to Treat That First

A rash is a sign of skin inflammation and may present with redness, itching, flakiness, and/or local roughness to the skin. If any of these signs or symptoms are present, I recommend evaluation by a board-certified dermatologist for prescription anti-inflammatory treatment. Brightening treatments will be ineffective until the inflammation is addressed. 

The inflammation may be due to a chronic skin condition (i.e. eczema, psoriasis), a superficial skin infection, or an allergy to a frequently used product. Once the cause has been diagnosed and controlled, brightening treatments can be started.

Possible causes of inflammation frequently include:

• Eczema
• Psoriasis 
• Superficial fungal infections
• Allergic contact dermatitis; nickel, fragrance (often from deodorant)

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