At 12 years old, I started to develop a darkening under my arms and in between my legs. Also around my waistline, patches of discoloration. I am 25 years old and I am still having the same problem?

There are many reasons for darkening to occur on various parts of the body. Usually, a lack of cleanliness, accumulation of dirt or dead skin cells, removing hair by shaving or with creams, and friction between the skin and surrounding skin or clothing lead to discoloration of the skin. It’s also possible that there are remnants of detergent in your clothes leading to darkening. There are a few things you need to keep in mind to avoid further discoloration. First of all, make sure you cleanse your body parts really well to get rid of the dirt. Scrubbing the affected parts will also get rid of the dead skin cells. Apricot and walnut scrubs are best for exfoliating your skin. After you have cleansed the areas, apply cocoa butter or emu oil to generate new skin cells, which will be healthy and normally colored. Do not wear tight clothes as this makes the skin rub against the clothes causing it to darken due to the friction. You must wax your body parts instead of shaving or using a cream. Also, do not use perfumes and deodorants as the chemicals may harm the skin. If you want to get rid of the body odor, you can dust baking soda or alum powder after taking a shower. For fragrance, lavender oil or sandalwood oil would be effective.

You can lighten the skin in affected areas by using some natural products like lemon and potato, which are natural bleaching agents. Mix the juices of lemon and raw and peeled potato in equal quantities, apply it on the affected skin, let it stay for 20 minutes and then wash it off with water. You can also apply lemon juice or potato juice singly. Another effective pack is one teaspoon of lemon juice and cucumber juice each mixed with ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Apply the mix after cleansing the dark regions with coconut oil. Let it remain there for 30 minutes and then wash it off with water. The affected areas can also be massaged with Vitamin E oil as it is effective in giving the skin an even tone. You can also massage the skin with yogurt or cabbage juice to get rid of darkness. Sandalwood also lightens skin tone. Mix its powder with rose water, apply it on the skin, let it dry and then wash it off with water. Mix lime juice, turmeric powder, salt, and honey and apply on the affected region. Let it stay for 15 minutes and wash it off.

answered by G M

Dark underarms can be a real embarrassment, especially if you’re fair skinned. Usually the underarms and the inner thighs blacken because of friction and sweat. The darkening is usually accompanied by a lot of sweating, itching, and may also cause bad odor. If you wear tight blouses or pants made of synthetic material, the blackness and discoloration may intensify.

Our body tissues need air and when you wear tight fitting synthetic clothes, the air supply is cut off. Try to wear cotton clothes so that your body can breathe through your clothes and sweating is reduced. The blackness could also be caused by poor hygiene or excessive use of chemicals like deodorants. Shaving also causes the skin to blacken.

To remedy this darkening of skin and be able to wear those beautiful sleeveless tops and hot pants again, use some lemon on the darkened area. The vitamin C in the lemon helps disinfect and clean the area. You can just cut a medium sized lemon in two halves and rub it all over your armpits and inner thighs. Repeat this till the blackness is completely gone.

Vitamin E can also help you get rid of the blackness. Apply vitamin E oil or coconut oil on the affected area. Otherwise, you can also use a mix of some lime juice and some cucumber juice. Add some turmeric powder to it and apply it on the affected area. Leave it on for about twenty minutes and then rinse it off thoroughly.

Another great way of getting rid of this pigmentation is to use alum powder on your under arms and inner thighs. The powder soaks the sweat and prevents infection. You can also rub some baking soda on the affected area after thoroughly cleaning it. If you feel irritation along with itching in the areas, it’s time to use some curd to soothe it. Take about one tablespoon of curd and mix it with one teaspoon of gram flour. You can also add a pinch of turmeric, which acts as a disinfectant. If the mixture is very thick, add some milk to make the consistency more liquid. Apply this mixture and leave it on for sometime. Your underarms and inner thighs will feel soothed.

Another way to soothe the area is to use a paste of sandalwood powder mixed with rosewater. The combination of the two soothes the area and leaves it smelling and feeling fresh.

answered by G M

Darkening of skin is caused by perspiration, use of chemical products like antiperspirants, friction between the skin and clothes, shaving, accumulation of dead skin cells and consumption of alcohol. Discoloration of skin occurs due to overexposure to sun and pollutants, and sometimes also due to allergic reactions of certain chemicals. In case this is a recent problem, check whether you have started to use any new body product that contains aluminum. If so, discontinue its use as aluminum causes darkening of the skin. Also, drink plenty of water every day to flush out toxins from your body and generally maintain a healthy skin. Drinking green tea and consuming natural sources of Vitamin C like citrus fruits also gives the skin a healthy glow. Wear natural fabrics like cotton and avoid tight, body-hugging garments.

You can also try the following simple home remedies to deal with discoloration or pigmentation of skin:

• Gently clean the underarms and your inner thighs and then apply cocoa butter or emu oil to the affected area. This is of great help in the regeneration of new skin cells.
• Rubbing the affected area with lime juice also helps, as this is a natural bleaching agent.
• Use alum powder instead of a deodorant. Applying a little baking soda or Vitamin E oil to the armpits after a bath is an alternative too.
• Wash the dark or discolored region with coconut oil. Then apply a paste of one teaspoon each of lime juice and cucumber juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder. Wash it away after 15-20 minutes. This is especially effective in lightening dark armpits.
• Make a paste using one tablespoon yoghurt, one teaspoon gram flour, one teaspoon milk and a pinch of turmeric powder and apply it to your underarms, inner thighs and waist. Leave it on till it dries and then rinse it gently with cold water.
• Sandalwood is known to naturally lighten the skin tone. Make a paste using sandalwood powder mixed in rose water and apply it on the darkened skin. Wash it off when it dries.
• Cabbage juice to discolored skin helps restore the natural color of the skin. Grind a portion of a cabbage to pulp and extract its juice. Then apply it around your waist.
• Massaging the waist vigorously with yoghurt can also be useful in giving your skin an even tone.

answered by G R