I have dark underarms from using so much deodorant year after year. I went to a dermatologist a year ago and he said there's really no medication that will actually work for it to go completely away. And I remember him saying something about me being overweight makes it worse because my skin rubs together, making it darker(?).

ANYWHO, I'm thinking of laser surgery for my underarms to get rid of the darkness. Has anyone been through this? I'm tired of using creams that don't even work and being afraid to wear tank tops I need as much information as I can get! How much does it usually cost? How does the procedure work??

Thanks!

Are you sure it is from the deoderant and not acanthosis nigricans?

A.

hi,

um about the Dark underarms that could be because of Acanthosis Nigricans, one of the many manifestations of Insulin Resistance or plainly being overweight...Losing weight could actually reduce the Darkening....

Yeah, I THINK it's from obsessive use of deodorant because I've had dark underarms since around maybe 8th grade and I wasn't really overweight at that age. And it's just my underarms that are dark, other parts of my body look normal. I just remember that there was a period of time when I used deodorant a lot, not just once a day.

if it's caused by underarm preparation, it'd be antiperspirant causing it, not deodorant. all deodorant does is stop you from stinking - AP stops you from sweating. if that's what's caused it, then switching to a deodorant (not an AP) should make it go away over time - it's not a permanent condition.

acanthosis is also not a permanent condition and can be successfully treated with Retin-A, acetylsalicylic acid, and other such prescriptions.

if it's a permanent condition, it could be hyperpigmentation and it's just how you are (my 5yr old has a linea nigra running down from her bellybutton as well as mongoloid spots behind each shoulder, in the hollow of each butt cheek (on the side, if you know what i mean), and at the small of her back. looks exactly like someone rabbit-punched her in the spine.

i suggest you see another dermatologist - unless he did tests, he's got no right to give you a diagnosis. i'm 100lbs overweight, i've used deodorant and AP for over 30yrs and i don't have dark armpits unless i shave (5 o'clock shadow, anyone?).

I only went there once and paid a few hundred bucks for him to give me a prescription for eczema and had him look at my underarms too. He glanced at it and didn't really give me any helpful advice. He wrote a prescription for my dark underarms but warned me that the kind of cream he's prescribing may even burn my underarms and not help it at all, so I never even tried the cream, considering it costs about 75 bucks for a small tube. That much for results that aren't guaranteed- no thanks. Horrible dermatologist. I asked if there was anything else I could do and he said "not really, you got dark underarms, just live it with, it's not a big deal" -_-

I just want laser treatment now to get it whiten for good D:

that cream is probably retinoic acid and it is *highly* effective.

yes, one of the side effects is red, irritated skin and you have to stay out of the sun or you'll get sunburned. i was using it for my face and boobs (mild acne scars and light stretch marks) and forgot about the UV thing - you should've seen me when i got out of the tanning bed!

it takes a long time to work - you need to use it for at least 3mo - but it usually does work.

if it's not hyperpigmentation, then laser treatment won't work. laser works by destroying overproduced melanin. if that's not what the problem is, then you'll have wasted your money anyway.

hey, I have the exact same problem. My underarms became dark in 8th grade. The docor thought it was eczema and gave me a cream but that didn't help at all. I'm not (and wasn't at 8th grade) significantly overweight and I don't have diabetes or insulin resistance, so those aren't the reasons.

I recently spoke to my current doctor about this and she said women of certain descent (I'm south asian) are just more prone to having dark underarms and nothing can really be done about it.

Recently, I started using a neutrogena acne scrub - salicylic acid + exfoliating beads and it has made my underarms quite a bit lighter and smoother, so maybe you should give that a shot?

Good luck! I'd love to hear if you do find a permanent solution.

Like astrophe mentioned dark underarms can be from sugar issues. It is possible to have had insulin resistance or sugar issues (even in the 8th grade) that you didn't know about and that hadn't yet caused you to be overweight. This may not be your issue at all. But, if you are a person who is or was pretty addicted to carbs or sugar it is a possibility.

I used to have the dark underarms and neck. There was a time when my IR was really bad that I even had a dark spot on my face, around my mouth and chin. This was what happens to me when I try a low fat, high carbohydrate diet. All the dark spots are gone and have been for awhile because I got better at controlling the IR.

I actually noticed the dark spots on the face of some of the girls on Survivor this past week. Probably because they aren't getting enough protein and have had a lot of rice. They are DEFINITELY not overweight. I think it is more about lack of protein/sufficient nutrients in their case anyway.

After reading this thread I want to chime in with my experiences too.

For as long as I could remember I had dark spots on my neck, underarms and inner thighs. I was also in obese class II at that point in my life. I remember reading about it a few years ago and while I don't remember what exactly I read I just remember that diabetes was mentioned and I got scared. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family.

It wasn't really the kick in the rear that got me to lose weight, but when I did all of that went away just as some of the other posters in this thread have said. I also overhauled my diet and include very few grains and more proteins. Before I lost weight I ate a lot of grains and other processed carbs.

I'm not really sure if it was the weight loss that got rid of it all or the change in my diet.

Hmm, I wonder if this is the reason one of the deodorant companies (Dove maybe?) just came out with an antiperspirant that's supposed to make your underarms look lighter?

When I was about 18 I had really dark armpits and spots on my
Neck. My dr. Told me it was diet related. Sure enough.... I have absolutely no dark spots at all now. I would go back and get it checked out. If it was a deodorant problem,simply switching the product would probably do the trick. My dark spots were also a sign of high cholesterol. Once I got my health somewhat in check,all the above things improved.

Yeah, I'm Asian too, but it just doesn't make sense that my underarms are so dark, LOL. My mom and both my sisters' underarms are fine, so it's just me. And I've had blood work done and everything before and it all came out fine.. my sugar level is fine also (it was on the lower side at one point).

Idk, I just don't know I just wanna opt in for some sort of laser treatment at this point. I want both of my underarms white and normal looking, I don't want to try any other kind of creams or anything that will just help it a little. I've tried so many kinds of scrubs and whatnot before, it's just a pain and while it does help, it doesn't clear it up enough for me to feel comfortable with. I need guaranteed results

Maybe I'll lose my weight and see if it clears up on its own, LOL.

p.s. Dark underarms = eczema??? I thought eczema were little patches of bumps on your body. I've had that before and the dermatologist prescribed this cream and all the bumps are totally gone now.

My underarms are slightly darker as well, could it have anything to do with waxing? After waxing I use some sort of balm that's supposed to calm your skin, perhaps it has some ingredients in it that make my skin a bit darker. I heard applying lemon juice helps a bit. I'm also trying a cream that's actually meant to be applied on your face and lighten your complexion, as well as get rid of freckles. Figured it could work for my underarms. I wouldn't do any laser surgery, but if you think it helps, then go for it. If done properly, I'm sure the results will be amazing.

Ok ladies, after much research, I see people raving about this product called 'xtreme brite gel'. You can get it on eBay or amazon for like $15 bucks for a small tube. I hear it works wonders, although it may take some time. What really sold me was this girl on YouTube posting a video before she used the product and after she used it for two months. Her armpits are so clear now!! I just ordered a tube myself, so I'll be using it and if I get results, I'll keep buying and using till I get the shade that I want (: def. something you guys should look into!