Removing the hair under your arms can give you more confidence to bare your arms, raise your hands and can even help control underarm order. But, all the shaving and waxing may have exposed another common issue: darkened skin.
Beyond hair removal, the skin beneath your arms may become dark from wearing tight clothing, using alcohol-based deodorant, smoking, taking certain medications and health problems like diabetes and obesity. Fortunately, there are easy, safe and inexpensive ways to brighten your skin and get underarms you’ll want to flaunt all year round!
1. Potato
Potatoes are mildly acidic, making them a natural bleaching agent. As an added bonus, potatoes won’t cause irritation to the skin. Rub a thin slice of potato on your cleansed underarm skin. Or, grate a potato to get the juice and apply the juice under your arms. Let the juice remain on your skin for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water. You’ll want to repeat this daily until you see results.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a natural bleaching agent thanks to its primary ingredient, acetic acid. You can apply ACV directly to your skin after you’ve showered or cleansed the area (no need to rinse after apply). Or, mix the vinegar with rice flour to make a paste that you can apply after your shower. Allow the paste to sit for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
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3. Coconut Oil
One of the many benefits of coconut oil is that it contains vitamin E, an ingredient that can help lighten the underarm skin. Before you shower, massage your underarms with a thin layer of coconut oil for 10-15 minutes. Rinse the oil off during your shower. You should see reduced darkening over time following this habit daily.
4. Cucumber
Cucumbers contain natural skin lightening properties and also help reduce inflammation. Similar to the potato, you can either rub a thin cucumber slice on your skin or apply cucumber juice directly under your arms.
5. Baking Soda
Exfoliating the skin (scrubbing) removes dead skin cells, helping to lighten the skin. The coarseness of baking soda makes it a perfect base for making exfoliating scrubs. Combine baking soda and water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste to your underarms and gently scrub. Cleanse the underarms with warm water afterward.
You can also try these natural home remedies on other areas that tend to become darkened, like knees, elbows and lips.
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Visit the BlackDoctor.org Skin and Beauty center for more helpful articles and tips.
