Source: Dove / Unilever
Women of color have a unique relationship with our underarms. For some, occasionally, they just don’t match the rest of our body. Blemishes, scarring from razor cuts, or even simple friction can show up much easier on us and tattoo hyperpigmentation on our skin for weeks or even months. While many don’t think anything about it, some of us would just rather such discoloration not be there.
That’s why we sat down and chatted with board certified dermatologist Dr. Alicia Barba about hyperpigmentation, self-care, and Dove’s new Even Tone antiperspirant. She gave us the rundown on what causes darkened patches, how to prevent it, and how to treat it. Yes! You can treat your uneven underarms now. Keep reading to find out how.
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What causes hyperpigmentation in the first place?
“Hyperpigmentation, as it relates to the underarms, can be explained by genetics. Sometimes we are programmed to have more melanin in our skin. We can find more hyperpigmentation in what we call intertriginous areas, where we have more skin against skin friction. These areas include our skin folds in our neck, underarm, groin, etc. These areas are often exposed to low-grade friction and lead to hyperpigmentation, which is natural! Some areas of the body are going to reflect more pigment naturally than others.
Then there is low-grade inflammation, which can come from everyday life, like friction from our clothes and friction when we exercise. And our beauty habits, like waxing, rubbing too hard with a razor, and lasering, can lead to hyperpigmentation issues over time, which is not a problem until you think its a problem.
Now we have antiperspirants with ingredients that can address this uneven skin tone. These ingredients can work to block the melanin transfer or by soothing the skin and adding skincare benefits so that the skin tone is naturally restored. The skin under the arms deserves as much attention as the skin on our face.
Sometimes, however, dark spots are not cosmetic in nature and can actually be related to underlying diabetes. So I make sure that when my patient comes to me with complaints of dark spots, I take a full[ [medical] history and check to make sure it’s not a sign of an underlying medical disorder.”
