How to take care of your underarms

What should your underarm routine include?

1. 1Wash after exercise. If soap irritates your skin, ask a pharmacist about a gentler soap substitute. Excessive washing can also irritate skin folds.
2. 2Dry your underarms completely after bathing. A hairdryer on its cool setting can help dry the fold.
3. 3Apply the product that matches your concern: deodorant for odor, antiperspirant to reduce sweat, or a combination. Follow the label's application directions.
4. 4If a product causes a rash or irritation, change it rather than adding more products over the top. Seek medical advice if inflammation and itching continue.

Underarms are warm skin folds where moisture can become trapped and skin movement causes friction. Heat, humidity and excessive sweating make a fold rash more likely. Tight clothing can also contribute to irritation and darkening, so consider clothing friction as well as what you put on your skin.13

Do you need deodorant or antiperspirant?

Underarm odor develops when sweat mixes with bacteria on your skin. Deodorants help manage the smell; antiperspirants reduce how much you sweat. Choose by the problem you want to address rather than the size of the freshness promise on the packaging.2

Whole body deodorant belongs only where odor starts, despite a name that appears to have reserved the entire body. Applying it to areas without odor does not improve odor control. For underarm use, check its directions rather than assuming a cream, stick and spray all have the same instructions.25

How should you shave your underarms?

1. 1Soften the hair with warm water, ideally toward the end of a shower. Use shaving gel or a moisturizing shaving cream rather than shaving without it.
2. 2Shave in the direction the hair grows. Use as few razor strokes as possible, and rinse the razor after each stroke.
3. 3Avoid an extremely close shave. Leaving at least 1 mm of stubble can help reduce ingrown hairs.
4. 4Rinse away the shaving product, then hold a cool, damp cloth against the skin to reduce irritation.
5. 5Store the razor somewhere dry. Replace a disposable razor after 5 to 7 shaves, and do not use a blunt blade. Clean an electric razor every 5 to 7 shaves.

Shaving frequency advice differs: for ingrown hairs, avoiding daily shaving can help; for razor bumps, shaving every day or every 2 to 3 days can give hair less time to curve. If shaving repeatedly causes bumps, stopping removes the shaving trigger. An electric razor is another option to try. See a dermatologist if changing your shaving habits does not help, because persistent razor bumps can leave scars.67

What should you do about ingrown hairs?

An ingrown hair grows back into the skin and creates a raised, often itchy bump. Coarse or curly hair increases the likelihood, and waxing, plucking and threading can also cause ingrown hairs. Do not scratch, pick or squeeze the bumps: doing so can damage skin and cause infection. A pharmacist can help you choose products for itching, shaving irritation or trapped hairs. Get medical help if a bump becomes very painful, hot or swollen, or if you develop a high temperature or feel shivery or very unwell.6

What if deodorant makes your underarms itchy?

Cosmetics can cause contact dermatitis, an itchy skin rash caused by irritation or allergy. Read the full ingredient list and avoid ingredients you know or suspect you react to. Fragrances and preservatives are among common cosmetic allergens. A reaction can develop at any age, so a familiar product is not automatically ruled out.5

In the US, "hypoallergenic" and "for sensitive skin" have no federal standard. The same applies to "fragrance free" claims. Some fragrance ingredients can be listed collectively as "fragrance" or "perfume", so contact the manufacturer if the ingredient panel does not answer your question.5

Discuss a suspected allergic reaction with a healthcare professional and name the product you think triggered it. Medical patch testing can help identify an allergen so you can avoid it. Seek immediate medical attention for trouble breathing or swallowing, faintness or other signs of a severe allergic reaction.5

An uncomfortable, moist rash with peeling or cracks can be intertrigo, meaning inflammation or infection in a skin fold. Its treatment depends on the cause; bacteria, fungi and inflammatory skin conditions need different approaches. Do not treat every underarm rash as the same problem. Strong steroid creams are best avoided in skin folds because they can thin the skin. A clinician can assess a persistent rash and decide whether testing or treatment is needed.1

Should you exfoliate or lighten dark underarms?

Darkening can follow shaving irritation, friction, a rash or reactions to products. Cut down on products if irritation is a possible trigger, and check for fragrances, dyes and preservatives you react to. "Natural" products can contain these too. Repeated exfoliation can cause irritation, so more scrubbing is not a sensible default response to discoloration.3

Have new or concerning darkening assessed, especially if the skin is thick and velvety. That change can be acanthosis nigricans, a pigmentation condition associated with diabetes. Mention a family history of diabetes, weight gain, irregular periods or unusual hair growth at the appointment. Once the cause is addressed, a doctor can consider creams containing ingredients such as niacinamide, retinol, kojic acid or hydroquinone. There is no fixed improvement timeline for every cause of dark underarms.3

What if you sweat more than antiperspirant can handle?

Sweating when you are hot or exercising is normal. Sweating when your body does not need to cool down can be hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. It can happen without an obvious reason, because of another condition or as a medicine side effect. Wear loose clothing and avoid tight clothes or synthetic fabrics such as nylon. A pharmacist can suggest stronger antiperspirants and underarm sweat shields to protect clothing.4

See a doctor if sweating disrupts daily life, happens at night, occurs at least weekly, has lasted six months or has not improved with self care. Also mention medicines you take and a family history of excessive sweating. Treatment can include prescription products or specialist options such as Botox injections for underarms. Unusual or strong body odor is also worth discussing with a dermatologist rather than repeatedly switching deodorants.24