Brighter Underarms, Without The Hydroquinone

If you’ve ever caught yourself wearing sleeves or keeping your arms down to hide your underarms, you’re not alone. While having darker underarms — also known as hyperpigmentation — is incredibly common, it doesn’t mean that it can’t knock your confidence.

And if you’ve been dealing with underarm hyperpigmentation for a while, the chances are that you’ve come across hydroquinone — a skin-lightening agent — as a potential solution. But what is this well-known ingredient, and is it actually safe?

While hydroquinone may be an effective skin-lightener, its potential side effects and risks can’t be ignored. Here, we’ll take a deeper look into what causes dark underarms, how you can help brighten this sensitive skin, and why you should skip the hydroquinone in your self-care routine.

What causes dark underarms?

To put it simply, the darkening of the underarm skin (or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) can look like staining, and is primarily caused by one of two things: either there’s an increase in melanin production, or the underarm skin thickens due to irritation.

Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its color and is produced by melanocytes under the influence of the enzyme tyrosinase. Several factors may contribute to underarm hyperpigmentation, including:

• Persistent irritation from skin-on-skin friction, clothes that rub, or allergic reactions to hair removal cream, deodorants, or antiperspirants.
• Microtrauma from frequent shaving causes the skin to thicken.
• Hormonal fluctuations, including insulin and thyroid imbalances.
• A darker skin tone with naturally higher baseline melanin levels.
• Skin thickening and darkening due to hormonal fluctuations and obesity, also known as acanthosis nigricans.

It’s important to note that while these factors may all contribute to dark underarms, some people just have naturally darker armpits. While treating the root cause might be helpful, the good news is that there are ways to brighten dark underarms.

What is hydroquinone?

Hydroquinone is an ingredient that, when used topically, is formulated to lighten dark spots and even out skin tone. It blocks the enzyme tyrosinase, which produces pigment but also destroys pigment-producing cells (melanocytes). Hydroquinone is often prescribed to treat melasma, freckles, post-acne marks, or sunspots.

It’s generally advised by US doctors that hydroquinone shouldn’t be used for more than 3 months at a time due to the risk of sensitivity or irritation. However, hydroquinone is banned altogether in the EU, Australia, and Japan. Let’s take a look at why.

What are some of the risks of hydroquinone?

Beyond potential irritation and sensitivity, hydroquinone has some more adverse side effects:

• Hydroquinone has been linked to cancer with long-term use.
• The skin can become much more susceptible to UV rays, as hydroquinone can destroy melanocytes (pigment cells).
• Hydroquinone can cause contact dermatitis, an allergic inflammation that can flare up even once the application has stopped.
• Ochronosis is a bluish-black discoloration of the skin.
• The skin around the discolored area may also be lightened, causing a halo effect.

Brightening underarms, without the hydroquinone

It’s clear that while hydroquinone may target underarm discoloration, it’s not a risk-free endeavor. Thankfully, there are more natural alternatives available that can safely brighten underarms and even out skin tone!

Arbutin

Arbutin is a natural skin-lightening agent that safely reduces melanin production — yes, in a similar way to hydroquinone. However, Arbutin only inhibits tyrosinase (rather than completely blocking it), making it much safer with a lower level of skin irritation. Clinical trials have shown that Arbutin is an effective skin-lightening agent, with a study finding that a 1% arbutin cream improved hyperpigmentation by 71% in women with melasma.

The Original Underarm Brightening Deodorant Cream contains Uva Ursi, or bearberry extract, which is rich in Arbutin. This means that you can effectively target dark underarms, just by applying your favorite deodorant every day!

Chemical exfoliants

Another way to help restore skin tone and banish bumps is by using exfoliants and skin-brightening agents. Exfoliating acids such as AHAs (glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and maleic acid), and BHAs (like salicylic acid) help remove dead skin cells and promote cell turnover.

Our Get It Bright Exfoliating Body Scrub is a gentle, effective in-shower scrub that contains glycolic acid to fade dark spots. Plus, with kaolin clay and pumice as physical exfoliators, it will smooth any shaving bumps, and can even help fight body odor!

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a naturally occurring antioxidant that has been shown to help prevent and treat hyperpigmentation. Thankfully, it can be used in tandem with arbutin, which is why we’ve loaded The OG with this underarm-brightening duo! And combined with soothing ingredients like aloe and jojoba oil, this brightening deodorant will help you finally start tackling hyperpigmentation.

Brighten Your Underarms, Naturally

At Forgotten Skincare, we believe in treating the skin issues that cause insecurity, but not at the expense of your health. While it may be tempting to load your underarms up with strong lightning agents, the truth is that the risks of hydroquinone are just not worth it.

Instead, we believe in harnessing the power of nature, to gently and effectively help brighten your underarms. So, with ingredients like Uva Ursi, vitamin C, and glycolic acid, you can feel empowered in your skin!