Maintaining health and hygiene of your underarms

Cleanliness and proper hygiene is the key to a healthy body. But sometimes, people do not pay much attention to less exposed parts of their body, like underarms. Be it men or women, keeping the armpits clean is important, else it can lead to infections and problems related to body odour and changes in the skin colour of that particular region.

Women are generally more aware of underarm hygiene as compared to men, but some still are not completely aware of the correct way to maintain underarm hygiene. Dermatologist Dr. Asha Saklani explains that our armpits are generally not exposed to air, due to which, the sweat in that region does not dry quickly, leading to an increased possibility of having bacterial infections, body odour, irritations and even swelling in the armpits. This, she says, is not always due to lack of cleanliness, but certain products used in that area can also be attributed to.

Tips on cleanliness

Here are 3 tips that Dr. Saklani advises in order to maintain cleanliness in the underarm region:

• To prevent the accumulation of bacteria caused due to sweating and to keep body odour at bay, clean the area properly every day with a mild soap while bathing.
• If possible, exfoliate your underarms lightly with a natural or a mild scrub twice a week. It will help in getting rid of the dirt and bacteria that accumulates in there.
• Always keep your armpits dry. Dry the area using a soft towel after bathing.

Remove or trim your underarm hair

Women usually, regularly, remove their underarm hair with the help of waxing, shaving or through other techniques. But, most men are least bothered when it comes to trimming or removing underarm hair. Due to heavy growth, the sweat in the area does not dry quickly, as well as the bacteria gets trapped. Therefore, be it men or women, both should either remove or trim underarm hair regularly.

Since the underarm skin is very sensitive, it is important to adopt the correct methods of hair removal and use suitable products. Use products that contain the least amount of chemicals and be more cautious when opting for waxing. Apart from this, if you are using a razor, glide it only after applying shaving gel or conditioner for a few seconds, so that the roots of the hair do not get damaged.

How to avoid dark underarms?

Dr. Saklani says that using more chemicals in the region or adopting incorrect hair removal techniques can lead to darkening of the underarm skin. Also, using deodorants, roll-ons or antiperspirants directly on the skin to prevent body odour, lack of cleanliness or clogging of sweat glands can also cause this problem. To avoid it, remember to:

• Clean the armpits daily and keep them dry all the time.
• Prefer wearing cotton clothes, especially in summers when you perspire more since they have the ability to absorb sweat.
• Avoid using chemically loaded deodorants or spraying them very close to your skin.
• For cleaning the underarms, use products that contain fewer chemicals and take all the precautions when waxing. Use moisturizer after cleaning or scrubbing your underarms.

Dr. Saklani explains that sometimes, your underarms can get dark due to certain hormonal as well as other health problems. Therefore, if even after adopting all the aforementioned tips the problem is persistent, consult a dermatologist.