What is the best home remedy for underarm darkness?

The best home remedy for dark underarms is nature's best bleaching agent, lemon. After washing them with mild soap, the underarms should be towel dried. A lemon quarter is then rubbed over the underarm skin, while at the same time squeezing out the juice.

The process is completed with rinsing and towel drying the underarms 10 to 30 minutes later. This may not be a good idea if the skin is irritated or has cuts; although it will do no harm, it will sting like mad in cuts.

• Whitening pastes

Below are some ingredients for various pastes. The ingredients are mixed together, then applied to the underarm and left for 15 to 30 minutes. The pastes should then be washed off with tepid water, followed by towel drying. As times vary, the correct time for each mixture is given separately.

• Paste one

Mix one teaspoon each of curd and gram flour with two teaspoons of milk and a small pinch of turmeric. Time: 15 minutes.

• Paste two

Mix sufficient rosewater with sandalwood powder to form a smooth paste. Time: 15 minutes.

• Paste three

Mix enough gram flour with the juice of one lemon and one lime and a small pinch of turmeric to form a smooth paste. Time: 30 minutes.

• Oils and powders

A little warmed coconut oil on a cotton wipe or ball will also reduce dark stains. Dusting the area with baking soda immediately after washing, then rinsing off after a couple of minutes has a similar effect.

Regularly applied vitamin E oil will reduce perspiration and prevent darkening of the skin, as will dusting the underarm area with Alum powder.

• Prevention of darkening skin

Wearing loose fitting cotton clothes, using anti-fungal powders instead of deodorants and waxing the area instead of shaving equally prevent skin from darkening.