Dark underarms are caused by hyperpigmentation of the skin. The excess melanin deposit over the skin can be due to a variety of reasons but regardless, the treatment for hyperpigmentation is the Pico and the Q-switch laser.
Causes of dark underarm skin
Hyperpigmentation of the skin can be due to many reasons
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
When the skin becomes inflamed for any reason, it can overstimulate melanocytes and cause them to produce melanin excessively hence causing darkening of the skin. PIH may be due to irritation from excessive shaving, waxing, scratching or fungal and bacterial infections. After the inflammation from these subside, PIH is left behind hence staining the skin.
- Hyperpigmentation from excessive sun exposure
Our skin has specialised cells called melanocytes which produce the dark pigment melanin. Normally, the main function of melanin is to shield us from harmful UV rays from the sun and other sources. Hence, melanocytes will respond to strong light stimuli by increasing melanin production, causing the skin to tan and darken. Frequent exposure to strong sunlight will accelerate this effect, worsening the hyperpigmentation.
- Hormonal changes
Although there is no direct evidence to indicate a causal relationship, melanin production by melanocytes is known to be strongly correlated to hormonal changes, being especially common in people who are experiencing hormonal fluctuations due to various reasons.
Some of these include:
- Pregnancy
- Birth control pills
- Hormone therapy
- Thyroid disease
- Psychological stress
In most cases, pigmentation from these causes show up in areas already affected by sun exposure. However, they do occasionally appear at covered regions like the underarms.
- Acnthosis Nigricans
Sometimes however, the dark colour is a symptom of the medical condition Acanthosis Nigricans, which causes the skin at body creases to darken and thicken. Acanthosis Nigricans by itself is harmless, but it is usually an indication of a more serious underlying ailment, like Type 2 diabetes, hormonal imbalances or rarely, cancer.
Underarm whitening with Pico Laser and Q-switch laser
Pico and Q-switch lasers are able to remove pigmentation by targeting melanin. When a pigment particle is targeted by a laser beam, it absorbs much more energy as compared to the surrounding skin tissue and disintegrates into small fragments, which are transported away by our body as waste. This essentially removes the pigment deposits and restores the skin to its original, lighter tone.
What sets Pico Laser apart from other lasers on the market is the pulse interval. Unlike most other lasers on the market, which pulses in nanoseconds or microseconds for certain long-pulse lasers. Pico Laser on the other hand, pulses with an interval of 450 picoseconds, about 10 to 100 times faster than its counterparts.
The shorter picosecond pulses give Pico Laser a unique effect – it causes “micro-explosions” in the dermis which creates microscopic bubbles. These bubbles allow Pico Laser to break up pigment particles in the skin to much smaller fragments as compared to other nanosecond lasers.
Treatment procedure
The procedure is fast with no down time. 5 mins per laser is all you require. Patients may experience a warm, tingly sensation while this is happening.
There is minimal to no downtime post-treatment except some mild redness and tenderness, which will subside in a few hours.
Results
Depending on the severity of the condition, individuals may require varying periods of time to see results. In general, most of my patients see noticeable improvements starting 2 weeks into the first session, with the odd case seeing results as soon as within the first week. The skin tone will continue to improve with repeated treatments, until the underarm completely blends in with the surround skin tone. I will usually advise my patients to undergo at least 10 treatment sessions for the most optimal results.
