Nobody likes to have itchy rashes under their arms from using deodorant. These rashes can make your skin red, puffy, bumpy, and really itchy. Sometimes, trying a new product can cause a little bit of irritation. But if the rashes keep coming back, it might mean you're sensitive to something in the deodorant.
Often, deodorant rashes are caused by chemicals like aluminium, artificial fragrance, and alcohol which are in many regular antiperspirants deodorants. The rash could also be from shaving, blocked pores, or an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the deodorant.
It's annoying, but you can find ways to help your skin feel better. The first step is to figure out what's causing the rash. After that, you can use gentle, soothing things to help your skin. Keep reading to learn more about why deodorants can cause underarm rashes and how you can get rid of them for good.
What's Causing Your Underarm Rash? 7 Things That Might Surprise You
1. Aluminium
Lots of antiperspirants have a chemical called aluminium. Examples are aluminium chloride, aluminium chlorohydrate, and aluminium zirconium. These are used to make your pores smaller so you won't sweat as much. But, these aluminium salts can really bother some people's skin.
When aluminium mixes with sweat and cells in your pores, it creates a blockage. Your body sees this as something it doesn't want and tries to fight it off. This can cause your underarms to become red, bumpy, swollen, and very itchy. If you keep using an antiperspirant with aluminium, it can make things worse over time. Your skin might get scars, dark patches, or little lumps called granulomas. So, aluminium compounds in deodorants are a big reason why people get painful and uncomfortable underarm rashes, or darken pits.
2. Chemical Fragrances
Synthetic fragrance, like phthalates and parabens, are often added to deodorants and antiperspirants to make them smell good or to mask body odour. But these strong chemicals can cause a skin problem called contact dermatitis, especially in the sensitive underarm area and if you use them a lot.
These chemical fragrance can go deep into your pores, causing redness, stinging, swelling, bumps, peeling, flaky skin, and rashes. People who are sensitive to many chemicals react more easily. Your underarm skin soaks up what you put on it, and these scents contain lots of hidden compounds that can irreparably harm skin cells over time.
3. Alcohol-Based Formulas
Many deodorants and antiperspirants have alcohol in them. It helps the product to dry quickly and helps other ingredients work better. But alcohol can be very irritating and drying for the delicate skin under your arms. It takes away natural oils that protect your skin, making it easier for irritation to happen.
It's common to feel stinging and burning when you put it on, and your skin may become red, raw, and flaky. This irritation and rash can get worse if you shave, which opens up your pores and lets the alcohol soak in. People with dry skin are more prone to this problem.
4. Shaving Irritation
When you shave your underarms, you can get tiny cuts and scrapes. This can hurt a lot if you put on deodorant or antiperspirant after shaving because the chemicals can go into your open pores and cuts. This can make your skin red and cause painful bumps, especially if there's alcohol in your deodorant. Ingrown hairs can also make shaving rashes worse.
Chemicals like synthetic fragrance and aluminium salts can make the irritation worse when they penetrate your freshly shaved skin. This can make your underarms really prone to rashes from deodorant after you shave.
5. Blocked Sweat Glands/Heat Rash
When you use deodorant or antiperspirant a lot, things like dead skin cells, sweat, oil, and leftover product can build up in your underarm hair follicles and sweat ducts. This can block the pores, trap sweat under your skin, and cause small red bumps known as prickly heat rash or miliaria rubra. The area might tingle, burn, and feel really irritated.
Bacteria love to grow in this blocked, damp area. The problem can get worse if your skin rubs together and causes more sweat. People living in hot, humid places are most likely at risk for these side effects.
6. Allergic Reactions
Sometimes, the ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants can cause allergies. This can happen even if you've used them before without any problems. Commonly known ingredients that may cause allergies are; synthetic fragrances, parabens, triclosan, metals like nickel, preservatives that release formaldehyde, and even natural ingredients like essential oils.
It's important to remember that just because a product says it's 'natural' or 'organic' doesn't mean it can't cause allergies. Our bodies can react to natural products the same way they react to chemical ones. For example, some people might get allergies from certain natural essential oils used in deodorants or from baking soda, which is often found in these products.
So, how do allergies happen? Our skin acts like a shield. It tries to keep out foreign substances which it thinks are bad for your body. This is different for everyone. When our skin encounters something it thinks is bad, our body tries to fight it off. This can cause allergies. This can lead to red, raised, itchy rashes and bumps, often just in the area where we put the deodorant.
If you get a rash or bumps after using an antiperspirant deodorant, it might be a good idea to stop using it until you figure out what caused the allergy. Remember, everyone's skin is different. What causes an allergy in one person might not in another. It's not that these things are bad for everyone; they just might not be good for your skin. Always try to find what works best for you.
7. Transition Period
When you stop using an aluminium based antiperspirant and start using a natural deodorant, your underarms go through a detox process. This usually lasts about 2-4 weeks while your body gets rid of the build up of old antiperspirant.
Things like old antiperspirant leftovers, dead skin cells, oil plugs, and bacteria come up to the surface of your skin. This can cause temporary irritation, stinging, red bumps, peeling, and rashes. After this adjustment period, your pores will get back to normal and get stronger. But this short-term irritation, known as the "natural deodorant detox," can be scary if you don't know what's causing it.
Bye Bye Underarm Rash: 5 Tips To Prevent Irritated Skin
1. Switch to an Aluminum-Free, Sensitive Skin Natural Deodorant
Do you get rashes under your arms from your antiperspirant? The best way to solve this problem is to switch to a natural deodorant that doesn't have aluminium and is made for sensitive skin. These natural deodorants don't have any harsh chemicals. Instead, they use ingredients like natural oils, minerals, and plants to stop bad body odour. They're ideal for sensitive skin, as they don't contain chemicals that can bother your skin like baking soda, synthetic fragrances, and alcohol.
These gentle ingredients can calm down skin that's red or swollen and help reduce rashes over time. A good example of a natural deodorant that's easy on your skin is one called MOOD Deodorant. It has soothing ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter that can hydrate and repair irritated skin. And since MOOD natural deodorant doesn't have any aluminium, it can prevent symptoms usually caused by blocked pores and stop bad smells from coming back.
2. Use Unscented Deodorant Options
Did you know that synthetic fragrance in your antiperspirant deodorant can cause underarm rashes and a skin problem called contact dermatitis? If you have this problem, you can stop the irritation by using an unscented deodorant. A good one to try is called COCONUT from the MOOD deodorant range. This deodorant is made with coconut oil and doesn't have any synthetic fragrance or essential oils. It's a great choice if your skin is sensitive.
Unscented deodorants can keep you from being exposed to hundreds of hidden chemicals that are often in synthetic fragrance. These can build up in your skin over time. So if you see that products with fragrance are causing you to have irritation or rashes, it might be time to try an unscented option.
3. Apply After Shaving to Avoid Irritation
Have you ever put on deodorant right after shaving your underarms? Doing this can cause a lot of stinging and rashes. This is because when you shave, you can get tiny cuts. If you put on deodorant right away, the chemicals in it can get into these cuts. This can really hurt and cause your skin to get red and bumpy.
To avoid this, it's a good idea to wait a bit before putting on deodorant after you shave. This gives your skin time to heal. When your skin is healed, it can handle the deodorant better and you're less likely to get a rash.
This is especially important if you notice that your underarms are getting darker. Sometimes, skin can get darker because of irritation. Waiting to apply deodorant after shaving can help keep your skin healthy and its normal colour.
4. Exfoliate Regularly to Prevent Clogged Pores
Taking good care of your underarms can help prevent problems like clogged pores and rashes. A key step in this care is gentle scrubbing. You might think about using a body scrub, but these can be too strong for your underarms. Instead, try using a mild facial scrub specifically for your underarms. These facial scrubs are made to be gentle on the skin, which makes them a perfect choice for your delicate underarms.
Pairing your scrub with a gentle skin cleanser can also help. Try to avoid using harsh products like salicylic acid. This can help keep your pores clear, which means less blockages and fewer ingrown hairs.
5. Gradually Transition Between Products
Sometimes you might want to change the deodorant you use. Maybe you found a new one you really like. Or maybe your old one is causing a rash or making your underarms darker. Whatever the reason, it's important to change deodorants slowly. This can help your skin adjust to the new product.
Try this: don't stop using your old deodorant right away. Instead, start by using your old deodorant and the new one on different days. Then, slowly start using the new one more and more. Doing this over 2-4 weeks can help prevent the irritation that some people get when they stop using one deodorant and start using another one all at once.
Remember, be patient with your skin. Listen to it. If it starts to feel irritated, it might be a sign that you're changing deodorants too fast.
For more tips on how to change deodorants smoothly, check out our blog post, "Get Ready to Detox: What Happens When You Switch to Natural Deodorant". It has lots of helpful information to make the switch as easy as possible.
Home Remedies for Armpit Rash
Deodorant can sometimes cause rashes, especially if your skin is sensitive. If this happens to you, try these cooling home remedy ideas to help your skin feel better.
If you have a painful rash under your arms, a cold compress can help make it feel better. Here's how to do it: wrap an ice pack in a towel and put it on the rash. Leave it there for 10-15 minutes. You can do this a few times a day. The cold can help reduce any swelling and make the area less tender.
Did you know you can also use cucumber to cool down your rash? Cucumber is really good at calming down your skin and making it feel better. Just take some chilled cucumber slices and put them on your rash. It's a great natural way to help your skin recover.
Remember, if your rash doesn't get better or if your skin starts to darken, don’t hesitate to see a doctor. They can help figure out what's causing the rash and how to treat it.
Listen to Your Skin: Identifying and Soothing Underarm Rashes
Understanding the causes of underarm rashes and darkened skin is the first step towards finding solutions. Deodorant can sometimes be the culprit, especially if it contains ingredients like aluminium or strong fragrances. Shaving can also contribute to skin irritation, as can clogged pores and quick transitions between different deodorant products.
However, with careful choices and mindful practices, it is entirely possible to keep your underarms fresh, healthy, and rash-free. Opt for a gentle, aluminium-free deodorant to avoid pore-clogging ingredients. Allow time between shaving and deodorant application to reduce the chance of irritation. Regular, gentle exfoliation can help keep your pores clear and prevent blockages.
When switching deodorants, remember to transition gently over several weeks rather than going "cold turkey". This helps prevent your skin from getting shocked and can reduce the likelihood of a rash.
Above all, listen to your skin. If it's reacting negatively to a product or practice, try something different. Don't hesitateto see the doctor if necessary. With some patience and care, you can keep your underarms feeling and looking their best. Remember, a rash-free underarm is a happy underarm!
