Despite all the love and care I put into my skin, I never gave much thought about my armpits \u2014 until, in February 2026, my underarm skin suddenly became itchy and irritated with a rough texture.<\/p>\n
As a longtime beauty editor, I treated my face and body to the best products<\/a> and treatments<\/a>, but my underarm routine was pretty much nonexistent.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019d give the area a rough quick shave, swipe on deodorant and call it a day. But my big mistake was that I never checked if the razor I used was fresh or if the deodorant I had lying around was actually expired.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sound like no big deal? I thought so too \u2014 until I paid for it.<\/p>\n Ariana Yaptangco developed a skin condition from shaving her underarms. Courtesy Ariana Yaptangco<\/p>\n At first, I ignored my symptoms, hoping it would go away. But the inflammation only got worse. I finally paid a visit to my dermatologist, who immediately recognized the rash as underarm dermatitis, an unpleasant \u2014 although highly treatable \u2014 skin condition.<\/p>\n And she schooled me on the incredibly common mistakes that can cause this, which many of us make.<\/p>\n What is underarm dermatitis?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Dr. Chelsea Hoffman, MD<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery<\/a> in New York City, dermatitis is a generic term for skin inflammation.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most common form is contact dermatitis, which can occur in your underarms. This can be broken down into two categories: irritant dermatitis and allergic dermatitis.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIrritant dermatitis comes from a substance touching your skin, which is causing an irritant reaction, or a rash,\u201d says Dr. Hoffman.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone\u2019s putting an active ingredient under there, such as a retinoid, which some people try to do for pigment, that could cause irritant dermatitis. But even just sweat alone can be irritating to people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While irritant dermatitis appears quickly, allergic contact dermatitis is typically delayed. As the name implies, allergic dermatitis is an immune response to a specific allergen in your environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe most common causes are certain ingredients and additives, like preservatives or fragrances in deodorant,\u201d says Dr. Hoffman.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ariana Yaptangco in February during the peak of her reaction. Courtesy Ariana Yaptangco<\/p>\n She said her dermatitis was likely caused by an old razor or expired deodorant.\u00a0 Courtesy Ariana Yaptangco<\/p>\n The repercussions<\/strong><\/p>\n My dermatitis was likely caused by an old razor or expired deodorant (both of which I had been using at the time), which then developed into atopic dermatitis, also known as chronic eczema.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since my underarms went untreated for a few months, my condition worsened, creating a chronic condition that left my underarm skin thick and scaly, with leathery lines due to dryness. Additionally, the rash caused discoloration, leaving me with darkened armpits.\u00a0<\/p>\n Redness and itchiness are common after you shave, but should be temporary. If irritation persists, Dr. Hoffman recommends making an appointment with your dermatologist to identify the cause.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s other conditions that can happen too. It\u2019s more rare, but you can get fungal infections in your underarms. Yeast can play a role. There\u2019s all these other microbiome, pathogen aspects because they thrive in that moist environment.\u201d<\/p>\n While irritant dermatitis appears quickly, allergic contact dermatitis is typically delayed. As the name implies, allergic dermatitis is an immune response to a specific allergen in your environment.\u00a0 Getty Images<\/p>\n Treating underarm dermatitis<\/strong><\/p>\n At my doctor\u2019s orders, I stopped shaving and applying deodorant to my underarms for nearly three months. I have thin hair and my body odor isn\u2019t noticeably strong, but I still felt very self conscious.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe treat underarm dermatitis by reducing irritation, so you want to try to minimize shaving or waxing for that time,\u201d says Dr. Hoffman.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnything that\u2019s going to compromise the barrier, you want to avoid.\u201d This is also why it\u2019s so important to use a fresh and clean razor: \u201cShaving basically kind of takes off the top of your skin,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n I was prescribed a topical steroid to bring down the irritation and was told to use a lightweight and un-fragranced moisturizer to heal my damaged skin barrier. At first, moisturizing my armpits felt odd, but then I realized: I never skip my face or body \u2014 why should my underarms be any different?\u00a0<\/p>\n How to care for your underarms and what to avoid<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Lauren Lovelady<\/a>, founder of the body care brand Each & Every<\/a>, the skin in our armpit is delicate and vulnerable, especially during the summertime, which calls for some TLC.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to say we abuse our underarms, but we do tend to put a little bit more stress on it than other areas of our skin by shaving and applying products,\u201d she says. \u201cThat skin is sensitive and can get really dry, so it is really important to keep it moisturized. Look for products that have ceramides or lactic acids, things that you would apply to your body to keep it moisturized.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Some of Dr. Hoffman\u2019s favorite lotions for the underarm include Person & Covey DML Moisturizing Lotion<\/a> or Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion<\/a>, which are thin and absorb quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n When it comes to the natural versus aluminum deodorant debate, Dr. Hoffman says the choice is ultimately up to your preference. However, if you use natural deodorant, be aware that sweat is an irritant.\u00a0<\/p>\n After a few months of applying topical steroids and moisturizing her underarm area, her armpits have returned mostly back to normal. Courtesy Ariana Yaptangco<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a heavy sweater and experiencing dermatitis, it might be worth switching to aluminum deodorant, which uses antiperspirants to block glands and keep you dry.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally natural deodorant typically contains baking soda as its bacteria-killing agent, which can also cause inflammation.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBaking soda raises the pH of your skin,\u201d says Lovelady. \u201cYour is naturally acidic and sits at about a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. And baking soda is very alkaline, so it\u2019s about a 9. When you apply deodorant with baking soda, it raises the pH of your skin above its normal levels.\u201d<\/p>\n If you find yourself having frequent reactions, Dr. Hoffman recommends conducting an allergy test with your doctor. \u201cIf it continues to become a problem, we\u2019ll do patch testing on the back looking for what you might be specifically allergic to,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n To make identifying triggers easier, Lovelady includes both the regulated name and common household of ingredients for full transparency. \u201cWe disclose all the ingredients on the package so you know exactly what you\u2019re putting on your skin. We even disclose allergens in case you have a specific ingredient that you\u2019re sensitive to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The aftermath<\/strong><\/p>\n After a few months of applying topical steroids and moisturizing my underarm area with La Roche Posay Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Body Lotion<\/a>, my armpits have returned mostly back to normal.<\/p>\n I still have discoloration, which my dermatologist said will take some time to fade away. I\u2019ve even started shaving and applying deodorant again (Each & Every Apr\u00e9s Sea<\/a> smells incredible and gives me zero issues) so I finally feel free to lift up my arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t