help! I need help with my underarms!!!!!!!

okay here's the situation, my underarms have dramatically darkened, no joke! and they feel tight and crusty, like dead skin. I am Latina and my complexion is light medium, so it is very conspicuous and it is damaging my self esteem. I started noticing the darkness two to three years ago and I've tried almost everything from lightning creams to lazer treatments. I've severely exfoliated them, no signs of clearing. So, after a while I went to a clinic to get it checked out. The doctor barely explained herself, and I was rushed  out the door. She did tell me it was a fungus, but didn't go into specifics. She prescribed me a cream that did little to nothing for my skin condition. I'm on the verge of giving up and just wearing long sleeved shirts forever! It is unjust for an 18 year old women to endure this. Help please! how do I get rid of it!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Another possibility apart from the fungal infections is erythrasma. Erythrasma is a chronic superficial infection of the intertriginous areas of the skin. It is true that groins are effected but the typical appearance is well-demarcated, brown-red macular patches. The skin has a wrinkled appearance with fine scales.

It has to be differentiated from contact dermatitis, psoriasis, sweat dermatitis and fungal infections which may mimic it. Wood lamp examination and gram staining are the tests for its diagnosis. The standard therapy of erythrasma is antibiotics and antifungals because it is caused by a bacteria C minutissimum. Erythromycin is the drug of choice.

Mild steroids are helpful in reducing the inflammation associated with it. But use it only after a dermatologist’s prescription. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.