Darker skin in pubic, genital, rectum areas and between legs.

[Martica]

The area between the vagina and the anus, the pubic area and the upper part of my inner thighs are significantly darker than the rest of my skin (is very embarrassing).  I am a white Latin woman and I do not use oral contraceptives.  I shave the vaginal and rectum area about 2 to 3 times a months.  Could the shaving be the cause of the darkening?  If so which is the best alternative to shaving?  I do not seem to have any kind of irritation.  I started to use hydroquinone 2% about a month ago, but I don’t see any progress.  I also have a single pimple like, dark and hard bump close to the rectum, is been there for about a year.  What could that be?

[greenpixie]

I don't know about the bump, but I'm pretty sure it's normal for your skin to be darker in the areas you describe.  I don't know what you can do about it.  Personally, I would just leave it alone.  If it's causing you embarrassment for some reason then see a dermatologist and see what they advise.

[Martica]

I'm also pretty sure it's normal up to certain point for the skin to be some how darker in certain areas.  But the difference in me goes from very fair to very dark brown and it was not always like that.  

The dermatologist will be the last option since I am not really eager to show my very, very private parts to a dermatologist, unless is absolutely no choice.

[Carley_60]

How about your gynecologist?  You should be getting a PAP regularly, and your GYN would certainly be the one with the answer.  As for the cream, that is kind of strong to be using in such a delicate area and it really won't do much good for lightening the skin in that area since it works on the epidermis layer of skin not the dermis.  What you are describing is normal coloring as most women have dark skin in the pubic/genital area. The bump could be an ingrown hair or cyst.  Again, check with your GYN doctor to be safe.

[monkeyflower]

I agree with the others, what you describe sounds normal :-)

[Lulu0828]

I saw a program on TV (I think the Style network) in which women were paying to get their skin bleached.

[stillwaiting]

Have you noticed this at all under your arms or back of your neck? This happened to my daughter and I called her dermatologist. They told me to take her to an endocrinologist. I did. It is due to metobolic disorders. I'm having a brain freeze  or I would tell you the name of what she has.

[kirran]

Im 26 and am suffering from the same problem. I find it so embarssing going to the gym and swimming.  This is one thing that really puts me down aswell as my weight.  Ive been to like skin clinics and gthey charge like upto 3k fr the treatment but yet its not a gaurantee to get rid off it as its a laser treatment. The cons are that i could get burns and the skin colour could go darker or i may have pale marks on my legs after the treatment. Therefore i never went for the treatment.  I am loking for a treatment which is more effective and does not have any side effects.  I saw the forums posted and was woundering if someone could guide me the right way.

[ruiz leslie]

i have the same problem and iam only 16i have it dark in between the legs....and under my arms and in back of my neck ...i started to wonder if mabey i had some sort of vaginal infection or std .[[although iam a virgen]]=[[becouse of that ]].when i discoverd a pimple round and not able to be poped ...iam so embaraced....becouse i cant realii wear bathing suites or modellor enything i cant raise my hand..itz realii the onlii thinng avoiding me to be happy iam constiley pushing my shirt down always wearing my big jacket if i were much smaller and dint have that i would be happy ..i think getting rid of that would be great ..can eny one here help me...? my page is myspace.com/sexydominicanNcuban.......thatz my page leave me a message if enything ....

[luckylady12]

i am 26 years old and overweight, i have been diagnosed with pcos and have read that this can cause darkening between the legs and under the arms, i am suffering from the same thing and it is embarassing, i dont know a cure for it, sorry i cant help!! good luck!!!

[Saesha]

i am 34 yrs old and i have always had fat thighs and a big bubble but. over the years from childhood, my inner thighs and under arms got darker due to chaeffing/skin irritation. the last time i wore a bikini was when i was in high school & weighed about 175... and even then... i was conscious about anyone seeing my inner thighs. now that i think about it... it wasn't that bad as it is now. now... i am 270 pounds and my goal is to get down to 150 pounds by next year. my question is... w/ out using any creams or lotions... will the discoloration of my inner thighs as well as my underarms change once i lose all the weight, or will it stay the same?

[Twitchany]

What you're describing is called Athancosis nigricans. If you are overweight you'll notice it gets darker and darker. There can also be skin tags in these areas. If you change your diet it can get better, also invest in a ROUGH loofa, it helps to get rid of the skin cells making your skin darker. I do have this and it hurts to scrub but it helps after. I noticed as I gained more weight it got darker. It's prevalent in Hispanics (as my two brothers and I are and have athancosis). Go to your doctor and tell him/her this is what you think you have and ask what treatments he/she suggests. If you let the weight get too out of control it gets worse and the better chance you have of getting the skin tags. My only suggestion is to get the weight down... I started eating 3 meals a day (small breakfast, lean cuisine or smart ones for lunch and dinner, also a fruit cup or sugar free popsicle for dessert. They also have Ice cream from dryers that only has 3 grams of sugar a serving and fat free)... it worked and I'm down in weight, I started to notice the skin lightening when I lost weight.

[Alexandria425]

i have the same problem but the only thing is i am young and i am not overweight. I am an african amerrican girl 5'7 130lbs. My inner thighs are really bad....so bad that when i go to the beach i have to wear cover ups. This sucks cuz i live in Miami. Its even more embarassing when i want to get intimate with a guy....pls help! Does bleaching cream work?

[Twitchany]

It depends on the kind, for you being african american, there's a brand called "Ambi", it comes in a tan metal tube. My mother uses it for the dark spots on her face, it's marketed for african americans. She swears by it. It lightens without going too bright for the skin tone (you won't get bleached out spots) Give it a try, gotta try a few things before you hit the right cure. Just remember though, as long as you learn to be comfortable in your skin, everything will be fine. No one is perfect and I'll bet a LOT of other people have this problem.

Hope I helped,

Tiffany

[arieannasp]

I'm also suffering from darkness between the thighs. I'm 25 over weight approx. 5'6 n 200lbs. I also get little boyles in between the thighs. so not only is it dark, but scarred w/ dark spots from the boyles. Tell me I'm not alone please.

[sanfran24]

I have the same problem, I am asian but not overweight or anything. I have a dark skin on my inner thigh and the genital area. I dont know how I got that and just noticed and paid attention to it when I I was 16. Up until now still the same. I dont know if creams will work because I notice that now it looks like a birthmark already (deep into the skin). Bleaching seems harsh coz that area is super sensitive and might cause the skin to be more darker. it is very comforting to know that I am not alone with this issue.

[mimi1234]

well i have the same poblem between my legs and i started using lemon juice the stuff in the yellow and green bottle it only costs like $1.89 or so and i used it and a shade or two disappeared im still working on it though to see if it will fully work but if your gonna use it  then use the lemon juice like three times a week  and you will see improvement on the first day trust me rub at it but dont rub too hard or you will rub your skin off but get a hot rag and squeeze a little of it and scrub but not too hard just hard enough to see improvement and that bump situation i get those sometimes i really dont touch them because they usually go down it will make them go away faster if you use some baby rash cream thats what i use sometimes...hoped that this helped

[thatboy]

Darkening under the arms and between the legs is usually caused by humidity, by sweat and friction from skin being rubbed against skin. I believe the simplest way to avoid/reduce this is to pay extra attention to those parts when soaping up, use a nice rich body lotion, and an effective deodorant (preferably in the form of gel or lotion, spray ons are not very effective) and that will prevent sweating. Bathe regularly. Good luck and hope this helps!

[Cathy956]

I have dark marks on my inner thighs to and they are embarrassing. im light skinned and my inner thighs are dark i think its digusting. Im scared of having sex with someone with lights on becuase they might think its nasty. what can i do about them!?

[bigred81]

IDK about the bump.

I'm a light skinned African American female. The pigment between my buttcheeks is black though my skin color is close to Mariah Carey's. I also have darker skin under my armpits and a little between my thighs (from rubbing I guess). The best thing for the thighs is baby powder. I say you're normal ;-D

[dajamg]

I have the exact same problem. The skin hyperpigments when it gets irritated. There's not much I could do about the spot between the thighs/vagina, etc. but I do alot for my armpits. I moisturize (armpits dry out really easily), use tend skin on ingrown hairs (i used to pick them out with tweezers it got quite nasty), and then use a product from DERMADOCTOR, Total NonScents Ultra-Gentle Brightening Anti-Perspirant, it gradually removes the darkness over time. It's $30, http://www.dermadoctor.com/product.asp?productid=825&WID=%7B8DC7ED7D%2D1FEE%2D4D9F%2DAC9E%2D83AB0CBA3C1D%7D

I think it's probably just normal. Oh, also, you can wax the armpits to help too, instead of shaving.

[dajamg]

Don't worry about it. Trust me, guys don't notice little things, or if they do they don't care. I have really really white stretch marks all over my thighs, and I have really skinny legs too so I always thought they ruined my legs. I used to play volleyball and I was self conscious but I realized all girls have imperfections. Guys really won't care as long as you're confident.

[Cathy956]

well yea i kno dat i dont really have much of that anymore but oh well there are alot of people who have this problem... & yea sumtimez this makez me feel bad... but i guezz it aint a big deal... :) thankz fo da advice... & u all women who have dark in their inner thighz dont worry... cuz if your overweight thats wut caused that becuase of the friction between your legs when you walk your thighs rub together & datz wut caused the black markz... maybe losing weight will help but the black marks wont really go away much cause thats the color of your skin already... but yea.. ive tried stuff too but they dont really work... so i cant really help much.. :)

[janice27]

yeah, I don't want to get intimate with anyone either! b.c to me it looks disgusting so how would they think? my vaginal area is black and the skin outside of it is a lighter brown color, but now i hear i can't lighten that area b.c. it's not part of the epidermis – pretty messed up

[downtoearthdiva9]

wowwww omg i have the SAMEEEE issue, i am a white girl, I have dark skin between my thighs (anal/vaginal area) i am 17, and a virgin, scared to get intimitate my bf afraid he will say something or make a face... ewww. but guess what? he saw and said 'damn baby, i love that darker skin right there' (pointing at it) I was soooooo embarrassed and I started blushing. he thought it was adorable. something i am still sad I have, has made me realize something. If a guy really likes you he won't care about **** like that. he wont care if you have cottage cheese thighs or butt cheeks. he will love you for you. and i hope every single one of you ladies finds that man. best of luck my friend.

:)

[medhelp_posting]

Acanthosis nigricans, (which often causes dark skin under the arms, in the groin, or on the neck), can also be a sign of insulin resistance,so  you may want to consult your doctor/dermatologist to test you to see if you are pre-diabetic.

[Effie13]

I have the same problem, I am indian girl. I'm 17, I have the darker discolouration on my neck, arm pits and inner thighs. Also chaffing has affected them too. I have also found like black spots what seem to look like black heads (really bad ones thou). I find it soo embarssing! I can't do anything with a lad because of it. I am over weight too, would that have anything to do with it. also there is dieabeties in my family. I can't even wear a bikini anymore. any suggestions?

Thanks   F.

[calmb4thestorm]

i have this problem as well and i identify with all you ladies that expressed concerns. I am 19 overweight and have the same darkening on my inner thighs and genital area and i think its pretty disgusting too. I'm not sure if it really goes away but cleansing your skin with a loofah sponge and making sure to dry the area well and moisturize helps alot mine now looks alot better and feels wayyy smoother. Im still embarassed for guys to see it but my last bf didn't mind. And genital acne is common as well and its pretty troublesome as it doesn't really go away but doing the same things i outlined above have helped to reduce the appearance of these bumps as well....hope i helped some good luck!

[chekka]

I have the exact same problem of the darkening of the genital area.  I use a rough loofah when i shower and a shower gel that has salicylic acid so that I dont get any acne bumps and thats super effective.  as far as the dark spot, i've been battling with that forever now and have started using a regular bleaching cream that has hydroquonine 2%.  Its getting a tiny bit lighter so i'm a little more confident but you have to make sure to put on some sort of cream or spray so that you dont chafe because that keeps the spot dark.. i figure get into a routine and give it some time, rome wasnt built in a day....

[ty700037]

When I first met my wife every inch of her body was evenly toned...and I found that extremely sexy.  As she has gained weight her skin tone between her thighs and under and between her butt cheeks became darker.  Not to the point where i am totally turned off but its definitely noticeable and not as attractive.  So as a guy i would like to say that some guys do care about the dark inner thighs and darker between butt cheek areas...and obviously some dont.  But I have had conversations about that with other guys and we dont find it very appealing depending on how bad it is.  Just like anything else we find physically attractive about a woman...its just a visual thing...men respond to visual stimulation and an evenly toned body is definitely more attractive.  

[kurlss]

Yup, ive got that too and im only 17. I been doing research and I'm starting to think its pretty normal but i still want to get rid of it. So far I read about this bleaching creams and going to a salon to get it bleached. The cream is called, Concha Nacar, from what i've seen online they sell it everywhere, like target and stuff. Or you can a prescription for Kerol that a bleaching cream too.

I'm thinking of buying the cream until i go to the next time i go to the doctor.

[wildfun]

I have this too, the darker bikini line. I am very very fair skinned and was looking for a natural way to lighten it, so far it seems like cucumbers and lemons are naturally bleaching so I'll try that. Lemon juice applied topically faded my acne scars before.

The thing is, this is completely normal. The hyperpigmentation can be caused in these area because of sex hormones. This is why it may have become more noticable for some people during puberty. The same hormones are responsible for giving pubic and underarm hair their extra pigment, it's also why they are curly even if your other hair is not.

Honestly, I don't think you should resort to bleach or whatever those creams are, the active ingredient causes cancer. It's not worth it, guys don't care/notice anyway. If they are naked with you and are busy staring at some slightly darker skin, they have bigger problems! Find a guy who isn't a waste of time, at least that's free.  

[shaneea]

I do agree with you...all active ingredients cause cancer. I totally believe that lemon juice and cucumber would help alot, my aunt keeps on telling me the same thing. I also, have the same problem and it is embarrassing, I never been over weight, but did use contraceptive pills for about 6 yrs. It is interesting that you mentioned that it could be an unbalaced on the sex hormones, if that is the case I advice you ladies to get yourselves a bottle of Evening Primerose Oil capsules, that not only helps you with hormonal unbalances but with your mood and monthly cramps...My nutriologist advice me to take primerose oil capsules because I was always moody and used to get very sick every menstrual period, ever since I started to take EP I dont get sick anymore.

As for me I should say the following I know that the dark spots on my genital/inner thights are embarrassing, I don't let that bother me, if I want to go to the beach I wear my bathing suit I got one that has a little skirt attached and it makes me look sexy and I'm not concern about my dark spots as for my man he loves the way I am and he loves my body no matter what!!!

Ladies be confident, and don't worry about little things that have a solution, and don't forget that you are beautiful no matter what!

[xyzabc311]

Look, its very simple to get great skin there. I am a boy and I got it all even skin there with moderate darkness, much reduced from what it was when I started working on it.

Just treat your bums like you treat your face. Apply face pack [ call it bums pack now] on these regions everyday, almond face pack is good. Do the exfolliation everytday and apply fresh and original aloe very leaf gel around those regions. Be patient for at least two months.

Try this you have nothing to lose.

[xyzabc311]

And dont be content with the ******** that God made you like this and drink 8 glasses of water and that your BF or your husband should accept you as you are and all these ******** things.

[goldengirl13]

http://www.derm101.com/public/freesamples/atlas001.html

[lulubug26]

the sooner you start loving yourself the sooner someone else can start loving you xx

[thunderbird_me]

If you have dark skin in underarms, between thighs, back of your neck and bikini areas due to external reasons like not been taking care of or did not wash these areas properly or anything else, then you can use natural bleaching agents. Its cheap, no side effects and doesn't hurt to give it a try. I have the same problem underarms and back of my neck due to excessive body sprays and using these bleaching agents seems to be helping. POTATO and LEMONS are great bleaching agents. Rub potato or lemon for about 15 minutes on the dark skin areas and then wash them or take bath. After bath, clean the area thoroughly with a cotton cloth.
DOs: Potato bleach, Lemon Bleach, Cotton undergarments, Excercise to lose weight, etc.
DONTs: Shaving with razor blades, body sprays, deodorant sticks, silk/polyester undergarmments, etc.

[ItsCindyx]

Oh man I feel ya'll. Like right now I'm suffering with dry darker skin between my legs. Well not both of my thighs, but the left side suddenly became dry and dark. I tend to scratch a lot too. I can't help it.

I know some people already discuss this and asked what can do about it, but is there a an easy remedy that would just make it go away? Thanks!.

[ItsCindyx]

Oops! I didn't meant to say this to myself. :P
By saying "To Cindy".

[Nitu2009]

I am having the same problem..pls some help to give the solution plsssssssssssss....its stopping from having a bf and having sex..feel really embareessed..can a laser treatment cure this?There are dakr spots in betwwen my inner tights....oh gosh plsss help......

Even if 50 percent of it reduce..i will be so happy

PLs someone suggest this

[JACKSON2199]

FOR THOSE OVERWEIGHT LOOS THE WEIGHT IT REALLY HELPS I WAS SUFFERING THIS FROM TO I LOST 50 POUNDS GOT DOWN FROM 200 TO 150 AND MY LEGS DO NOT RUB AGAINST EACH OTHER WHICH MAY CAUSE IRRITATION AND IF YOU ARE OVERWIGHT DO NOT USE BLEACH CREAMS THAT WAS NE OF THE WORST THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE (WHILE I WAS OVER WIGHT) BECAUSE THE RUBBING OF THE INNER THIGHS WILL CAUSE IRRITATION CAUSING RASHES THEN IT WILL PEEL THE SKIN NOT AGOOD THING BECAUSE IT WILL BE MORE VULNARABLE TO DIRT AND WILL MAKE IT DARKER IT WILL ALSO DRY UP THE SKIN BECAUSE IT IS MORE SENSITIVE MANY THERE ARE SOME TREATMENTS LIKE EXFOLIATING BUT FOR ME IT WAS ONLY TEMPORARY.WHAT I DID IS I LOST THE WEIGHT AND WHEN I DID THEN I STATED TO USE A A CREAM CALLED DERMADOCTOR WHICH IS ALSO AN EXFOLIATOR AS WELL BUT I USED IT AFTER I LOST THE WEIGHT NOT SURE IF IT WILL WORK WITH OVERWIGHT PEOPLE. PLEASE TAKE MY ADVISE LOSE THE WEIGHT THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES ONE YOU WILL FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF AND IT HELS GET RID OF THIS PROBLEM AND AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO BE SHY ABOUT SHOWING OFF YOUR LEGS GOOD LUCK AND I KNOW IT SOUNDS HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT BUT JUST KEEP YOUR GOAL IN YOUR MIND AND WHAT YOU WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER YOU ACCMPLISHED IT ANYWAYS GOOD LUCK

[Mimster963]

I am over weight and im sure this is was causing it .. but it also itches and looks like a rash even runs between my buttux area down to the back of thighs ....

[xxcvhxx]

hi im 14 years old nd i hava a discoloriationin between my thighs nd near the vaginal area
i am a virgin nd never had a yeast in fection
im really scared bout it cuz i take 1-2 showers a day nd i dnt know wat is goin onalso on da labia nd inner labia

[ifloveisaces]

yes, some people may have slight discoloration due to weight, or chafing...and some variation is certainly normal in the vaginal area, BUT these can also be symptoms of major metabolic disorders or hormonal imbalances. such as polycystic ovary syndrome, Thyroid or Insulin disorders which can lead to SERIOUS health complications, like Adrenal/Kidney Disease, Heart Disease and Diabetes or put you at a higher risk for certain types of Cancer. Some of these complications can be reduced by weight loss...but if you know you have a problem with your metabolism, go to the doctor, you may need more than one to get a proper diagnosis. I am 29 and have tested in the "normal range" on routine tests...but have exibited symptoms related to blood sugar, and underactive thyroid/metabolism since childhood. My GYN had concerns about the discoloration on my thighs and neck [i am very pale everywhere else] in my early 20's but there was no clear diagnosis. Aside from the occasional standard blood tests, which revealed little, I ignored these symptoms and tried to manage my weight "the old fashioned way" because I could function and get by...until one day I couldn't. Now i feel like i'm trying to unravel a web. If you have slight discoloration or have just put on a few extra pounds...then disregard this post. However, if you are a woman and have hormonal and metabolic symptoms as well please get these checked out, don't put it off.

[imrare123]

im 17 african american, not overweight, just a pear-shaped girl and not sexually active at all and have the same problem (dark around the neck, under the arms and in my inner thighs and vaginal area). its not a good look, i need some help, i really wish it could go away cause i dont wanna be a big turn off to my partner when the time comes. i need help any advice?