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skin discoloration in armpits and vaginal area

by iluvkids, Apr 13, 2005 12:00AM
I am white, and I have dark skin discoloration under my arms and in the vaginal area.  It is embarrassing to me to even go to the doctor to ask about it because it looks "dirty".  Is there any way that I can fix this problem or is it normal?
Member Comments (13)

by mickey05, Apr 13, 2005 12:00AM
I would say you are NORMAL. I'm black and even my armpits and stuff are darker. I'm pretty sure it's because hair grows there. it's funny that its darker in the areas that the sun don't shine..

by LovinTiffany, Jun 14, 2005 12:00AM
i also have the darkening of the skin under my arms and back of my neck.. i went to special clenic from wayne state university.. it is a free clinic that helps children and adults with weight issues.. well i am overwight and its hard for me to lose weight and i have something called the metabolic syndrome.. which is where yer body produces too much insulin and stores it as fat.. but neways.. my doctor told me the name of the skin discoloration but i can not remember it.. im not sure if u are overweight but there actually is hardly a cure for it.. all i need to do and if u also are overweight is work on losing weight and it will help lighten the color.. they are working on a cure for it and the reason for it is not sure.. but this clinic is wonderful.

by pinkfaith19, Jun 25, 2007 10:06AM
darkening of the skin in those areas is usually a sign of insulin resistance and is a precursor to diabetes.  you should go be checked out...

by tink3rs, Aug 24, 2007 10:47PM
I have discoloration in my vagina. I am white and it is a much darker color than the rest of my skin. I dont have the problem in my arm pits like the other girls have mentioned. My question is...Is there any way to reverse the discoloration. To answer a couple of questions that may be asked yes I am sexually active and have been for 12 years, I also have had 3 children. Its been a while since anyone has posted on this question but I do hope after my comment that maybe more will, I know there can not just be the few of us with this problem.

by mmgud, Dec 12, 2007 03:59PM
I have a dark color in my armpits and vaginal area too, and i am white as well. Its really embarrassing. Anyway my point is I have PCOS  polycystic ovarian syndrome. PCOS can cause a lot of different disorders..  high blood pressure, diabetes. Anyway when i had my blood drawn they noticed something weird with my sugar levels, but i dont have diabetes.  My doctor put me on birth control pills, told me that over time they would clear the discoloration up.. it has gotten better in my arm pits but not any better in my vaginal area. I guess it has something to do with insulin resistance. Im going to ask my doctor about metformin.. if anybody has a similar problem.. maybe you have some advice?

by gemini531, Jan 27, 2008 11:50PM
I have discoloration on my vagina. I am 17 and I am not sexually active. It is embarassing to know that here I am with high yellow skin and a dark vaginal area. i think maybe it is because I shave there. I wonder is there some kind of a cream to make it go back to it's normal color.

by Oriental_lady, Feb 16, 2008 11:43PM
I am asian, and my armpits, neck and vaginal area is dark.  I am so embarrassed that I don't even ask the doctor about it.  But I have heard that if you are overweight than that's what causes the dark discoloration.  IF you lose weight it should go away.  But I only thought that white people never got it and only other people with tanner skin tones do.  but its good to know that I am not the only one. I wish there was a way to make the dark discoloration go away because I never wear tank tops because of it.

by Blankart, Feb 22, 2008 12:53PM
Yeah I have the same issue with having dark underarms; and I have an olive complexion. I too find my areas darker than I want them to be.  Anyway my doctor recommended using lemons, or a pumus to scrub the area of old skin cells.  With the Lemon I just placed half of it on my underarm twice daily (in the morning and before I go to bed)   Results are noticable eventually.....it took a while, but its working.  My friend's using or has used pumuses around her underarm also, her results were alot faster than mine, but hey for each person, changes are variable.  Another tip, is to stop shaving and to start waxing and if your thighs are dark then you might have to loose weight first. Also depending on where you live, you can use a specific bletch for the underarm, not sure about the genital and anus area though.  

by blackbrown, Mar 19, 2008 02:54AM
To: blankart
i have black armpits and my friend told me 2 use lemons but my doctor said that would just burn but im  really embaraed by it does it really work

by andimichelle, Mar 31, 2008 04:51PM
I also have this darkening in these areas. Over the years I have done some research and questioned some doctors about it. I have been told so many different different things. I am white, type 1 diabetic, and was slightly overweight. Over the last year and a half I have lost twenty pounds, and to my surprise the dark spots have vanished. I have also read that this can be contributed to polycystic ovarian syndrome. My doctor told me the best way to keep this at bay was to stay on a low dose birth control and get plenty of exercise. If you are diabetic, I do not recommend being on the birth control, instead see if some weight loss aids the discoloration-it did for me.
Also, if this discoloration has become a problem in these areas, be on the lookout for hyper pigmentation on such areas like the neck or chest. Be sure to wear sunscreen. If this does occur then often a skin bleaching cream works over time. (Don't use it in the genital area).

by anonymous780, Jun 05, 2008 02:45PM
I'm white, 17, 125 lbs, and not sexually active. However, I have dark skin in my vaginal area like many of you. I went to the gyno specifically for this because I didn't think I had done anything to cause the discoloration. To my surprise she said that I was completely normal. Even though she told me that I am normal, I still don't think I am. I feel like I look like an old woman down there. For the rest of you who thought you were not normal, apparently you are so don't fret. As for feeling normal I'm not sure any of us ever will.
        

by CurleyGirl7, Jul 11, 2008 03:15PM
To: CurleyMD621
I'm a doctor at a local hospital. What you are discribing is called acanthosis nigricans. It is a symptom of insulin resistance which can lead to polycystic ovaries and diabetes. It usually appears in areas that are prone to be wrinkled or have skin overlapping. I usually recommend a cream called Retin-A (Retinoic Acid). It is used to improve the appearance and texture of the skin. It produces a mild, superficial peel of the epidermis (skin). It is usually used to treat acne, but it also helps reduce the appearence of acanthosis nigricans. Any dermatologist can prescribe it, or give you samples to try. I am not sure if it can be used in the genital