Imagine that you are standing in a crowd but your armpit is constantly itching. Or you are attending an important meeting, but your underarm causes a great deal of distress through its incessant itching. Isn’t it a little bit embarrassing to feel compelled to scratch your armpits constantly in front of other people, especially if you are at some special event?
It is quite normal to experience itching in the underarms every once in a while, just like occasional itching is quite typical in any part of the body, but constant and prolonged itching indicates that there is a problem that likely won't go away on its own. The most important thing to know about armpit rashes that itch is that it is advisable to see a doctor, who can diagnose the cause and treat the condition as soon as it appears. Do not to delay treatment, or your symptoms will needlessly be prolonged.
Causes of an armpit rash
An itchy armpit rash is most likely to be a result of various fungal infections, often Candida albicans. The fungi thrive in warm and moist environments with lots of skin folds, and the underarms are among the most suitable places for their overgrowth. A fungal infection in the armpits is easily spread to other parts of the body by means of your nails as you scratch the itch, only to go on to touch other parts of your body without first washing your hands, so it is necessary to keep the armpits dry and clean. Yeast infections of the skin can be treated with antifungal ointments (treatments with the suffix "'-azole"), many of which are available over the counter.
Underarm rashes have been observed to appear mainly in the summer, because the temperature in the armpits is significantly higher than in the winter and moist levels naturally rise during humid weather. A rash in your armpits may be a consequence of humid climate conditions as well.
In these kinds of conditions, excessive sweating can block the sweat ducts, causing irritation and a rash. This is called heat rash, also informally referred to as prickly heat. Good personal hygiene, bathing every day and wearing loose clothes made of natural fibers such as cotton or linen should relieve the symptoms and prevent the aggravation of the rash. Some people will use baby powder or even corn flour to help keep their skin dry. Others find that bathing with baking soda helps alleviate a heat rash.
Shaving is also among the common culprits for the occurrence of underarm itching combined with a red skin rash, since many people regularly shave their armpit hair. If one shaves the armpit hair excessively often, or if he/she does it in the wrong way, often using a blunt razor, shaving may lead to a rash. Therefore, razor bumps may break out frequently and when they appear, the affected person should stop shaving for a while. Let your armpit hair grow out a while to give your skin the chance to heal, and when you resume shaving, make sure to always use clean and new, sharp, razors.
Chemical dermatitis in the armpits caused by using aggressive deodorants or sprays is also a potential cause for the incidence of the uncomfortable underarm itching, along with chemical hair removal creams. In this case, the solution would be to discontinue using the product and try a more natural deodorant with fewer potentially irritating ingredients.
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