Q I have darker underarms which embarrass me, and I can't wear sleeveless tops. How can I correct the problem?

A It's the pits when problems like this affect your sartorial style. But if it's any consolation, this is not an uncommon problem. Apparently there are more melanocyte cells - which are responsible for pigmentation - in the underarms, the groin, around the nipples and the centre panel of the face, which make these areas more prone to darkening.

Aesthetics doctor Georgia Lee of TLC Medical Centre in Holland Village says prolonged use of deodorant or repetitive friction from tight clothing can also cause discoloration. It could also be a symptom of a medical condition called acanthosis nigricans, which is a velvety brown discoloration that can be found over the neck, underarm or groin area. It is usually related to obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes.

Excessive sweating, poor hygiene, shaving, use of hair removal creams or deodorants with strong alcohol content that can irritate the skin can cause hyperpigmentation too.

'Dark underarms can give others the wrong impression of one's lack of personal grooming or hygiene,' says Daphne Tan, brand manager at Beiersdorf, the company that makes Nivea. The skincare brand's new deodorant, Nivea Deodorant Extra Whitening (below), promises fairer underarms and also has a pore-minimising effect, so they are smoother too. It comes in three formulas - a roll-on ($4.70), a spray ($9.10) and a stick ($6.70) which you can pick up from Guardian and Watsons stores.

Since shaving or hair removal is one of the causes of dark armpits, Cynthia Chua, director of hair removal specialist Strip, says Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) can also help lighten underarms. She says the light energy wave kills two birds with one zap: It weakens hair follicles as well as lightens pigmentation. Six sessions of IPL ($240 per session) should root out the problem.

This story was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on Feb 28, 2008.