6 Causes of Dark Inner Thigh & How To Lighten Them?

It’s true that anyone can experience dark inner thighs, irrespective of what the skin tone someone has. There might be several causes of dark inner thigh. Let us read the following array of the article and know what causes dark inner thigh and also know how to lighten them.

Dark inner thighs occur due to an excessive production of the melanin pigment (the pigment that offers the skin its color) on the inner thigh. This process of abundant melanin production is known as Hyperpigmentation. The discoloration of your dark inner thighs can even stretch into the groin or bikini area.

Some of the causes of dark inner thighs or the discoloration due to hyperpigmentation include:

Obesity can result in dark inner thigh. When you are overweight your thighs rub against each other while you walk; and this may result in discoloration as well as itchy skin known as chaffing. In order to avoid this, you must wear shorts that would cover thighs under your dresses and your legs won’t rub together directly.

Dark inner thigh can also be due to hormonal imbalance. Some women may notice dark inner thigh during their menstrual periods. Moreover, hormonal changes from pregnancy can also result in darkening of the inner thigh.

Excess of sweat and too tight clothes can also result in darker inner thighs. Friction caused by this can be lead to dark inner thigh. You must wear breathable fabrics.

There are certain medications that can result in skin color changes and thus cause dark inner thigh. These medications include the oral contraceptives and some chemotherapy medications. You must ask the doctor for any alternatives if you require.

Acanthosis nigricans is a medical condition which makes dark patches and results in discoloration on the skin. You must seek medical help for getting rid of the condition and thus from the dark inner thighs caused due to this condition.

There are also some other causes of dark inner thigh. They include, excessive exposure to sun, dry skin and diabetes mellitus.

We will talk about some of the home remedies as well as some medical treatments to lighten the dark inner thighs. You can try out any of these methods. However, it is always essential for you to consult with your doctor if you are taking any kind of medical treatment or any medication for your condition.

Orange Peel Orange peel has bleaching and slight exfoliating properties; and these properties help in lightening the dark inner thighs. For using this as a home remedy you need to prepare a powder of dried peels of orange and add at least 2 teaspoons of the powder to rose water for preparing a thick paste. You then have to add some raw honey to this thick paste and apply the paste on your darker inner thighs and allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes before you rinse it with cold water. Repeating this 2-3 times in a week would give you great results.

Aloe Vera. There is an excellent home remedy to lighten dark inner thighs and that is the Aloe vera gel. This can soothe the irritated and chafed skin. It contains Aloin, which is known to be a potential skin lightener. Simply apply the aloe vera gel on the affected area and allow it to soak in to the skin. You must keep in mind that you do not have to rinse it off once you applied.

Sugar Scrub. Sugar is known to exfoliate our skin; and exfoliating the skin may help in lightening the dark skin that is caused by a buildup of your dead skin cells. To make this home remedy to lighten dark inner thighs, you have to mix 1 teaspoon of sugar, fresh juice of a lemon and a tablespoon of raw honey and gently scrub this prepared mixture on your dark inner thighs before rinsing it off to remove the scrub.

Oatmeal And Yogurt Scrub. Oatmeal is used for treating eczema and several other inflammatory conditions of the skin. Oatmeal is also known to act as an exfoliant. Yogurt, being rich in lactic acid, may also work in improving the skin health. For creating your own oatmeal and yogurt scrub you need to prepare a paste out of equal parts of yogurt and oatmeal. Then, you need to apply this paste to the dark inner thigh and scrub it gently before washing it off.

Lemon. Lemon works as a bleaching agent for the skin and can be a useful home remedy to lighten dark inner thighs. Cut one lemon in half and rub it on your dark inner thigh for at least 15-20 minutes. Finally wash it off. Repeat this regularly for best results. You can apply coconut or olive oil afterwards, as lemon can dry your skin.

Coconut Oil And Lemon Juice. Lemons contain rich amount of vitamin C and this help in treating hyperpigmentation. While, coconut oil work as a moisturizer and it may help in keeping your thighs soft. So, you can prepare a scrub with coconut oil and lemon juice. For making the scrub you need to mix a few tablespoons of coconut oil with lemon juice from half a lemon and rub this mixture on the affected area and massage it for 10 minutes or even longer before washing it off.

Almonds. Almonds can also be used as a home remedy to lighten dark inner thighs. These are loaded with Vitamin E and thus are beneficial in brightening the dark skin, moisturizing the dry skin and also in repairing the damaged skin. For using this as a remedy to lighten dark inner thigh, you need to add almond powder and honey in milk and prepare a scrub paste to be applied on the inner thigh and then allow it to dry for few minutes before you rinse the scrub off. Repeating this at least 3 times in a week would help you in lightening the dark inner thighs.

Yogurt And Lemon. Yogurt and lemon together can work as a wonderful home remedy to lighten dark inner thighs. Mix yogurt and lemon juice for preparing a thick paste and apply it gently to the dark inner thighs. Leave it for 20 minutes and then wash the area and pat dry.

Baking Soda. It is believed that baking soda might help in exfoliating and lightening the dark skin. So, you can also try out this remedy for lightening the dark inner thighs.

However, you have to use this home remedy with caution as baking soda might be very harsh for your skin and could irritate the skin and worsen the condition.

For using baking soda as a remedy to lighten dark inner thighs, you have to take equal parts of water and the baking soda and prepare a paste to be applied to the dark inner thighs just like you would apply the scrub to your face or your body. You need to leave it at least for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water.

Powdered Milk And Honey. Powdered milk along with honey can also work as an excellent home remedy to lighten dark inner thigh. For using this as a remedy, you have to mix 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of powdered milk along with 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and prepare a thick paste out of it. You can apply this paste to the affected areas by adding a few drops of the almond oil so as to lighten the dark skin color.

Potatoes. Rubbing potatoes is an age old home remedy for treating dark spots on the skin. It is believed that an enzyme, known as Catecholase, present in potatoes, can help in lightening the dark skin. So, you can try this remedy to lighten dark inner thighs. Simply slice one potato, rub the one slice of potato over the affected area at least, for 15 minutes or even longer. Finally wash the area gently.

Lose Weight If Required. If you are overweight and your weight is known to be the cause of your dark inner thighs, then you must try and lose your weight with proper guided workouts and diet.

OTC Medications. There are several OTC medications that claim in lightening dark skin. Some of these OTC treatments contain natural ingredients such as soy, ellagic acid, niacinamide and lignin peroxidase. However, there are also some ingredients used in certain OTC treatments which may result in allergic reaction in few people. Such ingredients include kojic, arbutin and licorice. It is always essential for you to talk to your dermatologist before trying any OTC product for lightening your dark inner thighs.

Prescription Ointments. You can try some prescription ointments if home remedies and OTC treatments do not help. Some of the prescription ointments include the retinoid and hydroquinone products.

Retinoids. Retonoid products are based on Vitamin A and retinoids, like retinoic acid, regulates the growth of skin cell and are a potential option for treating hyperpigmentation of skin. You must use a retinoid product for several months so as to see the desired results.

Hydroquinone. A cream containing hydroquinone is the standard treatment for skin that is used to bleach. It is available in small concentrations in OTC products; however your dermatologist would prescribe you with higher concentrations of hydroquinone so as to help you get better result. It must be noted that creams containing hydroquinone must only be used for short time period and only with a dermatologist’s prescription.

Laser Treatment. Laser treatment is a skin lightening procedure and can help in reducing skin pigmentation without any scarring. You must discuss with your dermatologist about the appropriate treatment you require.

Having dark inner thigh is common and it is not harmful for your health. If you are suffering from the same, do try the home remedies, and follow the medical treatments to lighten them. Apart from this, always keep the area clean and dry, avoid chafing and also limit excessive sun exposure which can help you in preventing dark inner thighs.

References:

Also Read:

• 5 Exercises to Strengthen Inner Thigh
• Boils on Inner Thigh: Causes, Risk Factors, Symptoms, Treatment, Home Remedies, Prognosis