How to get rid of deodorant armpit rash

Let’s talk about your armpits, shall we?

It’s this hollow little place under your arm, and you have two of them. We know that armpits are not the most intriguing place on your body, but a lot of stuff goes on in that little hollow. There’s armpit hair, a lot of sweat glands, and they are kind of something you sometimes pay attention to throughout the day, especially if they’re sweaty. 

So, what happens when you notice a rash in the armpit area? 

First, that sucks, and we’re sorry you’ve got a rash thing going on. Anytime there is moisture and pieces of skin rubbing together in an area, rashes can happen, and they are a pain in the ass. Or armpit in this case.  

Armpit rashes are like any other rash you might get on your body. They are uncomfortable, they itch or even hurt, and they are caused by an irritation or your body reacting badly to something. Armpit rashes are also usually red, and it might even sting when you wash or apply more deodorant to the area. Sweating and moisture will most likely make your armpit rash more inflamed and itchy/painful.  

There are a few things that can cause armpit rashes, but the most common is actually deodorant. Although deodorant is meant to help out our armpits, or rather, help the stank coming from our armpit area, it can actually cause our sensitive armpit skin to get really unhappy.

How does deodorant create underarm rashes?

The most common situation regarding deodorant being the culprit of armpit rash is actually the ingredients used in the deodorant. 

Deodorants nowadays are usually what you’ll see on the label as a deodorant/antiperspirant. Deodorants and antiperspirants are actually two separate substances, but modern science has allowed for them to be combined to be the superpowers of the armpit space. 

Deodorant is there to prevent and even mask the odors wafting from your pits due to all those lovely sweat glands. Deodorants can be made of a lot of crazy stuff that makes them anti-microbial and all smelly-good. They are antimicrobial because the stinkiness coming from your pits is actually caused by sweat being consumed by little bacteria monsters living in that area of your body. The bacteria feed on your sweat and that reaction is quite smelly for something that is microscopic. Color us impressed by what bacteria can do. Small, but mighty, indeed. 

Anyway, deodorant reduces those little bacteria buggers and is scented to help out a guy. If you can’t fight them completely, might as well cover them up with fragrance. 

Antiperspirants, on the other hand, actually reduce the sweating in the armpits. These are made of super-strong ingredients that serve to block your sweat glands, or at least block a good chunk of them. Less sweat equals less yumminess for those bacteria friends in your armpits. All of that means less odor (in theory). 

In our modern world, many companies have combined these two substances to create antiperspirant deodorants. 

Now that we’ve dropped some science knowledge bombs on you, where does the rash piece come into play?

Whelp, unfortunately for a lot of companies, they think this science stuff means that you need to create something that is full of harsh chemicals for it to work. A ton of deodorants and antiperspirants on the markets right now contain ingredients that cause skin irritation:

• Propylene glycol  
• Unnatural fragrances 
• Parabens 
• Lanolin 
• Aluminum 
• Other preservatives that give the product a longer shelf life (but do not give your armpits a relief)
• Dyes  

In addition to causing irritation, a lot of the ingredients listed above actually are known skin allergens. Sometimes a rash is more than just an annoyance, it’s an actual allergic reaction. 

This is a huge reason why MANSCAPED™ products focus on the natural good-good. Take our UltraPremium Deodorant for example. 

You see what we did there? 

It’s like we have the correct products for the job, my man. We not only care about making you smell nice, but we care about that sensitive underarm skin of yours. We’re like your mom, but we will actually talk to you about your stinkiness, and your balls, but that’s another article and another set of products. 

Anyway, our UltraPremium Deodorant is aluminum free, paraben free, formaldehyde free, phthalate free, and dye free. Oh, and it’s also cruelty free and vegan because we love the animals and all that. 

We use NATURAL ingredients in our products, just like the cavemen of old. Well, at least in our minds they would. 

Natural products that work with your body, not against it. Natural products that are smooth and soothing. 

Our deodorant also includes our signature Refined™ cologne-quality fragrance so you also smell nice. Just for mama. Or your partner. Or your boss. Or your friends. WE JUST MAKE YOU SMELL NICE!

OH! It’s also clear—boom, baby! No white deodorant marks on your clothes, my friend. We’re classy like that.  

How do you know if you’re suffering from deodorant rash?

How to know if you’re suffering from deodorant rash? Well, we’ve got nine steps to help you out. 

Step 1 - Walk to a bathroom. Preferably a bathroom in the privacy of your own home (you will see why in step 2). 

Step 2 - Take off your shirt. Hence, why at home. Not to say your co-workers do not want to see your awesome man-bod, but maybe, just maybe your nipples should stay out of the workplace. 

Step 3 - Stand in front of the mirror.

Step 4 - Lift one arm.

Step 5 - Zoom in on your armpit. Does anything look red? 

Step 6 - Put your current arm that is up, down. 

Step 7 - Lift your other arm.

Step 8 - Zoom in on your other armpit. Hmmmm??? Anything weird?

Step 9 - Put your other arm down and step away. 

Thank you for going through our nine-step process. 

If you’re noticing anything red or pinkish or SEE an actual irritation going on when you zoom in on those lovely pits of yours, odds are you’ve got a little issue going on. 

The other obvious symptom of an armpit rash is that the thing is bloody annoying. It stings, it itches, and it’s irritated when your skin rubs together. It hurts a little when you wash your armpits, when you dry your armpits, and when you apply deodorant. 

There are a few other extremely visible symptoms to tell you something not-so-good is going on under there:

• Bumps 
• Blisters 
• Flaking 
• Peeling

How to get rid of armpit rash from deodorant

So, now that we’ve reviewed what armpit rash is, what it looks like, what it can feel like, and what is most likely the cause of said rash, let’s get rid of that sucker. 

The best way to get rid of a rash that is caused by a substance with harsh chemicals is to stop using that substance. Throw away that chemically induced, mass-produced deodorizing/antiperspirant deodorant of yours. Change to something more natural (cough, cough UltraPremium Deodorant, cough).   

Changing products will often have an immediate effect on the area and you should feel relief quite quickly. It might take a few days for the rash to clear up because a rash is a wound and wounds take time to heal, but you should definitely notice it going away if that’s the problem. 

We love natural ingredients and it’s not just for our products, we love them for fixing issues with your body as well. Natural ingredients make great home remedies for things like skin rashes and skin reactions to allergens:

• Aloe vera
• Tea tree oil
• Coconut oil
• Baking soda paste
• Oatmeal bath
• Calamine lotion 

You can find all of these at a local pharmacy and do not need a prescription. These products are also great for non-armpit area issues. If you pay attention to our MANSCAPED™ ingredient list you will also see a lot of these included across our product line as well, especially aloe vera. It’s a beautiful plant. Just lovely. We should make t-shirts…   

Note: We recommend switching up your deodorant first before trying a home remedy because you need to see if switching products will quickly fix the situation on its own. You do not want to have too much going on in the area because you need to see if changing your deodorant actually works first. Fewer variables. 

Non-deodorant armpit rash culprits

At the end of the day, deodorant might not be causing your armpit rash issues. It's time to bring in the big guns because some of these issues involve a little more than switching up your deodorant or using more natural products. 

Have you ever heard of intertrigo?  

Intertrigo, in a nutshell, is a super inflamed area of your body caused by skin-to-skin rubbing, heat, and moisture. 

Your armpits are the perfect area for an intertrigo inflammation situation. They are located in an area of skin-rubbage, are sweaty so they are moist, and have little airflow throughout the day because they are in a hold under your arm against your body and in a shirt (usually a double shirt). Meaning, they get all hot and juicy throughout the day. Welcome to armpit land. 

This inflammation can cause a lot of damage and can create hotspots on your underarm skin. These hotspots are actually caused because the surface layer of your skin is being rubbed raw, meaning it’s being rubbed OFF. 

Remember all those little bacteria friends of yours that live in your armpits? Oh, yeah, they love raw skin. More specifically, they love to multiply and take full advantage of that raw skin. All this causes is more redness, more irritation, and you’re starting to see the bigger problem unfolding. 

Oh! Did you know that your skin also has fungi on it? Like all the time and all over the place? 

Typically, the fungus did not cause any issues and it can be cleaned/washed off your skin just like dirt and germs. BUT, these little guys ALSO love raw skin. Fungi can multiply super fast just like bacteria can and they can actually cause serious infections. 

If the intertrigo under a person’s arms is bad enough, it can actually turn into a bacteria or fungal infection. Infections are immune system issues and oftentimes you need a prescription ointment or medication to clear up the infection. 

Besides your armpits, intertrigo can actually happen in quite a few places throughout a person’s body:

• Neck creases
• In the folds of the chest or belly
• Between your buttocks (love that skin-to-skin rubbage that is the butt crack)
• In your groin area around your stick and berries
• Inner thighs
• Between your little piggies (AKA your toes)

The best way to prevent inflammation issues like intertrigo from becoming larger issues like infections is to practice good hygiene, keep your bits dry, and use good products to protect yourself.