A rash under the armpits is so irritating and worsens the quality of life. Learn what causes a rash, how to diagnose it, and how to treat it effectively.
What Causes a Rash Under Armpits?
The most common reason for developing an underarm rash is allergy. It could happen due to the reaction to various substances such as environmental allergens, food, personal care products, and clothing.
Environmental Allergens
The environment around you has a lot of hidden allergens that can cause skin irritation and rashes. Typical examples are dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and pollen. If you notice that you usually have this symptom in spring and summer, it means that maybe you’re allergic to pollen whose concentration in the air is maximal during these seasons.
Food Allergies
Another common reason is food allergy. It’s very tricky because people who have a rash under their armpits think first of other factors, such as reaction to what they wear or personal care products they use, rather than what they eat. Even though the connection is not clear at first glance, food allergies can often cause a skin reaction leading to rashes and hives in various areas, including the underarms.
Contact Dermatitis
If you have sensitive skin, it can react after contact with various substances which could lead to redness, itching, or contact dermatitis. There are cases when people cannot use particular personal care products such as deodorants, soaps, or perfumes because they contain chemicals that may cause an allergic reaction that leads to the appearance of a rash under arms.
Clothing Allergies
Check what you wear! Some materials used in clothing such as latex, rubber, or spandex could be a cause of an allergic reaction when they contact with the skin. The reaction can also be provoked by other chemicals and dyes in clothing. Furthermore, even decorative buttons on clothing can also cause if you’re allergic to nickel.
In all mentioned cases above it’s crucial to identify particular allergens and try to avoid them.
What Symptoms Accompany Rash Under Armpits?
As we already discussed, a rash under the armpits could be caused by an allergy to various factors such as food, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, pollen, chemicals in personal care products, and clothing materials. It could occur in parallel with other symptoms.
Itching
Annoying itching is the most common symptom that comes with a rash caused by allergy. It often intensifies at night or when armpits are scratched.
Redness
If the skin under the armpits turns red, changes color, or is inflamed, it could be a visible symptom of an allergy caused by direct contact with an allergen.
Bumps Or Blisters
In some cases, the area under the armpits might have bumps or blisters which are filled with clear fluid.
Swelling Or Warmth
If the immune system aggressively reacts to contacted substances, the skin under the armpits could become swollen or warm as a result of the inflammation.
Dryness or Flaking Skin
Rash under the armpits could be also accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms. The skin in that area may become dry and even start to peel or flake causing terrible discomfort.
Pain
The allergic irritation under the armpits could lead to pain as well. The pain could become even worse after moving arms or if the affected area is touched.
Odor
Sometimes people who have a rash under the armpits could also notice an unpleasant odor. It may be related to the breakdown of sweat by bacteria and yeast that live on the skin.
Fever
If a rash under the armpits is caused by severe allergy, you might also get a fever. This is a sign that you need to call for medical help immediately.
Bear in mind that if you’re dealing with any of the mentioned symptoms, you have to contact a doctor for proper diagnostics and treatment. A medical professional could identify if your symptoms are caused by an allergy or another condition.
How to Relieve Rash Under Armpits at Home?
Understanding the Cause
You shouldn’t start a systematic treatment without a clear understanding of the reason for causing a rash. The most common reason is an allergic reaction to food or environmental allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, or pollen. It could also happen after contact with chemicals from personal care products and some clothing materials.
Simple Advice
You can try the following advice to relieve the unpleasant symptoms caused by armpit rash.
- Use Cold Compresses. Apply a cold compress (ice pack, cold spoon, cloth soaked in cold water) to the affected area for 10-15 minutes. Don’t forget to place a clean cloth between the cold compress and the skin.
- Apply the Gel from Aloe Vera. This plant is well-known for its soothing effect on the skin. It can help to significantly reduce itching. Apply the gel from the plant to the affected area.
- Try Another Deodorant. If you’re allergic to your current deodorant, use a hypoallergenic one.
- Don’t Scratch. Even though the itchiness can be unbearable, scratching the affected area can worsen itchiness and other symptoms. Moreover, it could lead to an infection.
What To Do If It Doesn’t Help?
If this annoying symptom is caused by food or environmental allergies and the advice above doesn’t help, you can try an allergy immunotherapy, which has been proven effective in treating rashes. Curex, a leading allergy clinic in this field, provides effective treatment of allergies that cause skin reactions.
Sublingual immunotherapy, also known as allergy drops, involves introducing small quantities of allergens into a body. This trains an immune system to become less reactive to allergens over time. Curex has a highly skilled team of clinicians dedicated to providing high-quality, personalized care for patients with allergies. They’ll identify the allergens that trigger your symptoms and create a personalized treatment plan.
How to Prevent Rash Under Armpits?
Maintain Good Hygiene Practices
It’s important not only to wash the armpits regularly but also to choose the right hygiene products. Use mild, unscented soap, as strong fragrances can worsen the rash.
Keep the armpits dry. Moisture can lead to skin irritation. Use hypoallergenic deodorant.
Choose clothes made from breathable materials such as cotton instead of synthetics. It can help reduce sweating and friction, which lowers the chances of a rash.
Change your lifestyle by switching to a healthy diet and starting regular exercise.
These practices can help in some cases, however, if your rash is a symptom of an allergic reaction, it’s better to consider starting the allergy treatment.
Starting The Allergy Treatment
The most efficient, safe, and convenient treatment for rash under the armpit caused by an allergic reaction is sublingual immunotherapy. It’s also called allergy drops. The process is easy, you can train your immune system by taking drops that contain small amounts of allergens. Thanks to that, over time, your body will become less sensitive to allergens. The leading allergy clinic in this field is Curex. Its clinicians offer a personalized treatment plan and help to get rid of allergies and their symptoms.
How to Recognize a Medical Emergency in Case of Rash Under Armpits?
Recognizing a Medical Emergency
A rash under your armpits could indicate contact dermatitis. It happens when your skin contact with an allergen. For example, if you started to use a different soap or deodorant, or began to wear new clothing made from a different material. But sometimes it could be a sign of a more severe allergic reaction.
Bear in mind that it’s crucial to identify when a rash becomes a medical emergency because this allergic reaction could worsen and lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical help.
Warning Sings
Shortness of breath. If you experience this symptom, it may indicate anaphylaxis. This severe allergic reaction can cause your airways to narrow.
Swelling of the face, lips, or tongue. Rapid swelling in these areas can signal a severe allergic reaction.
Rapid Pulse or Fainting. A rapid or weak pulse or fainting could be also a symptom of severe allergy.
Nausea or Vomiting. Unexpected gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea could also point to a severe allergy.
If you experience any of these symptoms along with the rash under your armpits, get emergency medical care right away.
Curex Helps to Prevent Medical Emergency by Managing Your Allergies
Proper management of allergies can help prevent severe reactions that require urgent medical care. The most efficient way for that is sublingual immunotherapy because it helps to deal with the root cause of your allergies. Curex, the leading allergy clinic, has got you covered.
Curex offers convenient and efficient immunotherapy that involves gradually exposing your immune system to small amounts of allergens that cause your allergies. It helps your body build tolerance to allergens. Curex clinicians will prepare a customized plan for your treatment and will control the improvement of your symptoms.
How to Treat Allergy-Related Rash Under Armpits?
The process of treating the rash under the armpits, caused by allergies, is not easy. It’s important to find which allergen is a reason for this reaction, try to fully avoid that allergen, and choose the right treatment to get rid of this symptom.
Identify and Eliminate the Allergen
First of all, it’s crucial to identify the particular allergens that cause the rash. Try to remember after which actions it usually appears. Pay attention to your diet. If this symptom occurs after you eat something particular, it means you’re dealing with a food allergy. Or maybe you experience it only during spring, which could indicate that the cause is an allergic reaction to pollen.
Very often the rash under the armpits could appear after direct contact with an allergen to the skin. For example, it could happen after using a new personal care product, such as deodorant, antiperspirant, or soap.
Once you find what causes the rash, try not to contact with that allergens to prevent the worsening of symptoms.
Use Topical and Oral Treatments
To reduce itching and inflammation, in some cases, it’s possible to use topical creams or ointments. Antihistamines can also help relieve itching.
Don’t forget to follow the instructions from the manufacturer carefully.
Ask a Doctor
If nothing works and the rash starts to be even worse over time, it’s very important to consult with a doctor to identify allergens and get the right medication.
Start to Take Allerg Drops
If you know that the rash is caused by food or environmental (pollen, dust, pet dander, mold spores) allergens, it’s time to consider starting sublingual immunotherapy, which is also called allergy drops. Curex is a groundbreaking allergy immunotherapy clinic, offering personalized treatment plans that can help to reduce the severity of your allergic reactions over time. Using advanced diagnostics, Curex can help to identify the specific allergens causing the rash under your armpits.
Curex immunotherapy treatment works by introducing small amounts of allergens into your body, allowing your immune system to gradually get used to it. Over time, this treatment results in your immune system reacting less severely to allergens, thereby reducing the intensity of allergic reactions that cause underarm rashes.
To sum it up, treating the allergy-related rash under your armpits involves figuring out which allergens cause an allergy, avoiding those, using the right medication to relieve the symptoms, and using sublingual immunotherapy prescribed by a trusted allergy clinic like Curex.
