Causes of Dark Inner Thighs & Tips to Prevent

Dark inner thighs are usually a result of hyperpigmentation of the skin in that area which can be caused by a variety of things.

How it is treated and how well it responds to treatment depends on what causes it in the first place.

So how do you know what kind of hyperpigmentation you have on your inner thighs, what caused it, and how to manage it?

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How To Prevent Dark Inner Thighs

The best way to prevent dark inner thighs is to control causes and risk factors and to be consistent with continuous treatments.

Here are a few specific things you can do:

Make sure that your skin is well moisturized and healthy.

Drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated.
Avoid wearing too-tight clothes
Try to reduce friction

Use thigh deodorants and antiperspirants (Click here to read about Best Deodorants & Antiperspirants For Between Your Thighs)
Avoid using products that irritate your skin
Keep track of any health conditions that you may have

Pay attention to the side effects of medications that you use
If you are using lightening treatments, stay consistent

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Causes Of Dark Inner Thighs

Dark inner thighs and hyperpigmentation can be caused by many factors including:

1- Chafing & Friction

The constant rubbing together of your skin, especially in us thicker ladies, can cause the skin to become chafed and irritated.

This consistent irritation causes the skin to become darker and darker, and even thicker as it evolves to heal and protect itself. Chafing can become so bad that the skin breaks and even becomes sore.

2- Acanthosis Nigricans & Diabetes

Insulin resistance, which is a common issue in people with diabetes, causes increased thickening and melanin production in areas of the skin that are thicker, and that have more creases and folds. One of the most common areas is the groin and inner thighs.

3- Hormonal Imbalance

Hormone imbalance also affects the way that the skin produces pigment. Areas like the inner thighs that are more sensitive, and high-friction are usually most affected along with other areas like the armpits, necks, elbow creases, etc.

4- Medications

Certain medications cause hyperpigmentation in the skin. Especially in high-friction areas like the inner thighs.

According to studies, some of the main drugs implicated in causing skin pigmentation are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antimalarials, amiodarone, cytotoxic drugs, tetracyclines, heavy metals and psychotropic drugs.

5- Shaving

Shaving can be quite traumatic for the skin, especially if you do not prep, exfoliate and hydrate your skin properly before and after.

If you do not shave properly, using a clean and proper razor, you can end up with razor burns and bumps and irritated skin that ends up healing with scars and darkened patches.

You can click here to learn more about shaving and dark inner thighs.

6- Tight Clothing

Tight clothing can chafe the skin and cause irritation. Some clothes and even underwear rub against the skin with movement that causes it to become bruised.

When the skin heals, especially if this happens daily, the area becomes darker and darker, and sometimes even thickened.

7- Skin Trauma (injuries and infections)

Any trauma to the skin, like skin infections, injuries like cuts, bruises, chafing, or anything that causes the skin to peel or break, can cause hyperpigmentation. As the skin heals, it scars and more melanin is produced around the area.

8- Dry Skin

If you have chronic dry skin, then the flaking, itchiness, and irritation can cause the skin to become darker as it heals and becomes irritated over and over. This gets worse over time if you do not moisturize your skin and if the skin continues to rub against each side.

9- Sun Damage

Even though the inner thighs might be covered most of the time, there are instances where they can become sun-damaged. If you wear shorts and go out into the sun a lot or if you go to the beach a lot. You should ALWAYS use an SPF, even on your inner thighs. The friction also just makes the area even more sensitive.

10- Genetics

Unfortunately, sometimes, our risk of developing hyperpigmentation in areas like the inner thighs also increases with genetics.

Chances of developing conditions like diabetes, hormone imbalance and others that cause hyperpigmentation also increase with genetic predisposition. This means that if your parents and grandparents have it, you are most likely to develop it as well.

Do dark inner thighs go away with weight loss?

Weight loss can help to reduce the appearance of dark inner thighs.

This is because losing weight will help to tone your legs and skin and reduce friction. Weight loss also helps to improve conditions like hormone imbalance, diabetes and insulin resistance, all of which can cause dark inner thighs.

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