9 Proven Ways How to Lighten Dark Inner Thighs

Can you safely lighten dark inner thighs? The answer is yes.

Many treatments can keep your inner thighs light and even. However, how well they work will ultimately depend on what causes your dark inner thighs in the first place.

When you figure out what is causing the problem, you can try to control it. Then you can treat it effectively and figure out how to keep your inner thighs from getting darker again.

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First Step To Lighten Dark Inner Thighs

The first step in treating and managing dark inner thighs is to figure out what is causing it.

Check your daily habits first:

Are you wearing too tight clothing?

Do you chafe a lot or experience a lot of friction every day?
Are you using any skincare products that could be irritating your skin (soaps, lotions, etc)?
Is your skin dry and are you moisturizing enough?

Are you drinking enough water?
Have you been shaving that area every day and if so, are you shaving properly (using clean and proper tools)?

If none of these things seem to be the case, then you may need a medical check-up to see if any health problems could be causing your dark inner thighs, especially if you notice that other areas of your skin are also becoming progressively darker.

You should talk to your doctor about things like hormone balance, diabetes, thyroid function, any medications or supplements you might be taking, etc.

When you determine what is causing your dark inner thighs, then you can work on controlling it. Keeping the cause under control will help to keep the darkness from getting worse and once treated, will prevent it from coming back.

After you get a handle on the cause, you can move on to topical treatments and/or procedures to help reduce skin pigmentation.

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Treatments To Lighten Dark Inner Thighs

The gold standard treatment for stubborn hyperpigmentation is usually topical hydroquinone, which is a bleaching agent. However, before this, many people prefer to try less intense treatments, especially if their hyperpigmentation is not as severe.

Other than Hydroquinone, alternative treatments for hyperpigmentation include:

1- Glutathione

While many professionals use this safely, it is less well-studied than hydroquinone.

However, glutathione is thought to lighten the skin through numerous mechanisms including its antioxidant properties, the production of pheomelanin, the inhibition of tyrosinase activity and the transfer of tyrosinase, all of which reduce pigment production and deposition in the skin.

You can click here to learn more about using glutathione to lighten your skin.

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2– Retinoids

Retinol and retinoids work the same way on the inner thighs as other sensitive parts of the body. You can click here to learn more about using retinol for dark inner thighs.

3- Azelaic Acid

This is great for mild hyperpigmentation and things like dark spots and acne marks, but it can also be used on mild inner thigh hyperpigmentation.

The concept of treatment is the same. Click here to read about How to Use Azelaic Acid for Acne Scars & Dark Spots

4– Kojic Acid

Kojic acid works by inhibiting the catecholase activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme that is directly involved in melanin production in the skin.

This will work on the inner thighs in much the same way as other parts of the body. So, click here to read about Kojic Acid for Dark Inner Thighs

5- Cosmeceutical Agents like: Vitamin C, Niacinamide and Glycolic Acids.

These include things like arbutin, ascorbic acid, liquiritin, niacinamide, glycolic acid, etc. Many of these agents lighten and brighten the skin through antioxidants and inhibition of melanin production in some way or another.

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6- Chemical Peels

Chemical peels remove the top layer of the skin. Different ones can be used but the most common one is glycolic acid. The others include salicylic acid, Jessner’s solution, and trichloroacetic acid. However, which one is right for you should be advised by a dermatologist or skincare professional.

Click here to learn more about Chemical Peels for Dark Inner Thighs: What You Need to Know

7- Laser/Light Therapy

Laser and light therapy has been widely studied for hyperpigmentation and different kinds can be used. The one drawback is that it may not be suitable for people of color because of its risk of inducing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and making the condition worse.

8- Tranexamic Acid (TXA)

After several studies, the mechanism behind how TXA works for hyperpigmentation still needs to be fully understood.

However, it is believed that TXA inhibits UV-induced plasmin activity, causing a reduction in prostaglandins and arachidonic acid (active compounds in the body involved in melanin production). This ultimately leads to decreased tyrosinase activity and subsequent impaired pigment production.

You can click here to learn more about using TXA to lighten your skin.

9- Cysteamine

Through various studies, this is thought to produce its skin-lightening effects through various mechanisms, including the inhibition of tyrosinase and peroxidase, scavenging dopaquinone, and chelating metal ions required for melanin synthesis.

You can click here to learn more about using Cysteamine to lighten your skin.

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