Skinrepublic

Dear Dr. Tan,

I would like to ask about chicken skin on my armpits. How do I get rid of it?

Grace

Dear Grace,

This is a very common question. Women who pluck or wax often get the appearance of chicken skin in the underarm area. This is because the entire hair shaft is extracted, causing the follicle’s opening to be enlarged and the area around the follicle to pucker up. Shaving is a better option because it is less likely to produce the chicken skin appearance. However, shaving is popularly believed to produce “thicker” hair and darken underarm area. All depilating methods mentioned above can also cause folliculitis. This happens when red, angry bumps appear in your armpits.

The only real solution is to do permanent laser hair removal. Though it sounds costly, laser hair removal is not as expensive as it once was. It is worth investing in. Expenses for razors, waxing, medicine for irritation or infection, peels or bleaches for whitening, are forever gone. The newer diode machines are very safe and effective. Make sure it is your dermatologist configuring the settings and performing the procedure.   You want a fast, safe and painless laser hair removal. Hope your chicken skin improves soon!