Comments on: What is this substance that adheres to my armpit hair?

Question: What is this substance that adheres to my armpit hair?

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 08:08:53 -0800

What is this substance that adheres to my armpit hair? Sebum? How do I get rid of it?

This substance is dry, whitish-yellow and translucent. It builds up on my armpit hair and occasionally genital hair, and makes the hair appear rough and bumpy. It can be scraped off the hair by a pinched fingernail.

I don't wear deodorant or antiperspirant, so that isn't it. I wash daily, and scrub heartily. I've changed soaps several times since I noticed this. I kind of sweat a lot. I have occasionally shaved my armpit hair (I'm male) and it'll take a while for this substance to build up again, but it comes back.

Any suggestions for what it is and how to be rid of it?

By: orthogonality

orthogonality — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 08:46:41 -0800

Evaporated salt from sweat?

By: MonkeySaltedNuts

MonkeySaltedNuts — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 09:26:09 -0800

bacterial colonies?

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 09:34:37 -0800

Dried sweat.

By: Rash

Rash — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:25:16 -0800

I also don't wear deodorant or antiperspirant, and used to get this, too. It bothered me, so I'd cut of the offending hair (and this is why I own a pair of left-handed scissors, the only reason -- to trim my right pit). But I haven't noticed this phenomenon in over a decade, now. (I also sweat a lot, but maybe not as much now that I'm over 50 and a geezer?)

By: KRS

KRS — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:05:32 -0800

Do you use a stick-style deodorant? When I do, the stuff builds up exactly as you describe. I cut the matted clumps off with scissors and went back to a roll-on.

By: firstdrop

firstdrop — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:36:47 -0800

Google "Trichomycosis Axillaris"

By: chiababe

chiababe — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:37:38 -0800

KRS writes "Do you use a stick-style deodorant? When I do, the stuff builds up exactly as you describe. I cut the matted clumps off with scissors and went back to a roll-on."

See above.

"I don't wear deodorant or antiperspirant, so that isn't it."

By: shelleycat

shelleycat — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:08:14 -0800

I agree that it's dried sweat. My boyfriend gets it on his (balding) forehead after he exercises. The best way to stop it is probably to wear antipersperant.

By: shelleycat

shelleycat — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:10:22 -0800

Oh, note that sweat (particularly in those areas) carries both salt and sebum as well as water, and the build up will be a combination of all of them.

By: tomble

tomble — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:57:18 -0800

Not just dried sweat, but I would also guess some skin cells that have been sloughed off during the day combining to make a paste.