How To Get Rid Of Dark Elbows
This article was co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD. Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 18 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,330,356 times.
Sun exposure and a buildup of dead skin cells can cause the skin on your elbows to appear darker than the skin on the rest of your body. If this is bothersome during the summer months or you are embarrassed to be seen in a T-shirt, don’t fret! There are several natural remedies and skin care techniques which will help you rid yourself of worrisome dark coloration on your elbows and knees!
The Most Common Causes For Dark Knees And Elbows
Are you tired of dark skin patches on your knees and elbows? Dark patches can technically appear on any part of our body and the skin on our knees and elbows is much more vulnerable due to the lack of care and attention these areas generally get. In some cases, discoloration is totally avoidable, but in other cases its not. In this blog, well explore the common reasons for skin discoloration, as well as ways you can avoid it.
Dry Patches On Knees & How To Get Rid Of Them
Many people mistake dry, rough patches on their knees for dry skin. No matter what kind of moisturizer they try, the dry patches on their knees don’t seem to go away. Is it due to dry skin, or is there another culprit? Dr. Schultz explains that the dry patches on your knees aren’t actually dry skin, it may just be due to flaking. Flaking does often mean dry skin but it is actually the final result of many different processes, one of which is inflammation of the skin and another is thickening of the skin. So how do you get rid of dry skin on your knees? You should try exfoliants, which will try to eat through and dissolve the thickened skin. Next time you experience dry skin on your elbows or knees and moisturizer doesn’t seem to help, try a gentle chemical exfoliant to treat the issue.
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A Ayurvedic And Home Remedies
Ayurveda recommends the use of herbs and ingredients that naturally inhibit excess melanocyte activity, enhance cell regeneration and remove harmful Ama toxins from your body which is often the major cause for hyperpigmentation.
1. Milk, Turmeric And Sandalwood
The ancient Ayurvedic texts cite the amazing powers of raw turmeric and sandalwood in improving skin tone. With the presence of curcumin in turmeric and santalol in sandalwood, these powerful herbs prevent excess melanin production in your skin. Milk containing lactic acid helps exfoliate dead skin and make your dark knees and elbows appear brighter.
How To Use
To get rid of dark knees and elbows, mix raw turmeric paste, sandalwood powder with milk and apply to the affected skin. Leave it on for half an hour and wash off with lukewarm water.
2. Yashtimadhu, Kesar And Honey
Glabridin , a natural hyperpigmentation reducing compound present in Yashtimadhu makes it a popular dark knees and elbows treatment. Combined with the skin lightening properties of Kesar and the moisturizing effects of honey, this Ayurvedic pack is capable of helping you get rid of dark knees and elbows in 10 days.
How To Use
Soak kesar in honey and add yashtimadhu powder to it. Apply on your dark knees and elbows to reduce hyperpigmentation. Wash off after 30 minutes.
3. Jatiphala And Coconut Oil
How To Use
Grind jatiphala into a coarse powder. Add mild-warm coconut oil and exfoliate your dark knees and elbows.
4. Lemon Juice And Sugar
How To Use
Everybody Wants To Have An Even Skin Tone Especially When It Comes To The Knuckles Elbows And Knees
But this is not always the caseand even if, sometimes, it does happen with the body, the knuckles, elbows, and knees are usually left out.
The reason for this is because the skin around the elbows and knees are usually thicker than the skin surrounding it. Additionally, it has more folds and tends to be much drier because those parts do not produce oil.
Owing to these, lack of proper hygiene can result in having darker elbows and knees. But be that has it may, studies have shown that there are natural ways to lighten dark elbows and knees.
So, if you want to get rid of your dark elbows and knees, read on to find out the best possible ways to go about it.
Here are five natural ways to lighten dark elbows and knees
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How To Get Rid Of Dark Spots On Knees
Dark spots on the knees are usually caused by a hyperpigmentation that occurs when the skin is too thick or dry. You can get rid of these dark spots by taking time each week to give your knees the care that they need to stop looking so dark, dry and rough, and go back to looking supple and flesh-colored 1. Use items you likely already have to treat and remove your dark knee spots.
Cut a lemon in half, and rub the pulp and juice over the darkened spots on your knees. Avoid any open cuts or sores, as the acidity of the lemon will sting the skin. Leave the lemon juice on the knees for 10 minutes and let it stay on your skin as you proceed to the next step.
Exfoliate the dead skin from your knees. The darkness is likely caused by your skin becoming thick and dry in that area. The skin on your knees, elbows and feet is naturally thicker and drier than elsewhere on your body because of the amount of strain these areas go through. Use a store-bough exfoliating cream or mix one yourself from brown sugar and olive oil. Rub in circular motions and rinse away.
Rinse away the lemon juice and exfoliating cream. Pat dry with a towel, then apply a rich, emollient moisturizer that’s especially formulated for extra dry skin.When the area has been coated, cover it with plastic wrap to make sure that the lotion is completely absorbed by the skin. When it has absorbed, remove the plastic wrap and discard.
Tips
Potato For Dark Knees
Image: Shutterstock
A potato
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once or twice daily for best results.
Why This Works
Potatoes possess mild bleaching properties that lighten dark spots and dark skin. They also nourish and brighten dry and dull skin .
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Apply this pack every alternate day.
Why This Works
Gram flour exfoliates and removes the dead skin cells on your knees and elbows . Yogurt lightens the skin tone and also nourishes it .
Use these remedies and you no longer have to be embarrassed by your dark knees and dark elbows. Lets now take a look at what causes dark knees and elbows.
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Use A Thick Body Butter Overnight For Deep Hydration
Compared to lotions, body butters are thicker formulas designed to deeply moisturize your skin. Since body butters tend to be richer than lotion, apply body butter at night so it has time to soak into your skin. You can also use this type of moisturizer as a spot treatment on dry areas like your knees and elbows.
How To Prevent Dark Skin On Knees And Elbows
1. Moisturize daily. There is no better way to keep the skin on your elbows and knees soft and smooth. Moisturizers prevent dry skin, keep the epidermal barrier intact and help heal dark knees and elbows.
2. Wear sunscreen. Limit your exposure to the sun to prevent the darkening of your knees and elbows.
3. Avoid leaning on your elbows or sitting on your knees to prevent friction related hyperpigmentation.
4. Treat injuries or infections on your knees and elbows without delay. Long term inflammation can result in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
5. People with chronic inflammatory skin conditions like eczema should take precautions to prevent flare-ups which may cause darkening on knees and elbows.
6. Exfoliate frequently to avoid dead skin and dirt build-up which may make your knees and elbows appear dark.
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Why Does Skin Get Darker On Knees And Elbows
Your knees and elbows are one of the most exposed areas in your body. This makes the skin there more prone to friction, injury and other skin conditions. People with dark knees and elbows have skin that feels rough, patchy and pigmented.
According to Ayurveda, the texture, glow and health of your skin is determined by the levels of the three Doshas that govern our body functions. A Vata-Pitta Dosha aggravation may affect the appearance of your skin in certain areas leading to the occurrence of dark knees and elbows.
Home Remedies To Remove Calluses On Knees
Many people feel embarrassed due to unsightly appearance of calluses on their knees. In majority of cases calluses on knee does not require treatment. However, with home care measures you can get rid of them easily. Identifying the underlying cause and correcting it will help the callous to heal faster.
- The basic is to keep the callous skin moist. Over a period of time applying moisturizer will soften the callous.
- Also soak your knees regularly with warm soapy water. It helps to soften the callous. After soaking rub the area with your finger or a wash cloth. You can also rub gently with a moist pumice stone. Daily rub the area for few minutes. It removes the dead skin cells and makes the callus soft. Apply petroleum jelly or coconut oil regularly after using pumice stone.
- To prevent further worsening protect your knee from friction and rubbing. Use knee pad to prevent pressure on knees.
- If you are diabetic, do not try to treat calluses at home. There is risk of infection which may be difficult to cure. Consult your doctor when you want to remove calluses.
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Protege Beauty Luminate Skin Lightening Cream
It is a one-stop solution for all kinds of skin darkening. Protege Beauty Luminate Skin Lightening Cream is a natural skin lightener reduces dark spots and age spots, uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation with arbutin, kojic acid and niacinamide on knees, elbows and other body parts like face, neck, decollete, armpits or intimate areas. The special blend of leading-edge ingredients and antioxidants penetrate deeply to naturally block darkening pigments from forming and allowing lighter skin cells to form instead.
The Reasons For Dark Elbows And Knees
The skin of the knees, elbows, and underarms are naturally darker than other parts. Moreover, these things can also add some extra discoloration to these skin areas.
Accumulation of dead skin cells, psoriasis, birth control pills, eczema, melasma, age spots, freckles, exposure to the dirt, cloth friction, dryness, sunlight, etc.
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Can Baking Soda Help In Treating Dark Elbows And Knees
Baking soda is not advised for skin lightening as it does more harm than good.
Applying baking soda to the skin can cause dryness, alter the pH, and even disbalance the skins microflora, increasing the risk of infections. It can also cause redness, burning, and skin rashes.
Moreover, there is no scientific evidence that suggests the effectiveness of baking soda in lightening the skin.
Black Spots On Legs Feet & Ankles
In most of the cases, hyperpigmentation is related to black spots on legs, feet, and other body parts. Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its colour, and when produced in excess, it can lead to dark brown spots on the thighs, knees, legs, feet, ankles and even toes. These spots can range from black dots to large brown patches on the legs.
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Lemon And Baking Soda
Lemon is an excellent skin lightening ingredient. It’s packed with antioxidants and vitamin C which promote skin regeneration and improve skin complexion. Baking soda acts as a gentle and effective cleanser for whitening dark areas of skin.
- Take a lemon and cut it into 2 halves.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp of baking soda on top of the lemon.
- Rub your elbows and knees for 1 minute.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash off with warm water.
Repeat once every 2 days for a desired effect.
Tips For Preventing Dark Elbows And Knees
- Use sunscreen regularly.
- Apply moisturizers after showers to reduce dryness and friction.
- Rub knees and elbows with a pumice stone to remove dead skin cells.
- Use an exfoliating brush or loofa in the shower.
- Apply olive oil before bed and leave on overnight to soften and bleach skin.
- Cut the toes off some old socks. Apply Vaseline to elbows and knees and wear the socks over them every night for a few weeks.
- Cut a lemon in half and squeeze while rubbing in knees and elbows. Never apply lemon juice or salt to bruised or cracked skin as it can cause burning and irritation.
- Rub a cucumber slice on elbows and knees regularly.
- Apply moisturizers with Shea butter, jojoba oil, cocoa butter, or coconut oil after using any of the above methods and before going to bed to prevent re-darkening of skin.
- Dont scrub excessively, as this causes skin to produce extra cells. Scrub gently 2-3 times weekly.
- Always use natural bleaching agents rather than chemicals.
- Drink plenty of water to detoxify the body and promote good health.
- Limit your intake of sugar, breads, cereals, energy drinks, soft drinks, caffeine and other processed foods.
- Dont lean on knees and elbows. The strain encourages darkening of skin.
- Always keep knees and elbows covered to restore moisture and prevent rubbing.
- Test each remedy once to make sure youre not allergic to any ingredients.
- If the above methods are ineffective, ask your doctor to prescribe skin bleaching lotion.
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Common Reasons For Dark Knees And Elbows
Nourish Your Skin From The Inside Out With Proper Nutrition And Hydration
Rough patches can also show up when your body doesn’t receive the nutrition it needs. Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. You can also look into adding skin-benefiting vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D, collagen, vitamin C, and fish oil to your diet. Read our healthy skin tips for even more tips to help improve the look and feel of your skin.
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Lemon And Baking Soda Have Excellent Bleaching Properties
Both lemon and baking soda are known to have excellent bleaching properties.You can either separately apply lemon juice and baking soda paste to the darkened skin or make a paste from them.Make a paste with equal portions of lemon and baking soda. Rub this mixture on the knees and elbows and leave it for 10 minutes.Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Make A Lemon And Fresh Cream Mask
Lemon is a natural bleaching agent, while fresh cream helps in mildly exfoliating the skin. Lemon is also rich in vitamin C, which boosts dead skin cell removal and supports skin cell regeneration.
How to use:
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How To Lighten Dark Knees And Elbows Naturally
Pintrest
- Lack of exfoliation, which causes the accumulation of dead skin cells on the skin over a period of time.
- Prolonged sun exposure leading to hyper-pigmentation and a darker skin tone in that area.
- Hormonal changes or reactions of the body.
- Pigmentation because of skin aging.
- UV radiation causing Melasma.
- Friction because of skins contact with certain fabrics, or any external objects.
- Skin issues like Psoriasis, or Eczema.
- Post-injury skin damage on knees and elbows.
Aloe Goodness