How to prevent and treat dark elbows and knees

Introduction

Causes of dark elbows and knees

• Presence of a large amount of melanin pigment,
• Accumulation of dead skin cells,
• Too much friction with clothes,
• Too much exposure to sun,
• Leaning and pressurizing elbows,
• Absence of oil glands,
• Presence of thick skin,
• Skin dryness,
• Age spots,Accumulation of dirt,
• Poor hygiene,
• Hereditary factor,
• Freckles,
• Psoriasis and eczema,
• Hormonal imbalance,
• Obesity,
• Drugs such as birth control pills,
• Hyperpigmentation,
• Skin inflammation due to recent trauma,
• Too frequent use of hair removal creams,
• Environmental stress,
• Addison's syndrome,
• Melasma due to pregnancy

Tips to prevent dark elbows and knees

• Most of us have the habit of sitting on elbows. Avoid leaning on elbows and knees to prevent pressure on these areas. Too much pressure can darken the skin in these areas. Decreased blood circulation causes skin darkening.
• While heading out in the sun, make sure to apply SPF incorporated broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion on the affected areas to prevent darkening.
• While stepping out in the sun especially at peak hours, cover elbows and knees by wearing full-sleeves tops and pants or carry an umbrella.
• Wear clothes which are made of natural fibres such as cotton. Avoid synthetic fibres as they irritate and damage skin leading it to darken.
• Maintain adequate body weight. Do not bulk up. If overweight or obese, try losing that extra weight to prevent darkening of the skin of elbows and knees.
• Hydrate the body so that it remains free of toxins. For that, fulfil body's daily water requirement.
• Follow a healthy balanced diet. Eat foods which are rich in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids as they are essential for skin health.
• Keep elbows and knees clean and dirt free. Even before going to bed, wash them properly. Use only mild soaps. Avoid the soaps which come with harsh chemicals.
• Avoid swimming in chlorine water to prevent darkening of elbows and knees. At least try to cut down the swimming time if cannot be avoided completely.
• Every day rub a potato or cucumber slice for 5-10 minutes on elbows and knees before showering to prevent skin darkening.
• Gently and regularly exfoliate elbows and knees to prevent the accumulation of dead, flaky skin cells in the areas. Use a homemade scrub, loofah, washcloth or pumice stone for scrubbing.
• Do not scrub the area if there is the presence of an open wound. If done, the area will get infected. There are high chances that bruised skin may turn dark in colour. Thus, let the wound or bruise heal before carrying out any exfoliation in the area.
• Avoid hot water showers. Also, cut down on bathing time to prevent stripping of natural oils from the skin. Keep showering time-limited to 5-10 minutes. Do not bathe with too hot water. Cold or lukewarm water baths are recommended.
• Gently massage the areas with a good moisturizing lotion, coconut oil or vaseline before going to bed. These products will get absorbed during the night and make skin smooth and well hydrated. Wrap these areas with frictionless clothes or socks.
• Skin cleansers, scrubs and moisturizers should be free from dyes and fragrances to prevent skin irritation which can otherwise make skin dry and red. Always choose mild products which are fragrance and dye-free.
• Treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis at the earliest as they may be responsible for darkening elbows and knees.
• Heat and skin dryness are closely related to each other. Too much heat can dehydrate the skin and make it dry and dark. Thus, even during winter months do not increase the room temperature too much.
• Too harsh wind and dryness in the air should also be prevented. Thus, cover elbows and knees with protective clothing if the wind is harsh. Use a humidifier to keep indoor air moist.

Effective ways to naturally lighten elbows and knees

1. Keep elbows and knees clean
   Dirt, improper hygiene and pollution are responsible for skin darkening. Ensure the elbows and knees are clean. Wash them with a soap or cleanser. Do not use a chemical-based one. It should be mild and gentle on the skin. Harsh chemicals can further darken the skin. Thus, avoid them. Purchase a soap or cleanser that is meant for dry skin. Moisturizing soaps help in naturally lighten elbows and knees. They do not leave skin dry instead, turn them soft and supple after cleansing due to the presence of heavy moisturizing cream in them. Cleansing should be done not only while taking showers. Even before heading to bed, make sure to clean these areas to get rid of all the dirt and germs from them.
2. Prevent the build-up of dead skin cells
   Accumulation of dead skin cells in elbows and knees is one of the top causes of skin darkening. Regularly get rid of dead skin cells from the creases by scrubbing them. While in the shower, use a loofah to gently exfoliate. Alternatively, a washcloth can also serve the purpose. Pumice stone helps a lot. Use it in a circular motion. However, do it gently as too much pressure and friction can worsen the condition. If done harshly, it may hinder the process of production of natural oil which in turn will trigger extra skin cells production. Consequently, instead of lightening, the skin will get more darkened. Thus, limit scrubbing to once or twice a week. A homemade scrub also helps in lighten elbows and knees naturally. Prepare a scrub by mixing one part oil with two parts of sugar. Exfoliate using this scrub. Sugar granules help in getting rid of dead skin cells easily. Any oil can be used for the purpose such as coconut, olive or almond.
3. Hydrate the skin
   Skin needs to remain well hydrated, and this can be done by generously applying a good moisturizing lotion on it. Likewise, to treat dark elbows and knees, never leave them uncovered. They need to be always covered with a heavy-duty moisturizer which is free from dye and fragrance. Immediately apply it after coming from showers or after washing or scrubbing them. Moisturizers prevent them from getting coarse and dark. Applying moisturizer while skin is still wet after showering enables better absorption of the ingredients. Also, never go to bed without moisturizing these areas. While we sleep, moisturizer keeps hydrating skin. After applying it on the skin, cover it with a sock or protective covering which will liquefy the moisturizer by retaining body heat. It, in turn, will aid in better absorption of ingredients. Also, instead of buying moisturizer from stores, one can use simple ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil. All of these ingredients have excellent moisturizing abilities and thus, naturally, lighten elbows and knees.
4. Use sunscreen lotions
   Harmful sun rays can darken the skin. Thus, avoid further darkening of elbows and knees by protecting them from harmful UV rays of the sun. Avoid going out in the sun when the sun rays are too intense. Carry an umbrella, and wear full sleeves tops and pants to offer some protection. Half an hour before heading out in the sun, apply SPF incorporated broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion which will block harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Purchasing a sunscreen with an SPF 30 is recommended. However, one can purchase sunscreen products with higher SPF as per the need and requirement. While in the sun, reapply the product again every two hours. Elbows are subjected to frequent bending and stretching. Thus, sunscreen applied gets wiped away easily. It is the reason that sunscreen lotion has to be reapplied frequently.