10 Effective Home Remedies For Dark Knees
People with extremely dry skin often face the problem of darkening of knees and elbows. In this section we will deal with how to lighten dark knees at home using natural remedies.
Ashy knees or dark knees are the bane of our existence. Men and women can both suffer from it irrespective of age and race. Medically, dark knees are not a skin disorder. However, a person with dark knees can suffer from immense depression due to the social embarrassment the problem causes. Women and men alike find it difficult to wear clothes that expose the knees.
Dark knees are not a serious problem and don’t lose your sleep over them. They can be easily and effectively treated at home with natural and inexpensive remedies.
Effective Home Remedies for Dark Knees
1. One of the easiest and best ways of prevent the knees from darkening is by keeping them well hydrated at all times. This means apply a cream based moisturizer on the knees every few hours to keep them from drying and darkening as a result of dryness.
The dark or ashy color of the knees is mainly due to dryness. Moisturize your knees at least thrice a day to prevent their discoloration. Before you moisturize your knees first wet them slightly and then apply the cream. Slight moisture on the skin will help lock in the benefits of the moisturizer better.
2. Exfoliate the skin with natural homemade scrubs. Take a tablespoon of coarsely powdered oatmeal, one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon fresh cream. Use glycerin or cold cream if you are out of fresh cream. Mix the three ingredients and apply the scrub on the knees. Leave for 5-10 minutes.
Wet your hands and slowly start massaging your knees first in clockwise and then in anti-clockwise directions. Scrub for 10 minutes without being harsh on the skin. Keep wetting your hands in between if the scrub becomes dry. Wash off with lukewarm water and dry using a soft towel.
Apply cream or lotion immediately. Exfoliation will help the skin get rid of dead skin cells. Accumulation of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin can also lead to dryness and discoloration of the knees. You can perform this exfoliation thrice a week.
3. Prepare an exfoliating scrub using baking soda and rosewater. Mix the two to form a paste and apply the paste on the knees. Leave the paste on the skin for 5 minutes. Start massaging the knees gently. Baking soda is an excellent exfoliator and helps maintain a healthy skin. Scrub the knees with a soft loofah if possible. Wash off the baking soda after 10 minutes of scrubbing. Apply warm olive oil on the knees immediately. Olive oil will soothe the irritated skin and keep the knees soft.
4. Make a mixture of one teaspoon sugar and one teaspoon juice of freshly squeezed lemon. Rub the mixture on your knees. Lemon has bleaching properties and will effectively take care of the darkened skin. Sugar will help in exfoliating the skin of the knees removing dead skin cells and flaky skin. Lemon and sugar combination is also effective in removal of tan. You can also rub a piece of lemon on the knees to bleach the skin.
5. Use bleaching creams available in the market to lighten the skin of the knees. Bleaching creams will also be beneficial in removal of tan.
6. Apply a good sunscreen of SPF 30 on your knees if you wear knee revealing clothes. The sunscreen will save you from the tan by effectively protecting your knees.
7. Before going to bed at night apply a mixture of Vaseline and honey on the knees. Wrap the knees with cotton handkerchiefs and leave overnight. In the morning remove the wrappings and wash the area with cold water.
Vaseline is an excellent moisturizer and honey is an excellent humectant which helps lock in the moisture from the Vaseline. Performing this treatment daily for seven nights will lighten the knees and also make the skin on the knees soft and supple.
8. Take a few grams of paraffin wax and melt it in a little mustard oil. Place the two over low flame till the wax melts and the mustard oil starts giving out burning smell. Allow the mixture to cool down to a warm temperature and then apply it on the knees.
Massage the mixture well into the knees for 5-10 minutes. Leave for about 20 minutes and then wipe off with a soft tissue or a wet towel. Apply a light moisturizer. Do this treatment every alternate day for two weeks.
9. Take one ripe avocado fruit and one ripe banana. Mix the pulps of the avocado and the banana and add a little cream or milk to the pulp. Massage the pulp on the knees for 15 minutes. Then wash the knees using lukewarm water.
Apply generous amounts of Vaseline before the knees dry completely. This treatment can be done twice a week for a month. Avocado and banana are known for their skin lightening effects and are beneficial for treating dark knees.
10. Get hold of a body microdermabrasion kit of one of the leading cosmetic brands like L’Oreal. Use the microdermabrasion machine every day on your knees to exfoliate and lighten the color of the knees. This can be an expensive remedy but is totally worth it.
Microdermabrasion will gently exfoliate your skin to reveal a healthier, smoother and lighter skin. Do not wash your knees with hot water. Hot water will burn your skin causing it to darken in color. Always use lukewarm of cold water to wash the knees.
Increase the intake of iron in your diet by eating plenty of spinach and bananas, both of which are rich sources of iron. You could also take iron supplements daily. Lack of iron in the body leads to anemia and anemia is the major cause of discoloration of skin especially that of knees and elbows. It is also a good idea to get yourself tested for anemia if you have dark knees and elbows. The doctor will prescribe you medication for anemia which may well take care of th discoloration of your knees.
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