It has been often noticed that the skin on the elbows and knees if often darker than the usual color of the rest of the skin. This is a problem which is faced by almost everyone.
This article will help you suggest various remedies and suggestions as to how you may get rid of black elbows and knees.
Table of Contents
Home Remedies For Black Knees And Elbows
Fortunately, this problem does not remain inevitable. The dark spots on the elbows and knees can be easily removed with a little effort. Following mentioned are some home remedies which will help you get rid of the dark spots quickly:
1. Milk And Baking Soda
Baking soda acts as a very beneficial exfoliate. Thus, it helps to remove the dead skin cells on the skin. Further, milk has amino acids which help to moisturize the skin.
You Will Need
a) 1 tablespoon baking soda
b) 1 tablespoon milk
What You Have To Do
a) Mix the 2 ingredients.
b) Apply this mixture on the knees and elbows. Then, scrub in circular motions for 2-3minutes.
c) Rinse with water.
d) Repeat this every alternate day for best results.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil helps to hydrate and moisturize the skin. Further, it prevents dryness of the skin. Also, Vitamin E present in this oil helps to lighten the skin also.
You Will Need
a) 1 tablespoon coconut oil
b) 1 tablespoon walnut powder
What You Have To Do
a) Mix the ingredients to make a thick paste.
b) Use this as a scrub on your elbows and knees for 3-4 minutes.
c) Rinse with water.
d) After rinsing, apply warm coconut oil over the affected area for better results. You may re-apply before going to bed also.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide helps to remove dark and dead skin cells. It is usually used as a skin- lightening agent in various creams and lotions. If you keep using it for some time, its bleaching quality will help erase the dark spots instantly.
You Will Need
a) 3% hydrogen peroxide
b) Cotton ball
What You Have To Do
a) Dip the cotton in hydrogen peroxide container. Then dab the cotton the elbows and knees for 1 minute.
b) Leave it on for 15 minutes. Then, rinse the area with lukewarm water.
C) Moisturize that area with some lotion.
d) Repeat this every alternate day.
The only thing to be noted is that if you have a sensitive skin, avoid using this method.
4. Almond Oil
This is very rich in Vitamin E which helps to lighten the skin. Thus, it helps to reduce or remove the dead skin cells from the skin.
You Will Need
a) Almond oil
What You Have To Do
a) Take a few drops of almond oil and apply it to the affected area.
b) Massage for a few minutes till the oil is absorbed into the skin.
c) Apply it every day, in the morning as well as at night.
5. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera wonder plant because it helps to heal dry skin by making softer and brighter. Further, it also protects the skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
You Will Need
a) Aloe vera leaf
What You Have To Do
a) Cut the aloe vera leaf and extract the gel inside.
b) Apply this gel on the affected area, and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
c) Rinse with lukewarm water.
d) Repeat this at least twice a day.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
The acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar, works a natural bleaching agent. It helps to exfoliate the skin and lightens it.
You Will Need
a) 1 part apple cider vinegar
b) 1 part water
c) A cotton ball
What You Have To Do
a) Dilute the ACV in the water.
b) Soak the cotton ball in it. Then, apply this on your knees and elbows.
c) Leave it for 15 minutes before rinsing it off.
d) Repeat this 3-4 times a week.
7. Pumice Stone
It helps to exfoliate your skin as it removes all the dead skin cells.
You Will Need
a) Pumice stone
b) Warm water
What You Have To Do
a) Take a shower with warm water.
b) Scrub the knees and elbows using a pumice stone. Try to scrub only in circular motions with minimal force.
c) Rinse with cool water.
d) Repeat this 4-5 times a week.
8. Olive Oil
Sugar helps to exfoliate the skin very well. It helps to remove all the dead and dark skin cells easily. Further, olive oil will help to hydrate the skin so that its pores remain closed.
You Will Need
a) 2 tablespoons olive oil
b) 2 tablespoons sugar
What You Have To Do
a) Add the sugar to the oil and mix it well.
b) Apply this mixture on the affected area.
c) Rub in circular motions for about 5 minutes.
d) Rinse with water.
e) Repeat this every alternate day.
9. Lemon
Lemon as it is acts as a bleaching agent that will make your knees and elbows brighter.
You Will Need
a) Fresh lemon juice
What You Have To Do
a) Squeeze out the lemon juice and apply it on the knees and elbows.
b) Keep it on for 45-60 minutes.
c) Rinse with water.
d) Try doing this every day to get rid of the black knees and elbows.
10. Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E helps to hydrate the skin and sugar helsp to exfoliate the skin. The mixture also helps in de-pigmentation. This helps to give you a lighter and brighter skin.
You Will Need
a) Vitamin E capsules
b) 1 tablespoon sugar
What You Have To Do
a) Open 5-6 vitamin E capsules and pour out the oil inside.
b) To this, add sugar and mix it in.
c) Use this as a scrub and scrub for few minutes.
d) Repeat this every alternate day.
11. Yogurt
Yogurt is full of nutrients that nourish and cleanse the skin. It also helps to remove the dark and dead skin cells. Further, vinegar enhances the effects of the yogurt by helping in the de-pigmentation of the affected area.
You Will Need
a) 1 tablespoon yogurt
b) 1 teaspoon vinegar
What You Have To Do
a) Mix the two ingredients, and apply this on the knees and elbows.
b) Leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
c) Rinse with water.
d) Repeat this at least once a day for 3-4 weeks.
12. Turmeric Powder
Turmeric cleanses the skin’s impurities. It also evens out the skin tone by rendering a natural glow on the skin. Milk and honey will help to hydrate the skin and in turn will lighten the affected area.
You Will Need
a) 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
b) 2 tablespoon milk
c) 1 teaspoon honey
What You Have To Do
a) Mix all the ingredients to make a thick paste.
b) Apply this on the elbows and knees.
c) Massage in circular motion for 2-3 minutes. You can also leave it for about 20 minutes.
d) Rinse with water.
e) Repeat this at least 3-4 times a week.
13. Potato
Potatoes possess major bleaching properties that help to lighten dark spots and dark skin.
You Will Need:
a) A potato
What You Have To Do
a) Cut thick slices of the potato and rub them on the affected area.
b) Leave the potato slice on for 15 minutes and then rinse it off.
c) Repeat this once or twice daily.
15. Gram Flour
Gram flour helps to remove the dead skin cells due to its cleansing properties. And when it is mixed with yogurt, they act as a strong solution which helps in removing dark spots on knees and elbows.
You Will Need
a) 2 tablespoons gram flour
b) 1-2 tablespoons yogurt
What You Have To Do
a) Add some yogurt to the gram flour to make a thick paste.
b) Apply this paste on your knees and elbows. Leave it until it dries off.
c) Remove this with water
d) Apply this pack every alternate day.
16. Mint
It contains volatile oils that help to increase collagen in the body. Further it also helps to maintain even skin tone thereby removing the blackness on the knees and elbows.
You Will Need
a) Water
b) Mint Leaves
c) Lemon
What To Do
a) Boil ½ cup of water with mint leaves for 2-3 minutes.
b) Add lemon juice to it, strain and allow the solution to cool.
c) Soak a cotton ball in this and rub it on the affected area.
d) Leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
e) Follow this treatment 2 times daily for best results.
Ways To Prevent Black Knees And Elbows
As the famous quotation goes “Preventioit is very important to know ways as to how we can n is better than Cure”, we should understand that prevent the formation of dark spots on the elbows and knees. Following are some tips which may help you prevent the same:
- Always apply sunscreen on your knees before going out. This is because the UV rays also make your skin darker.
- Dark knees may be caused due to limited or improper hydration. So, keep on moisturizing your knees and elbows. You may do this by either using oils or creams.
- Maintenance of a perfect diet is also important for a better skin. Try to have a diet rich in vitamins A and E. Sources of Vitamin A are sweet potatoes, carrots, lettuce, dried apricots, etc. Sources of Vitamin E are almonds, cooked spinach, etc. Thus, try to increase the intake of such food products.
- Try not to lean on your knees often. This is seriously condemned as it leads to friction around the joint area leading to darker skin.
Causes Of Black Knees And Elbows
Having black knees or elbows is not something harmful. Yet, it does harm the aesthetic beauty of a person. Thus, it is imperative to know the causes of this problem.
This is because once you are aware of the causes you can help prevent the same. Some of the causes are mentioned below:
1. Friction
Our body is designed in such a way that it tends to protect itself. If there is a lot of friction at any part of the body, the skin tries to adapt itself to the situation. It does this by growing extra thick so that the risk of damage to the sensitive parts of the body is reduced.
Due to this, the outer layer of the body tends to grow dead cells. These dead cells are usually dark in colour. Thus, the skin near the elbows and knees becomes dark over time.
2. Sunlight
When the dead skin cells start developing all over your elbows and knees, exposure to sunlight enables them to darken. This is because the dead skin cells do absorb sunlight. Thus, they give a darker and a dead appearance all over.
3. Dirt
This is the most common reason for dark elbows and knees. Dirt particles build up as time passes and are absorbed by the dead skin cells in order to protect the sensitive parts of your body. These dirt particles stain the elbows and knees making them look a bit darker. Further, when you shower it is difficult to reach these parts. Thus, the dirt keeps on clinging to the skin even after a bath.
4. Genetics
Certain people are genetically predisposed to develop dark spots on their elbows and knees. This usually happens with people who are darker in colour. Thus, if you have dark skin you should be extra careful about these spots.
5. Dry Skin
If you have a dry skin, it means that your body doesn’t get enough skin oil. Thus, it gets exposed to the pollutants in the air. Further, dry skin may cause your skin cells to die off quickly, leading to darker elbows and knees.
Some Of The Other Causes Are Also Mentioned Below
a) Certain medications
b) Certain diseases (obesity, Addison’s syndrome, etc.)
c) Hormone imbalances
d) Hyper-pigmentation of the skin
e) Active melanocytes in your elbows or knees
f) Stress
g) Skipping the knee area when exfoliating
How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Black Knees And Elbow?
There is no specific answer to this, as it depends upon the person’s skin type. There have been instances where after using the above-mentioned home remedies, people got rid of black knees and elbows in about 2-3 weeks.
Yet, there have been some persons who haven’t been able to get rid of this problem even after using these remedies for many months. Thus, it depends on the person’s body type and the proper implementation of these remedies.
It is hoped that you found this article interesting and satisfying. If you follow the tips and techniques suggested herein it is assured that you won’t experience dark knees and elbows at all.
