Best tips to handle rough elbow and knees

Skin that covers our elbows and knees tends to be more rough than when compared to skin that stretches on other body parts. Consequently, it gets dehydrated, flakes off, is itchy and cracks faster. Why is the elbow and knee skin so prone to damage? How to improve those body areas? Here are some home treatments to soothe elbow and knee skin.

Why elbow and knee skin is so fast to get dry?

Skin on our elbows and knees is prone to dehydration mostly due to:

• genetics
• being predisposed to frost bites
• being exposed to cosmetics and detergents that leave skin irritated
• use of chlorinated water; mostly swimming pools
• bad eating habits that includes following an unbalanced diet
• various skin conditions (e.g. eczema, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis) and some chronic diseases (underactive thyroid, diabetics, hepatitis C)

Ways to deal with calloused knees and elbows

In order to prevent dry elbows and knees, you should consider limiting the major risk factors, which means that it would be better if you did the following:

• Protect skin against frost bites by wearing thick clothing in autumn, winter and early spring.
• Replace harsh cosmetics and detergents with natural soap and washing powder for newborn/baby; you should also resign from using perfumes.
• Cut down on visiting swimming pools.
• Enrich your menu with unsaturated fatty acids as well as water and quality tea/herbal infusions.
• Apply skin care products that have deeply nourishing effect and replenish skin with lipids (rich in hyaluronic acid, collagen, urea, glycerin, lanolin, paraffin, ceramides and vegetable oils).
• Make use of special treatments aiming at dry knees and elbows.

If the above-mentioned tips happen to be unsatisfying, you should visit either a dermatologist or a regular general practitioner. It may appear that your case is pretty serious so it needs special medical attention.

Recipes for home elbow and knee masks

Obviously, there is nothing that should discourage you from turning to some at-home treatments that are known for improving skin. Learn some of the proven methods of dealing with dry knees and elbows:

• Banana mask for dry knees and elbows
  Mix a half of banana with two spoons of fat cream. When ready, spread the mask over the skin areas that require your attention and wrap with gauze. Remove after 20 minutes.
• Flax-seed mask for dry knees and elbows
  Boil flax seeds. When it cools down, apply this all-natural gel to skin and let it sit 15 minut.
• Honey mask for dry knees and elbows
  Combine a spoon of honey with the same amount of greek yogurt and a half avocado. Again, apply the mask to your elbows and knees and remove after 20 minutes.

Elbow and knee repair treatments

Below you will find the most popular and effective treatments to soothe and fix dehydrated skin of knee and elbow:

• Paraffin treatment
  This is a pretty short treatment that focuses on applying warm paraffin to the skin areas that need your attention. This procedure is carried out only in beauty salons.
• Moisturizing treatment
  There are various treatments that replenish skin with water and fix the damaged lipid barrier that is typical of dehydrated skin. They are offered in SPA salons.
• Light therapy
  In short, this treatment uses the benefits of UV light, and is mainly used to treat psoriasis. It requires medical consultation.