In this post, I will be sharing with you all a few tips on how to smooth rough elbows and rough knees. Do read on for more details.
Causes:
Harsh cold climate, extremely hot showers, friction against rough surfaces, exposure to sun, deficiency of vitamins, lack of moisture, harsh soaps and shower gels with sulphate are some of the causes of rough elbows and rough knees.
Rough Elbows:
If you have rough or dry skin around your elbows, you can try the following:
1. Moisturise With Shea And Almond Butter / Cream:
The skin around elbows is thicker and has a few sebaceous glands. Hence it is necessary to moisturise your elbows regularly. After your morning showers, apply shea or almond body butter or cream on your elbows using circular motions. Doing this daily will keep your skin protected and make the skin around your elbows soft and smooth. Moisturise your elbows before showering, so that it retains moisture and your skin does not become dry while bathing. Moisturise your elbows before sleeping, this will help sink moisture deep into the skin and repair your skin while you are asleep.
2. Apply SPF Sun Protection Cream Before Stepping Out:
If you tend to go out in the sun often and your elbows are exposed, apply an additional coat of body cream with SPF protection on your elbows. This will protect your skin around your elbows, keep it smooth and prevent it from becoming dry and rough.
3. Olive Oil And Sugar Scrub:
You can use home made scrub for your rough elbows. Mix 1/4 cup brown (unrefined) sugar with olive oil together. Add olive oil to the sugar till you reach a slushy consistency. Pour the mixture in your hand and scrub the areas around your rough elbows using circular motions. You can leave it on for ten minutes or so, before washing with lukewarm water. Exfoliating with this scrub will help get rid of dry, scaly skin and smoothen the rough skin around your elbows. Olive oil will keep your skin moisturised. You can use it once or twice a week.
4. Exfoliate With A Moisturising Scrub During Shower:
Exfoliate your elbows twice a week. Use a moisturising body exfoliator made of olive oil or shea butter. During shower, your pores are wide open and dried out pores are receptive to moisture. This is the best time to exfoliate your skin using a moisturising scrub. Scrub will remove the dead skin and make your skin smooth. The skin will absorb the moisture and retain it, so it does not feel dry.Alternatively can use a loofah, rough washcloth, exfoliating glove or a pumice stone to exfoliate the rough skin. First moisten your elbows and then exfoliate. Don’t scrub harshly or roughly, you have to get rid of the dry skin not worsen the situation.
5. Apply Tomato And Lemon Juice Paste:
Take two medium sized tomatoes and blend to make pulp. Add one tablespoon lemon juice and one tablespoon honey to this pulp. Mix it nicely. Apply this paste on your elbows daily. Leave it on for ten minutes, before washing with lukewarm. This will smoothen your rough elbows in a couple of days, after which you can follow this regime once or twice a week or as and when required.
6. Apply Vaseline:
You can apply vaseline on your rough elbows, before stepping into a steamy shower. This will help the moisturiser penetrate deeper into dry areas and soften the rough skin. You can also use vaseline on your elbows in the mornings after shower. This will keep your skin protected and hydrated throughout the day. Apply vaseline on your rough elbows before going to bed, helps sink the moisture deep and repair the skin while your sleeping. Cell turnover is high when you are asleep and skin is at work.
Rough Knees:
If you tend to kneel a lot and have rough knees. You can try the following remedies to smoothen your knees and prevent dry, rough skin around your knees.
1. Exfoliate With A Moisturising Scrub During Shower:
Exfoliate your rough knees twice a week. Use a moisturising body exfoliator made of olive oil or shea butter. During shower, your pores are wide open and dried out pores are receptive to moisture. This is the best time to exfoliate your skin using a moisturising scrub. The scrub will remove the dead skin and make your skin smooth. The skin will absorb the moisture and retain it, so it does not feel dry.
2. Honey And Oatmeal:
Mix two tablespoons honey and two tablespoons glycerine with one egg white and four tablespoons oatmeal. Blend nicely to make a paste. Apply this paste on your rough knees and leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes and then wash nicely with lukewarm water. Organic, raw honey is loaded with antibacterial properties, which makes it excellent for the skin. When used in combination with egg white and oatmeal, it removes dry skin making it smooth. This mask also helps lighten the skin without scrubbing harshly and causing any damage.
3. Rub A Banana Peel:
Rub a banana peel onto your knees in circular motions to reduce dryness. Bananas are rich in moisture, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium which aids in healing and the peel has been scientifically shown to contain both anti fungal and antibiotic components. You can do this as often as possible to smoothen your knees.
4. Banana Pulp With Honey And Almond Oil:
Take two ripe bananas and blend them to make a pulp. Add two tablespoons honey and two tablespoons almond oil. Mix all the ingredients nicely and apply this paste on your rough knees and leave it for fifteen minutes. Wipe it with a towel soaked in lukewarm water. This will moisturise and smoothen your knees.
5. Apply Aloe Vera Gel:
Regular application of aloe vera gel on your knees, will smoothen your knees. You can use freshly squeezed aloe vera paste or buy the one available in stores.Opt for organic aloe vera gel. Doing this on regular basis will smoothen your knees and keep them moisturised.
6. Castor Oil:
Castor oil is very rich in nutrients that has moisturising and healing properties. Take a few tablespoons castor oil in a container and make it lukewarm by dipping in a hot water bowl. Alternatively you can heat it on electric hot plate or gas stove also. Do not use microwave to heat the oil. Do not overheat the oil, it will loose its nutrients. Take a thin muslin cloth or soft cloth, dip it in lukewarm castor oil and wrap it around your knees. Leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes. You can keep a napkin dipped in hot water above the muslin cloth, this will open the pores and help the oil to penetrate deeper. After removing the cloth, squeeze the oil left in the cloth on to your knees and mildly massage in circular motions. This will make your knees smooth and also strong. You can do this daily, thrice or at least twice a week. Results are rewarding.
7. Apply Almond Oil:
Almond oil is an incredible moisturiser. Applying almond oil daily on knees, is one of the effective ways to smoothen rough and dry skin around the knees. Almond oil contains deep penetrating vitamins like E, A, and D, which all work to repair skin, helps keep skin soft and increase healthy cell turnover.Applying almond oil regularly will smoothen your rough knees and keep them moisturised. Apply almond oil using circular motions. You can apply it before shower, this will keep your knees moisturised in the shower. You can apply it after showers, this will keep your knees moisturised throughout the day. Applying before bedtime will keep your knees moisturised throughout night and smoothen the rough skin, while you are asleep. Try to use pure, organic and cold pressed sweet almond oil.
8. Apply Coconut Oil:
Coconut oil is extremely moisturising and penetrates deep into the skin. Apply coconut oil, using circular motions. You can apply before showers, after showers, before bedtime or during the day as and when required. Applying coconut oil daily twice am and pm will smoothen your rough knees and keep them moisturised throughout day and night.
Hope the above tips are of some help. Thanks for reading!
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