Elbows and knees are part of the body that are the most vulnerable to scrapes and frostbites. The skin is often flaky, and consequently breaks and itches, which causes discomfort and looks unattractive. Why does the skin on the elbows and knees dry up and how to get rid of calloused skin in these parts of the body? If moisturizing cosmetics do not help, it is worth preparing them yourself or use the help of a beauty salon.
Why does the skin on your elbows and knees dry out?
There may be many reasons. These include frostbite, the use of irritating cosmetics or chemicals, improper diet and genetic background.
Frostbite
It is extremely easy to get frostbite on elbows and knees. To prevent this, you should dress warmly when the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius, and use cosmetics designed for deep moisturising and skin smoothing. The latter products contain such components as urea, petrolatum, paraffin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, glycerol, lanolin, lactic acid or vegetable oils.
Use of irritating cosmetics or chemicals
To rule out the cause, it is enough to use natural soap for one month and baby washing powder for your clothes. Often times, fragrances in perfumes and air fresheners can be irritating, which can be manifested by dry skin on the elbows or knees. What’s more, for more safety, it’s worth limiting visits to the swimming pool where the water is highly chlorinated.
Poor diet
The skin can also be dehydrated because your diet is low in liquid and unsaturated fats. Make sure to consume a minimum of 1.5 litres of liquid a day (coffee does not count!) And reach for mackerel, avocado, walnuts or linseed at least once a day.
Homemade cosmetics for elbow and knee care
If the use of moisturizing cosmetics does not bring satisfying results, you can go ahead and prepare moisturising masks yourself! It can be made of, for example, a banana and sour cream, linseed or honey, Greek yoghurt and avocado. Moreover, feel free to moisturise your elbows and knees with oil, butter or castor oil. Twice a week, it is worth exfoliating your skin with a scrub made of ground coffee or coarse salt.
Professional treatments for dry elbows and knees
To cure calloused skin on the elbows or knees, you can opt for professional treatments. The paraffin treatment involves applying warm paraffin compresses to dry parts of the body. Other options include a moisturizing spa treatment or phototherapy – UV light therapy, which is used to fight psoriasis.
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