Dry knees are a common problem, and something nobody has time for. The skin on your knees tends to be thicker and not produce as much oil as the rest of your skin, making you body more prone to suffering with dry knees.
Dry knees can make the skin on and around the knee itchy, red and possibly sore. Here are some common symptoms to look out for to determine If your knees are dry.
- itchy, uncomfortable skin
- sore, cracked or bleeding
- flaky, peeling or scaly looking appearance
- discolored, darker patch than the rest of your skin
In addition to your knees being more prone to dryness, here are a few common causes of dry skin that may be affecting your knees
- Change of weather, central heating
- Dehydration – lack of water throughout the day
- Vitamin deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamin E, vitamin D or Calcium
- Smoking can impact your skin hydration
- Irritation to Soaps, Body Washes, moisturisers or fabric softeners
- Skin Conditions like Contact Dermatitis or eczema
- Natural ageing
What causes dark patch
- Sun damage – Sun exposure can have a negative impact on your knees, the sun drys out the skin and without proper SPF and moisturiser, it can cause dark patches on your knees
- Friction – Friction is caused when you wear clothes that rub your skin. This can be fabrics which irritate your skin or fabrics which make you sweat, causing your skin to rub against the clothing and irritate the area.
- Wear and tear – Your knees are used way more than you actually realise, we rely on our knees to exercise, lean on hard surfaces to get us back up or just by crawling on the floor.
Here are my top tips to soothe your dry knees
- Use a body scrub to remove dead skin cells and encourage new skin cell growth
- Oils can help your soothe your skin, and seal the hard, flakey skin
- Invest in a humidifier to Humidifier, this will help add moisture to the air to prevent dryness that can cause irritation
- Drink water to hydrate your skin
- Check your clothing, synthetic fabrics and wool tend to cause irritation and itching of the skin
- Fabrics that are good for sensitive skin are light with good moisture-wicking properties like linen, cashmere, cotton, hemp and silk
- Choosing the right moisturiser for your skin is key, ensuring that you moisturise your dry knees regularly will prevent any further dryness
How can you remove dead skin cells
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells with a tool or product known as an exfoliator. Although the body naturally sheds these cells over time, sometimes it needs a bit of extra help. Exfoliators come in many forms such as a loofah, body brush or exfoliating scrub.
How to exfoliate your dry knees
To remove dead skin from the body, you can use many types of scrubs and various exfoliation tools according to your desired outcome.
You can buy many different body scrubs which are specifically designed for the body, which tend to me thicker and more concentrated than ones for your face. When selecting your body scrub, its important that you check the ingredients, I would suggest ingredients such as; shea butter, jojoba oil or argan oil. Alternatively, you can use plant based products such as papaya or pomegrante.
Home remedies for dry knees
If you are looking to avoid store products, or on a budget then look no further. You can simply use products around your home to exfoliate. Just combine, salt, sugars and coconut or olive oil in a bowl, mix well and apply to the skin. Rub the skin gently in small circles and wash off.
You can also consider using tools such as;
- Loofahs – Loofahs can be used on a daily basis, you simply rub the loofah in circler movements, concentrating on your dry knees.
- Exfoliating mitts. – Mitts are super convenient, this allows you to manually rub your skin using your hand over the dry area.
- Dry brushes – You can use dry brushes to exfoliate your dry knees outside of the shower or bath. It is advised that you only use the dry brush once or twice a week as it can be quite rough on the skin.
Drinking more water will also help your knees, hydrating your body keeps the cartilage in your joints softer and more hydrated. You can also consider supplements, or electrolytes.
What to avoid to prevent dry knees
When it comes to preventing your knees from drying out, there are a few things you can do and implement in your lifestyle routine.
- Forgetting to moisturise will dry out your knees, and can cause itchy and patchy skin.
- Hot showers can dehydrate the skin
- Using drying out soaps, body lotions, body washes and fabric conditioners that irritate the skin
- Avoid scratching, rubbing or itching your knees
- Avoid fabrics that make you sweat, when you sweat it causes friction under your clothing which can result in dryness.
Dry knees – Conclusion
Dry skin is a common condition, and although dry knees can be uncomfortable, symptoms often are short term. If you hydrate well, moisturise daily, change up a few things in your lifestyle routine, it will most likely clear up in no time. Alternatively, speak to you doctor or pharmacist, and there will be over the counter products that they can advise you to use.