You can spend a lifetime exercising and eating right to have shapely legs. You probably take care to keep them smooth and free of hair. Yet, as you grow older, your knees start to look darker than the rest of your legs. This can be unflattering and detract from the otherwise attractive look of your legs.
The skin on the knee is different than other areas of the body. Since it covers a joint, its a little thicker and actually has different layers which overlap each other. This creates an area that naturally becomes a little darker.
Protecting your knees will help reduce the darkening effect. Using knee pads when gardening or kneeling for chores will keep them looking and feeling better.
Exfoliating with a loofah or other natural sponge will help remove the dead and darkened skin to reveal the lighter, fresher skin beneath. This is also helpful on elbows, another jointed area that often suffers the same darkening problems as the knees.
Many foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, contain natural acids which will lighten and brighten dark coloured skin. Citrus fruits, apples and many types of berries can do wonders to reduce the darkness. You may have to experiment a little before you find a mixture that reacts well with your skin type.
Keeping your skin well moisturized is essential, but its especially helpful for jointed areas such as knees and elbows. Proper hydration is often overlooked in these places, but because of the constant motion of the joints, the skin is more susceptible to becoming dry. This dryness on a the layers of skin will make the colour appear deeper and darker. Don’t forget to use sunscreen or sunblock whenever you are outdoors with bare knees.
If you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work, talk to your doctor or dermatologist. Often, a doctor can prescribe a medicated skin lightening ointment or possibly recommend a cosmetic procedure that will permanently lighten the skin around the knees.
