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The habit of sitting, leaning on your elbows, is not that good. First, the skin on the chin suffers (hello, acne). Secondly, the skin on the elbows becomes dry and rough over time. In this article, we will touch on the second part of the problem – the actual state of the elbows.
Causes of dry skin on the elbows
The skin on the elbows must be regularly nourished and moisturized.
Elbows, like the rest of the body, need to be taken care of. For some reason, it is this area that we most often ignore. And in vain. It becomes dry for a variety of reasons.
There are practically no sebaceous glands here, so almost everyone has dryness and coarsening.
The skin on the elbows is naturally denser, and this fact also becomes the reason for its dryness.
The habit of taking too hot showers or baths leads to dry skin, including on the elbows. And the skin dries and coarsens from the chlorinated water in the pool.
Using harsh detergents can also cause dry skin.
Some diseases (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, diabetes) lead to increased dryness of the skin on the elbows.
And also to blame for the dryness of the elbows …
Climate. At too low or, conversely, high air temperature, the skin begins to suffer in the literal sense of the word. Due to dehydration, it dries not only on the face, which remains open to all winds, but also on the elbows, arms, legs – in the most mobile areas (where it “works” the most).
Bad habits. For example, the habit of sitting at a table, leaning on your elbows, directly leads to coarsening of these skin areas, peeling and dryness. Due to the increased load, the skin in this area of the body is simply forced to build up the stratum corneum.
Lack of vitamins. Flaws in nutrition, an unbalanced diet – all this prevents the normal intake of such important substances as, for example, tocopherol, vitamin C, and retinol into the body. Because of this, we often feel tired, sleep poorly, begin to fall into depression and … we observe dry skin on the elbows. This usually becomes acutely noticeable during the off-season.
Dry rough elbows are a problem familiar not only to women, but also to men. But men, unlike the fair sex, are less concerned about how their skin looks, especially on the elbows. But for women in these matters there are no trifles, as a rule.
Causes of dry skin on the elbows are believed to be genetics, environmental conditions, and lack of hydration. Obviously, in both men and women, the causes of dryness are practically the same, with the exception of small nuances.
In men
Men rarely pay attention to the care of their elbows.
Rough skin on the elbows is much more common in men than in women. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the stronger sex is more frivolous about daily care and does not waste time moisturizing the skin with cream after water procedures.
Women
For many women, their daily skincare routine comes down to facials. Answer honestly the question, do you regularly use body cream after a shower? If yes, then most likely the skin on your elbows is soft and moisturized. In other cases, there is little hope for this.
What to do if the skin on the elbows is dry and rough
To keep the skin of your elbows soft, include foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids in your diet.
If you want the skin on your elbows to be soft and tender to the touch, one desire is not enough. We need to rethink some habits.
Food
Try to eat fish at least once a week. Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is also a must. And don’t forget about dairy products.
Skin care
In field conditions, for example, on a business trip, hand cream or even aftershave cream is suitable.
Revitalizing cream for very dry hands, CeraVe
It moisturizes dry skin of the hands thanks to the composition based on hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Hydra Energetic aftershave lotion for sensitive skin, L’Oréal Paris Men Expert
For the elbows, products intended for the care of the body, hands and feet are suitable. Look for vitamins E and F in the composition – they are the most necessary for dry and rough skin on the elbows and feet.
Whipped Body Cream Creme de Corps, Kiehl’s
Suitable for very dry skin. Contains beta-carotene, squalane & nourishing oils. Absorbs quickly and moisturizes the skin without leaving a sticky feeling.
Soothing multi-restorative balm for babies, children and adults Cicaplast Baume B5, La Roche-Posaym
The perfect product for the whole family. Suitable for both children and adults. It has a very pleasant texture and absorbs quickly. The composition contains panthenol, which softens dry areas of the body well.
Hand cream Biomains, Biotherm
It makes sense to carry such a cream with you in your purse and apply it throughout the day not only on the hands, but also on the elbows. The result is noticeable the very next day – the skin is softer and more hydrated.
Salon procedures
One of the best treatments for too dry skin on the elbows is paraffin therapy. During the procedure, the elbows are lowered into a paraffin bath and then the elbows are sealed in a warm scarf or a special mitten.
Massage – Another effective procedure, especially massage with oils. In addition to the fact that during the session all the main muscles of the body are worked out, the oil with which the massage is done softens and moisturizes the skin well.
How to deal with dry elbows at home
Daily moisturizing of the skin on the elbows is the key to its ideal condition.
If you have time to prepare a homemade mask, bath or compress, great!
Boil a couple of potatoes and mash them well in a mortar until mashed. Apply a warm mass to the elbows and cover with a cosmetic napkin.
Mix salt and soda in equal parts in a small amount of warm water. Apply the resulting mass on the skin of the elbows. This composition softens rough and dry skin well. Then use a moisturizer or nourishing balm.
Prepare grapefruit juice. Drink most of the juice, and save ¼ cup for the mask. Mix the juice with a teaspoon of olive oil and apply the mixture on the skin of your elbows. After a while, rinse off and apply cream.
Peelings
Don’t forget to exfoliate your elbows. Scrub or peeling in this sense will provide invaluable assistance. The regularity of the procedure – depending on the condition of the skin, but at least 1-2 times a week.
Mix fine sea salt in equal proportions with homemade sour cream. Lubricate problem areas generously. Gently rub in and wash off after 3 minutes.
Add ground coffee beans to shower gel. Apply the resulting paste-like mixture to your elbows, rub with a soft bristle brush and wash off the resulting thick foam with water.
Body Scrub “Precious Beauty Scrub”, Garnier
Masks
Take a large spoonful of fat sour cream, drop 2 drops of lemon and orange oil there. Enter the beaten egg yolk and stir. Apply the lush mixture in a thick layer, cover with gauze and leave for 20 minutes.
Baths
Mix olive oil and castor oil in a ratio of 1:3. Warm up in a water bath. Stir, place elbows in the product and leave for 15 minutes.
Heat 100 ml of olive oil slightly. Pour in 25 ml of glycerin and immerse your elbow in the solution for 20 minutes. If desired, it can be extended up to 1 hour.
Conduct sessions 2-3 times a week for a month. To prevent the formation of keratinized dark areas, 1 procedure every 10 days is enough.
In oil baths, if there is no allergy, you can add honey and essential oils of lemon, grapefruit, chamomile, cedar. The components enhance the effectiveness of procedures and allow you to quickly get rid of peeling elbows.
Useful Tips
Dry skin on the elbows requires careful care. Make it a rule to pay as much attention to this area every day as to the skin of your face.
During water procedures, use soft body gels.
If the skin on the elbows is dry without objective reasons, consult a dermatologist.
Conquer the habit of sitting on your elbows.
If you have never looked after the skin on your elbows, and now you have decided to close this gap, act systematically, delicately and without fanaticism – especially when it comes to exfoliation.
Even if the skin is rough and seems dense, do not use files with aggressive abrasives or brushes with hard bristles. You can injure the skin – and this is not at all the effect you want to achieve. Exfoliation with mild means, regular moisturizing and nourishing the skin will help to solve the problem.