Many people do not take care of their elbows and knees while nurturing their skin. The surprising part is that they find their elbow and knees dark when they have a look at it after a long period of time. At that time getting rid of that darkness seems impossible. Though, it’s not. It is concerning for some women as they avoid to wear short sleeve dresses due to their black elbows. Well, it’s never too late to correct things.
There are various measures that can be taken to get rid of the darkness. After all there should be no obstacle that might prevent you from wearing your favorite dress. Taking care of skin can be very time consuming and expensive. But what if I provide you with remedies which will cut down both your time and budget? Following are some easy to do home remedies which requires basic ingredients that I’m sure is already present in your home. If not, do not worry these ingredients are neither rare not exotic. They are very common and easily available.
Baking Soda
The chemical composition that makes up baking soda works very well in exfoliating the skin of the elbows. Baking soda, combined with the soft qualities of moisturizing milk, makes this combination extremely potent. Milk also offers fairness and works to heal the dark areas of the elbows. Take about one tbs of baking soda and mix it with an equal amount of milk. Rub this creamy mixture on the elbows and scrub. Then wash off. For best results, repeat this process every alternate day.
Turmeric:
Turmeric has long been known to have healing properties for the skin. Any paste which contains turmeric works great as a skin lightening solution. However, never keep turmeric paste on your skin for too long as it may stain your skin! If you do happen to get a stain, don’t worry, it will fade away in a couple of days. The most popular option is to mix turmeric with milk with high fat content. Apply this over the elbows for a few minutes and then wash off with soap. Repeat this a few times a week for optimum results.
Honey
Honey acts as a natural balm for the dark skin of the elbows. It also provides natural antibiotic properties. You can apply plain honey on your elbows to reduce the darkness, but it will take time. The better option is to mix one generous tablespoon of honey with equal parts milk and turmeric. Then, apply this paste on the dark areas of the elbows and wait for about half an hour. Wash off with lukewarm water. Do this once every week for best results. You can also mix honey with Aloe Vera in the same pattern as mentioned above.
Sugar and Olive Oil:
Sugar and olive oil combined make a perfect mix of hard and soft. The sugar in this mixture will help rub off the embedded dirt in the creases of the elbows and the olive oil will then moisturize the elbows. Mix one tbsp of sugar with one tbsp of olive oil and rub this on your elbows in slow, circular motions for a couple of minutes. Then wash off with plain, tepid water.
Natural Oils
Natural oils, such as olive oil, have essential lightening properties. Rub lukewarm olive oil on the dark elbows once a day for a few minutes. Do not wash it off. Other natural oils such as coconut oil will act as preventive measures to the skin darkening further. Coconut oil can also be mixed with lemon and applied on the elbows. Wash this off after about five minutes and repeat once every two days.
Milk:
First things first. Using milk will not give you quick results but in the long run it will give you the desired result. With a swab of cotton, apply full fat milk on the darkened elbows. You can do it everyday and make it a part of your daily routine. Do not wash it off. Not only will this moisturize the skin, it will also alleviate the tanned and unnaturally dark areas of the elbows. And hey, if it’s good enough for Greek and Indian princesses of the past, it’s good enough for us also to use this remedy for dark elbows!
Lemon
The simplest and easiest home remedy for dark elbows is lemon. Cut a large lemon in half and then use each side of the lemon on each elbow. Rub each half into the elbow squeeze all the juice out onto the elbow. Remember, this could be a messy process so do it either in your kitchen or your bathroom so it can be washed off of surfaces easily enough. Repeat this every day for a week or two and watch the stunning results.
Gram Flour and Lemon:
As you can see, to get lighter elbows, you must have a large supply of lemons. Another possible lemon combination is to mix one tablespoon of lemon with equal parts gram flour. Rub this paste onto the elbows and leave on for a few minutes before washing it off. It will provide instant results.
Lemon And Honey
Alternatively, lemon can also be mixed with honey to form a salve. Mix one part lemon juice with one part honey and rub this into the elbows. Leave this on for about half an hour and then wash off with soap and water.
Gram Flour and Yogurt:
Gram flour behaves as a natural exfoliator while yogurt is high in antioxidants and acts as natural bleach. Mix equal parts gram flour and yogurt to make a thick paste and apply this paste on the elbows. Leave it on for about ten minutes and then wash off with warm water and soap. Repeat this process a few days every week for the best results.
Cocoa Butter And Shea Butter
Cocoa butter or shea butter is easily available at any store. These will cease any further darkening of the skin and will also moisturize the tough skin of the elbows.
Lemon And Sugar:
Lemon combined with the exfoliating properties of sugar granules makes for a great home remedy for dark elbows. Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with about the same amount of sugar and rub this into the elbows in slow, circular motions for a few minutes. Then wash off properly with soap and water as otherwise, your elbows will feel sticky and uncomfortable all day! However, they will look bleached and light colored at the same time.
Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe Vera Gel is drawn directly from the fleshy leaf of the Aloe Vera plant. If you do not already have one growing at home, Aloe leaves are easily available at supermarkets. Cutting aloe leaves can be tricky though, since it is very gooey and slimy. Cut off the top green layers of the leaf, leaving behind the clear Aloe gel. Apply this gel to the elbows and leave on for a few minutes. Then wash off with plain warm water. Do this every day for a few weeks for the best results.
Vinegar and Yogurt:
Vinegar’s natural acidic content helps bleach the darkened areas of the elbows and the yogurt helps to moisturize. Make a paste with vinegar and yogurt, mixing both in equal parts. Massage this into the skin of the elbows and then wash off with lukewarm water.
Fruits
Here’s a home remedy for dark elbows that you can apply and eat too! (Not that eating it will help your elbows). There are certain fruits that have natural whitening properties such as lemons, tomatoes and grapes. Simply rub the juice from these fruits onto your elbows and wash off after a few minutes with warm water.
Garlic and Onion:
Both garlic and onion have very strong natural oils that treat dark layers of the skin, especially the elbows. The application is fairly simple. Cut two cloves of garlic in half, horizontally, and rub each clove on each elbow. Or, cut an onion in half and rub each half on each elbow. Do this for a few minutes and then wash the elbows with water. Repeat this once every three days for best results.
Mint
Yes, mint is not just great for fresh breath, but is also helpful for dark elbows. Mint has certain properties that help whiten the skin. Boil a couple of mint leaves and add a few drops of extract of lemon. Dip a wad of cotton in this and dab the elbows with it. After about half an hour, wash it off with plain water.
Mustard Oil:
Mustard oil is a natural antiseptic. It also helps prevent further darkening. Mix equal parts mustard oil and warm water and apply onto the elbows. Keep it on for about ten minutes and then wash off with mild soap and warm water.
Garlic And Onion
Both garlic and onion have very strong natural oils that treat dark layers of the skin, especially the elbows. The application is fairly simple. Cut two cloves of garlic in half, horizontally, and rub each clove on each elbow. Or, cut an onion in half and rub each half on each elbow. Do this for a few minutes and then wash the elbows with water. Repeat this once every three days for best results.
Honey and Aloe Vera:
Honey is great for its moisturizing purposes and is very good for the skin. Aloe Vera too has several oils that work on the skin at a deeper level, dealing with darkened elbows from inside out. A combination of the two makes this a highly effective cure for dark elbows. Simply mix equal parts honey and aloe gel and rub onto the elbows. After about ten minutes, wash off with soap and water.
Buttermilk, Ground Oatmeal and a Couple of Almonds
Buttermilk is itself a great combination of ingredients needed to whiten elbows. With moisturizing milk, bleaching lemon juice, acidic vinegar and exfoliating salt, buttermilk all by itself can solve your problems. However, let’s take it one step further and add other exfoliating agents, the ground oatmeal and almonds that will help soften the skin. Make a paste from these ingredients and rub it into the elbows in slow, circular motions and then wash off after about ten minutes. Do this once every week for the best results.
Chickpea Flour:
Chickpea flour mixed with turmeric powder, milk and lemon is one of the most potent pastes to help reduce darkness in the elbows. Mix two heaps of chick pea flour with one tablespoon of turmeric powder, two tablespoons of milk and one small teaspoon of lemon juice. Make a thick paste from these ingredients and apply on the elbows. Once the paste hardens, wash away with water and mild soap. Then pour on some rose water and do not wash off. Repeat this twice a week for the best results.
Papaya
Papaya has certain natural properties that not only help lighten the skin but also helps in moisturizing it. This treatment is great for the thicker skin of the elbows. Cut the papaya into small pieces and then mash these pieces together, with just a tsp of water. Then apply this mashed papaya on the elbows and leave it on for about ten minutes before washing off with plain water. Refrigerate the rest of this mash to use for later. Apply this once every two days for a few weeks for best results.
Vaseline and Socks:
Cut holes in the front of two old socks. Then, apply Vaseline on the elbows at night and pull the socks over the elbows to cover them. Do this overnight for a couple of weeks for best results.
Potatoes
Interestingly, potatoes are also wonderful home remedies for dark elbows. In fact, potatoes can be used to reduce any sort of marks on the body. Simply cut small pieces of potatoes and mash it in with yogurt. Apply this on the elbows and leave it on for about twenty five minutes. Then wash off.
Apart from the above mentioned dark elbows home remedies, there are a few other things that can be done to treat dark elbows. For example, use sunscreen daily. Also, exfoliate with a soft brush or a loofah on a daily basis during shower time. Scrub with a towel too after the shower. Remember not to overdo any exfoliation as you could erode away essential layers of skin leaving your elbows just as dark as before. Moisturize and use creams daily. Also drink lots of water, at least five to six glasses a day.
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