Dry skin on the elbows is a signal that cannot be ignored. The most common causes of excessive dryness of the elbows are endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism), iron deficiency anemia, lack of vitamin A and E, mechanical injuries (when working at the table), and synthetic clothing.
Diseases such as psoriasis and eczema are often manifested on the elbows. The condition of the skin on the elbows is affected by age, heredity and lifestyle.
The skin on the elbows is normally always denser and drier than on other parts of the body. Flexion and extension of the joints stretches the skin and thickens it. In addition, on the elbows, as in the knees, there are almost no sebaceous glands. Namely, the secret of sebaceous glands prevents the loss of moisture. Therefore, you need to regularly lubricate the elbows with emollients and moisturizers. If this is not done, the skin may become rough and cracked.
This happens especially often in the fall and winter – most of the time a person spends in heated rooms with very dry air. The skin on the elbows is covered with dry “goosebumps”, becomes rougher due to temperature changes – in the autumn-winter period, a person constantly leaves a warm room and goes outside, where it is cold, and vice versa, enters the heat from the cold.
Sometimes dry and pigmented skin on the elbows is a sign of serious health problems, for example, the development of cell insensitivity to insulin. So there is a risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthrosis. Therefore, it is best to contact specialists in parallel with home care: a dermatologist, endocrinologist or therapist.
How to care for elbow skin
The best way to take care of your elbows is to use a universal cream. Apply it only to cleansed skin. At the same time, it is worth washing not with soap, but with emollients and moisturizers. For example, shower gels with a soft formula and caring properties.
Once or twice a week, it is recommended to peel the entire body or use a special brush (it can be moistened in glycerin) to stimulate skin renewal and exfoliate dead skin cells. A shower cream with small soft scrubbing particles is also suitable. During cleansing or peeling, you do not need to rub the skin too much – soft massage movements are enough.
Frequent showering also provokes dryness. After cleaning procedures or swimming in the pool, it is important not to forget to use the cream. Once the skin is dry, apply a softening and moisturizing agent to your elbows. It should intensively nourish and moisturize even dry skin areas. It can be used every day.
