Elbows and knees get dry and rough because they bend, lean and rub against desks, tables and clothes all day, and winter air pulls even more moisture out. To soften them, exfoliate gently two or three times a week, smooth on lotion while your skin is damp, press body butter into the rough spots, then seal with dry body oil.
Why are my elbows and knees so dry?
Friction does most of the damage. You lean on your elbows at a desk, kneel, cross your legs and pull sleeves and jeans over the same spots all day, and that constant rubbing dries the skin out. Winter adds cold air, dry indoor heat and longer hot showers, so rough patches show up there first.
Medical News Today lists friction from tight clothes and resting on hard surfaces as causes of dry elbows, along with hot water, which can strip the skin of its oils, and low humidity, wind and cold, which make dryness worse. In winter, all of those stack up at once.
How do you soften rough elbows and knees?
Work in four steps, in this order: clear away the dead, dry skin, put water back in while you're still damp, press a rich butter into the rough spots, then seal everything with dry body oil. Done consistently through the cold months, this routine takes elbows and knees from rough and gray to soft.
- Exfoliate in the shower. Use our Sugar Body Scrub on damp skin in gentle circles, or an African exfoliating net - also called an African net sponge or sapo with your body wash. Pick one per shower, not both.
- Lotion on damp skin. Step out, pat lightly, and smooth on Body Silk within a few minutes while your skin is still damp.
- Body butter next. Warm a small scoop of Body Butter between your palms and smooth it on. It can go all over, then press a little extra into your elbows and knees.
- Dry body oil last. A few pumps of dry body oil on top seals everything in.
The American Academy of Dermatology backs up the timing: keep showers and baths to five to ten minutes in warm water, and apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp. It also notes that ointments and creams add more moisture to skin than lotions, which is why a rich butter belongs on your driest spots in winter.
Our Body Butter is whipped shea and mango butter, $25 for a 4 oz jar, handmade in Brooklyn and made to order, so allow a little extra time for it to ship. Cocoa Moringa is our most rebought scent. Browse every scent in the Body Butters collection. One note on the last step: our dry body oils contain sweet almond oil, so skip them if you have a nut allergy.
How often should you exfoliate elbows and knees?
Two or three times a week is enough. Elbows and knees feel tough, but the skin over them is still skin, and scrubbing harder or more often leaves it red and irritated rather than smoother. Use light pressure on the bony spots and let consistency do the work, whether you reach for a sugar scrub or a net.
On the days in between, skip the scrub and keep up steps two to four. Lotion, butter and oil every day is what keeps the skin soft between exfoliating days. If a spot already feels raw or stings, give it a few days off before you exfoliate it again.
Why do elbows and knees look ashy?
Ash is what dry, rough skin looks like, especially on deeper skin tones. When dead cells build up on a dry surface, they leave a gray or white cast that shows most on the spots that dry out first: elbows, knees, shins and heels. Exfoliating clears the buildup, and sealing in water keeps it from coming back.
The same cold-weather pattern that roughs up your elbows is behind ash everywhere else on your body. We break down that seasonal cycle in why skin gets ashy in winter.
When is it more than dry skin?
If your elbows or knees stay rough after a few weeks of a steady routine, or the skin is itchy, scaly, thickened or flaking in raised patches, it may be more than winter dryness. That's the point to stop experimenting at home and book a visit with a dermatologist or your doctor to find out what's going on.
Medical News Today notes that eczema causes dry, itchy skin that can feel scaly, tough or thickened, and that psoriasis can show up as raised patches and flaking skin. It advises contacting a doctor if dry skin doesn't respond to treatment or symptoms get worse. The AAD gives the same advice: see a dermatologist if dry skin continues after trying their tips. Body care can keep healthy skin soft, but it isn't a substitute for a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use butter every day?
Yes. Every day on your elbows and knees is fine, and our Body Butter can go all over your body too.
Should I use a scrub or a net?
Either one works. Pick one per shower and exfoliate two or three times a week.
Which butter is fragrance-free?
Unscented. It's our Body Butter with no added fragrance.
Do I need lotion and oil?
Use both, in order. Lotion delivers water to the skin; oil seals it in. Apply lotion to damp skin straight out of the shower, then press dry body oil on top to lock it in. On its own, oil still works on damp skin - it seals in the shower water.
