How to Get Rid of Dark Elbows

Using home remedies

Use lemon juice. Lemon juice contains citric acid which is a natural bleaching agent. Therefore, applying lemon juice to elbows can help to lighten the skin. To use: Cut a large lemon in half. Squeeze out some of the juice from both halves so that you have two hollow halves or "cups". Rub each lemon cup over your elbows. You can rub away any excess pulp, but don't wash your elbows for about 3 hours. This gives the lemon juice time to act more deeply. Wash off the lemon juice with some warm water. As lemon juice can be drying, you should moisturize the area with your favorite body moisturizer. Repeat this every day until the dark skin begins to fade. You should see a significant difference within a couple of weeks.

Apply heavy cream and turmeric if you have a dark complexion. A mixture of heavy cream and turmeric works well to lighten the skin on elbows, particularly on people with dark skin tones. Turmeric is a natural bleaching agent which helps to reduce melanin in the skin. Get some heavy cream (or milk with a high fat content) and boil it until it thickens and becomes clotted. Mix in a half teaspoon of turmeric and blend into a paste. Apply this paste to your elbows (and knees) using a circular motion, let it sit for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off with water. Be aware that turmeric can dye the skin a yellowish-orange color that’s especially noticeable on pale skin. The color will fade after a day or two. You can also substitute yogurt for the heavy cream. You won’t need to boil it to achieve the same color-changing effect.

Make a paste using milk and baking soda. This remedy helps to lighten elbows as milk contains lactic acid which reduces skin pigmentation, while the baking soda helps to exfoliate dead skin cells. Mix enough milk to turn the baking soda into a paste. Apply on your elbows and gently scrub it in a circular motion. Do this for about 3 minutes or until you notice that your skin is lighter.

Try mixing yogurt and vinegar or lemon juice. These combinations contains both lactic and acetic acid, which each help lighten your skin color. To use, combine one teaspoon of yogurt with one teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and mix until they form a consistent paste. Apply to your elbows by rubbing in a circular motion. Leave the mixture on for 20 minutes, and then rinse off and moisturize.

Create a mixture of almonds, buttermilk, and oatmeal. Buttermilk can lighten your skin by bleaching and moisturizing it. Oatmeal and almonds can both work as exfoliants and remove dead skin cells. Grind the oatmeal and almonds and combine them with the buttermilk to create a paste. Rub the paste onto your elbows in a circular motion. Let the paste sit on your elbows for 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off with water.

Exfoliating and Moisturizing

Scrub your elbows. Use a loofah or washcloth to apply exfoliating shower gel to remove excess dead skin cells from your elbows. These dry, flaky skin cells can become trapped in the elbow creases, causing your skin to have a dark or dull appearance. Just remember not to scrub too hard or too frequently, as this may hinder natural oil production and cause your skin to produce extra cells. This can make your elbows even darker. Scrub gently just once or twice a week. You can exfoliate up to 3 times a week if you're prone to very dull, dry skin. Alternatively, you can make your own sugar scrub by mixing 2 parts sugar (white or brown) and 1 part oil (almond, coconut, or olive). You can also use a chemical exfoliant that uses glycolic acid, which is naturally found in honey; lactic acid, which is present in milk; or citric acid, which comes from fruit.

Moisturize your skin after scrubbing. Dry skin causes skin to darken, so remember to keep your elbows moisturized. It's especially important to moisturize after you exfoliate, because once you get through the dead skin layer, you need to lock hydration into the deeper skin cells. Moisturize after each shower or bath (as hot water can act to remove natural oils from your skin), before you go to bed at night, and before you leave the house in the morning. For best results, use lotions which contain shea butter, jojoba oil, or olive oil. A heavy duty treatment is to apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly, coconut oil, or pure shea butter directly to your elbows before bed, then cover with a "sock sleeve" fashioned by cutting the foot of cotton tube socks. It is best to leave the protective sleeve on throughout the night, if you are able. Doing so allows you to apply a massive amount of moisturizer to your elbows without ruining your sheets. Additionally, the sock sleeve helps retain your body heat and liquefy the moisturizer, thereby assisting the absorption by your skin.

Wear sunscreen. Sun exposure can cause damage skin and make the skin on elbows and knees darker, so it's important to apply sunscreen before all outdoor excursions and activities. Harmful UV rays are present even when it's cloudy or raining, so you should make a point to wear sunscreen all year round. It might even be a good idea to make sunscreen application part of your morning routine.