How-to: Exfoliating Elbows

Scrubs for Exfoliating Your Elbows
Use exfoliating scrubs to slough off dead skin and reveal the younger skin underneath. Homemade scrubs are easy to make in a few minutes, or pick one up from your local bath and beauty store.

How to exfoliating elbows

• Sugar Scrubs – For an at-home sugar scrub, combine olive oil and brown sugar in a small bowl. Two drops of essential oils will give the scrub a nice aroma and moisturize your skin. Take the mix to the shower and apply it to damp elbows. Rub the scrub into your skin for one minute, then rinse.
• Salt Scrubs – Rub bath salts into the moist skin of your elbow for a good exfoliant. Rinse away the scrub after about a minute. Do not use salt scrubs if your skin is extremely dry.
• Microdermabrasion – Use your facial microdermabrasion kit on your elbows. Squirt or scoop out a dime-sized amount of the exfoliating liquid onto your fingertips. Rub the microdermabrasion exfoliant into your skin. It will only take a few seconds to remove the dried skin, so use caution.

Tools for Exfoliation
To get a good polish on your elbow skin, some good tools are required. On occasions when you have no scrubs, an exfoliating tool along with some soap or gel will do nicely.

Loofah – Rub the area with a handheld loofah sponge. Squirt a little soap on your sponge and lather it up. Rub the elbows with the loofah sponge in a circular motion. Do this no longer than a few minutes. Too much exfoliation can damage skin. Only loofah your skin once a week to avoid skin damage.

Netted Sponge – Squirt your favorite shower gel or soap into a wet netted sponge. Rub the netted sponge across the elbow area until suds appear. A netted sponge is gentler than a loofah so you can use it daily.

Moisturizing Elbows
After exfoliating your elbows, add moisturizing lotion, oil or cream to the area. Read the labels before purchasing. Look for moisturizers that contain comfrey, Vitamin E, Vitamin A or aloe.

• Lotion – A moisturizer lotion with hydroxyl acid will encourage skin to renew itself. Avoid using lotions with alcohol-based fragrance as these can dry out your skin. Apply lotion to elbows daily.
• Oils – A scented oil like massage oil, olive oil or even baby oil will keep elbow skin flexible. Apply oils to elbows before bed.
• Creams – A cream moisturizer is excellent to use weekly. Apply cream to your elbows, then cover the area with cling wrap or elbow protectors. Leave the elbows covered for about thirty minutes then remove the wrappings. Skin will be smoother and more supple.

Elbow Skin Diseases
Chronic dry skin around the elbows may be an indication of a more serious skin condition. Visit your dermatologist if skin does not heal, or it hurts or bleeds. Common elbow skin diseases are psoriasis and eczema.

Eczema
The cause of this skin ailment is unknown. Besides making skin look dry it will also be itchy and you may want to scratch it. This condition is not contagious but it can be embarrassing. Do not exfoliate eczema-infected areas, but do treat the areas with cortisone or petroleum creams.

Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a hereditary condition that dries the skin around joints and on your scalp. You may see red scaly patches in the infected areas. Do not traumatize skin infected with psoriasis by exfoliating. Instead, use a cream that contains Vitamin D. The cause of this skin disease is unknown but it is not contagious.