How to clear dark knuckles is a major skin care concern. I have seen a lot of ladies and even men hiding their hands under the table, because they were embarrassed . And while we are all down for self-confidence and loving your self the way you are, wouldn’t you rather have flawless hands than dark knuckles ? Ok, so you woke up and found your knuckles as black as charcoal or may be it has always been that way .
There is a remedy .After following these steps,you would be flaunting those hands in no time.
Let’s get to it ok!
Dark knuckles mainly affect people of color. Meaning Africans, black Americans. It doesn’t matter if you’re light-skinned, as long as you’ve got Melanin, you can still have dark knuckles. If you do, you have probably bought lotions or creams which claim they clear up knuckles in days but the issue only got worse …What do you do?
Ok, let’s go back to the genesis of your dark knuckles. I mean way back! As with every solution ,you must find out the cause or reason for your ailment so you can tackle it with the velocity of it’s attack. (OK.. big grammar lol)
What causes dark knuckles?
There are several reasons our knuckles get dark and I’m going to outline them below;
- Bleaching/Toning creams -Yes, the usual culprits are those lotions or creams we buy to tone or bleach our skin.
For some reason, while it works on lightening the skin, it appears to make all the melanin concentrate on the knuckles, elbows, and knees.
- Skin conditions -Having skin psoriasis and eczema can cause dark knuckles.
- Exposure to harsh chemicals– Sometimes it is safer to put on gloves before engaging in cleaning activities which involve chemicals or strong detergents. Most of these chemicals result in dark knuckles
- –Genetics –Yes, some things are just thanks to our mamas and papas..So are dark knuckles. I have seen ladies and even men who have never touched a toning or bleaching creams in their lives ,with knuckles so dark .
How to clear dark knuckles
I’ve listed tested and proven methods to clear or minimize your dark Knuckles.
- Exfoliate -Exfoliating is the first step to clearing dark knuckles. In fact, it is the first step in any basic skin care routine. You have to shed your skin of those dead cells to reveal a fresher you.
Exfoliate your hands and knees or whatever area you need to lighten.
Get an apricot based exfoliator like the cult classic, ST Ives or make a DIY sugar, honey and lemon home scrub.
- Go natural On affected areas-Do not think you can clear dark knuckles by bleaching the skin,what happens is your skin will get lighter making your dark knuckles more visible . If you are applying dark knuckle treatments ,concentrate on the knuckles only. That’s where you want to lighten, right?
- Natural oils-Get yourself a bottle of original, unprocessed coconut oil or Shea butter (you can get both)
I use the African Shea Butter by RA Cosmetics .It is as real as it gets.
Use it as your staple hand lotion .Whenever your hands need moisturizing, reach out for that coconut oil or Shea butter. It works wonders to unify your skin tone and clear scars and dark knuckles.
DIY scrub for Dark Knuckles
- Lemon juice -Lemon juice should be your new best friend.
Make sure you rub some fresh lemon juice on your knuckles, preferably before you go to bed at night. It should be the last thing you do.
Mix a spoon of lemon juice , a spoon of honey and a spoon of sugar . Mix the contents and scrub the affected area for about 5-10 minutes . Rinse off.
Clearing Dark Knuckles With Baking Soda
Baking soda is a holy grail when it comes to skin care .
It is very effective for dark spots and acne.So it is only conceivable that baking soda would clear dark knuckles.
Mix baking soda and lemon juice to form a thick paste .Rub allover the knuckles and let it sit for 20 minutes .
Rinse off and follow with your coconut oil or Shea butter .
Do this preferably at nights when you are preparing to go to bed .
Remember ,consistency is key .So do this for about a month and see how clear your knuckles would become .
How to avoid Cream induced dark knuckles
I try out so many body lotions ,even ones which have strong toning ingredients. How do I keep my knuckles dark free?
I make sure I wash my hands after and slather on coconut oil or Shea butter. If I am too busy to wash them off, I just slather on my coconut oil. That would reduce the potency of the lotion which causes dark knuckles. Hope you enjoyed my simple steps on how to clear dark knuckles .
Have any tips or questions? Feel free to share .