Having dark knuckles can be a difficult thing to deal with for women of colour. It could be that you have them naturally or they could have been induced either by bleaching, excessive tanning, exposure to extreme/hazardous washing agents etc. I usually get questions on how to fix this problem from women who have gotten dark knuckles one way or the other; and either don’t know how to get rid of them or are simply unaware that you can do this with some simple natural methods. But first, what causes dark knuckles? You need to know that it could be genetic, a health issue or based on how you use your hands. For instance, dark knuckles become more emphasized when you use a lightening cream or if you expose your hands to a lot of chemicals including washing agents, bleach used for clothes or excessive washing of hands. You must remember that because you use your hands a lot, your routine must focus on pampering those hands. The skin around the knuckle is tough and any lasting routine must have the ability to keep the area soft to enable it absorb any treatment, and include some type of scrub to help peel off the dark skin and hyper-pigmentation. On that note, check out these tips that can be used for both hands & feet to help you get rid of those dark knuckles. 1. Get a bottle of a good revitalizing lotion. Use a Q-tip, dab it in the lotion and apply it on your dark knuckles. Be sure to lay on a thick layer of the lotion and ensure it gets absorbed into the skin. After the 5-minute mark, clean it off or rub it in. 2. Another great way to moisturize your dark knuckles is to use raw shea butter. First take a scoop of the butter and smother your hands and feet with it. Be sure to use this on your feet as well. Shea butter has properties that help even skin tone and moisturize the skin and will work well in reducing the darkness on your knuckles. 3. If it is severe, for the first week, after applying the Shea butter, wear disposable non-sterile powder free vinyl medical examination gloves on your hands and sleep over night with it. This will help lock in moisture to begin the peeling process. Then wash your hands with a mild scrub in the mornings. 4. For the feet, apply shea butter and then wrap your feet. The heat generated from the closure of the bag will help with peeling the skin fast. Do this every night for 1 week. 5. If it is not severe, then simply wear a cotton glove for your hands and a pair of cotton socks for your feet for about two weeks. 6. Using a scrub or skin polish as well is great for dark knuckles. Scrub the dark areas 2-3 times a week to help exfoliate the skin and reduce hyper-pigmentation. Other natural ways of getting rid of dark knuckles are: 1. A good scrub: A good exfoliation is very important to get rid of dark knuckles as the main reason behind the them are accumulation of dead skin as previously discussed, therefore a good scrub can help you to remove all the unnecessary pile up of dead skin. Ingredients: Sugar and lemon juice Method: Mix sugar and lemon juice and apply this on your fingers and scrub it in circular motion for around five to ten minutes. This has to be carried out regularly for a few days to achieve the desired result. You can also try cutting a lemon into half and rubbing it over the skin for some time prior to bath. This also ensures whitening the skin. 2. Bleach the skin naturally: The dark knuckles can be bleached naturally by applying lemon juice and honey mixture for about ten minutes daily. The lemon and honey combination works well as a bleach and helps in lightening the skin. 3. Gram flour pack for lightening the knuckles: Gram flour -1 tbsp. Raw milk- 2 tbsp. Lime juice – 3 drops Mix these ingredients in a bowl thoroughly and apply it on the affected area and leave until it dries and wash it away. This treatment has to be done for around one month and you will be able to see a visible difference. This pack helps in getting rid of the tan and making the skin brighter. 4. Almond oil: Almond oil is really good for skin. The oil can be massaged on the knuckles and left for ten minutes. If done regularly this will help in reducing the pigmentation and make the knuckles lighter. 5. Vitamin E and milk cream: Get Vitamin E capsules, it is easily available in all drugstores. Take one Vitamin E capsule and into it add 1 teaspoon of milk cream. Apply this mixture on the knuckles as well as other rough areas of the skin. Massage well for about ten minutes. This is a very good remedy for dark knuckles and it moisturizes the skin. 6. Pamper your hands: Take some warm water, put some baking soda, glycerin as well as rose water. Now soak your hands in this water for minimum 5 minutes. This will help in decreasing the dark knuckles. 7. Pumice stone: Pumice stone is very much a part of a manicure and it is mainly to scrub away the dead skin from the knuckles. You can use pumice stone daily while taking bath to rub your knuckles, this will help in lightening the area. If these do not help, you may need to see a dermatologist. Remember, a qualified dermatologist is a doctor! Consulting with uncertified beauticians can lead to damaged skin. Got a remedy for dark knuckles? Share your secrets with us!
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